Perhaps it is time for Chelsea to say goodbye to the legendary Stamford Bridge. Reportedly, the Blues are leaving their home for over 100 years and moving into a stadium with greener pastures. Here’s all you need to know about Chelsea’s new stadium.
Chelsea Set To Move Into A Bigger Stadium
Since 1905, Stamford Bridge has been home to the Blues. However, the renowned stadium has limited the club’s growth ambitions. Albeit legendary and host to several title-deciding matches, Stamford Bridge can only seat approximately 42,000 fans, which is quite sub-par to other legendary stadiums. To retain its status as one of the highly-rated soccer clubs, Chelsea’s management set out to discover ways to redevelop Stamford Bridge.
The redeveloped Stamford Bridge would have a seating capacity of 60,000, becoming the fourth-largest stadium in the English Premier League. The stadium will be divided into three tiers – 40%, 20%, and 40%. The smallest tier would be used to host corporate clients, with at least 9000 business seats. The new Stamford Bridge would have a floor space of roughly 130,000 square meters, distributed across seven floors.
The demolition and total rebuild of the stadium is rumored to cost about £1.5 billion. Besides, the redevelopment is estimated to last five years, and the venue will be closed to all potential matches. That means, until 2030, Chelsea will have to make do with Wembley Stadium and share Craven Cottage with Fulham.
Unfortunately, those plans fell flat due to the stadium’s closeness to an underground line in the capital. This setback has driven the club’s owners to seek a new and better stadium to achieve their ambition. And this is where Earls Court comes into play!
Earls Court – Chelsea’s New Stamford Bridge
Chelsea has selected Earls Court as the new Stamford Bridge prospect. This move to the Kangaroo Valley has an astonishing price tag of £500 million. The Blues are currently in talks with Transport for London and real estate developer Delancey. Chelsea’s plans for the Lillie Bridge depot include affordable housing.
However, the club has yet again encountered obstacles in its bid to grow. The plans of the development committee for Earls Court do not include a football stadium. The clashing visions of Chelsea and the Earls Court Development Committee will be presented to local councils. However, the deciding councils might be swayed to favor Chelsea, seeing as the ECDC’s plans might be too expensive for the committee.
But that is not all! Even worse, Chelsea is facing its own internal struggles. Reportedly, co-owners Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly are in disaccord. This feud could hamper negotiations and the club’s plans for Earls Court. Additionally, Chelsea has to gain the approval of the Chelsea Pitch Owners to relocate to the new potential stadium.
Fans React To Chelsea’s PossibleMove From Stamford Bridge
It hasn’t been easy for some Chelsea fans to accept the club’s plans to leave Stamford Bridge. While some supporters understand the club’s point of view and are eager to experience a bigger state-of-the-art stadium, others feel deeply connected and loyal to Stamford Bridge. After all, the Shed End is home to several iconic moments in the Blues’ history.
Fortunately, it seems that the club itself is reluctant to completely let go of Stamford Bridge. Just recently, Chelsea bought 2.4 acres of land, which was once owned by a charity for veteran housing, close to the stadium. This £80-million purchase is a beacon of hope for Chelsea fans who are just not ready to leave Stamford Bridge.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of whether or not Chelsea will be moving into Earls Court or renovating Stamford Bridge, one thing is for sure – Chelsea has massive plans for the foreseeable future, and fans are in for one hell of a ride!
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