Sunderland chief says Stadium of Light expansion a 'constant topic of discussion' amid potential £250m cost
Sunderland chief says Stadium of Light expansion a 'constant topic of discussion' amid potential £250m cost.
Sunderland interim CEO Tom Burwell says the potential for a Stadium of Light expansion remains a 'constant topic of discussion' at the club - amid a potential cost of £250m.
Burwell was providing an update to fans, along with other club staff, on a wide range of issues at the club at the latest Supporters’ Collective Meeting. The potential to expand the Stadium of Light capacity was again raised and club chiefs say they ‘will continue to explore options’. The stadium currently has a capacity just shy of 49,000.
As previously reported, the club have been working with Sunderland City Council on its proposals to develop the Sheepfolds land next to the stadium, in order to protect the prospect of expanding the South Stand if they decide to go down that route. Sunderland opposed the council’s initial proposal but have supported an amended application which reinstates a commercial buffer zone between the stadium and the proposed development.
In the minutes of the latest Supporters’ Collective Meeting, it read: “TB [Tom Burwell] confirmed stadium expansion is a constant topic of discussion internally. The club will continue to explore options and aims to maximise the opportunity for as many fans as possible to attend, generating revenue for the club.
“It may potentially cost the club £250 million for expansion. The council continues to be supportive of the club’s ambitions. A lengthy waiting list for season tickets is a recognition of how the club is performing, but TB acknowledges that this will rise and fall. Any proposal for expansion will have to consider this. 16% of seats at [Everton’s] Hill Dickinson are in Premium areas, only 6% of seats at the Stadium of Light are.”
What has the Echo previously reported about the Stadium of Light?
As reported by the Echo’s Phil Smith earlier this year: “Given the current costs of manufacturing and the dividend adding a four or possibly just five-figure number of seats would bring, there is an internal debate about whether an expansion at this stage is worth it. It's very clear that the club are eager to increase their hospitality offering, with Burwell noting that the club currently has a waiting list for boxes which bring in more revenue and noting that the new Everton stadium has around double the number of premium seats as the Stadium of Light. It's clearly a strong possibility that they focus on addressing this first, or that any expansion addresses this as a key issue.”
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What was said about the location of the away fans at the Stadium of Light at the fan meeting?
As reported earlier this year, away supporters will continue to be housed in the North Stand Upper at the Stadium of Light next season after Sunderland confirmed they had been granted an initial exemption by the Premier League. Competition rules dictate that at least a portion of away supporters should be pitch side at Premier League games, but Newcastle United have been granted an exemption on safety grounds since their return to the top tier in 2017.
Sunderland have also signalled their desire to secure a permanent exemption, arguing that moving away supporters will significantly increase the risk of fans crossing over on arrival and exit.
The minutes from the recent Supporters’ Collective Meeting added: “After submitting a 126-page report to the Premier League, Steve Wood (SW) received notification that dispensation for 2026-27 to keep away fans in their current location. The Premier League will be conducting its own independent analysis to determine if this dispensation will be extended.
“SW believes having away fans where they are is a success. Premier League reports are positive, SAFC stewards regularly receive praise for how away fans are welcomed. There have been no FA reports this year for any fan related issues.“
The report added: “There has been a 20% decrease in arrests, ejections and refusals of home fans at the Stadium of Light, and 6 fixtures this season have been police-free fixtures. No other Premier League club has been able to do this, SW.
“The integration between stewards and home fans is very positive. There has been a 50% reduction in reports of racial abuse incidents, and these are being reported directly to stewards who fans regularly see, as they are deployed to consistent positions within the Stadium.”
The following members of staff from Sunderland were present at the Supporters’ Collective Meeting in mid-May; Sunderland interim CEO Tom Burwell, director of football Florent Ghisolfi plus Paul Kingsmore, Georgi Rusev, Steve Wood, Emily Jewitt and Chris Waters. Several fan groups attended including the Branch Liaison Council, Red and White Army, the Senior Supporters Association and individual fans.
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