The Rugby Football Union (RFU) chief, Bill Sweeney, has expressed readiness for Twickenham Stadium to host Chelsea Football Club`s home games on a temporary basis while Stamford Bridge is being redeveloped.
Sweeney is keen to maximize income generated by the 82,000-capacity home of English rugby and views Chelsea`s potential temporary relocation as a valuable opportunity to significantly boost revenue.
Chelsea`s plans involve increasing the capacity of Stamford Bridge from its current 42,000 seats to 60,000, a project that will necessitate finding an alternative home ground during the construction period.
Referencing Tottenham Hotspur`s temporary move to Wembley Stadium between 2017 and 2019 during the construction of their new stadium, Sweeney highlighted that hosting Chelsea for potentially two seasons would generate a substantial financial windfall for the RFU.
Sweeney confirmed that Twickenham possesses the necessary licensing to stage Premier League matches and that discussions regarding the possibility of hosting professional football clubs have occurred previously.
However, a potential obstacle could be the local council in Richmond, which Sweeney believes is more sensitive to concerns regarding the impact on residents and fan numbers. He noted that while they would engage in conversations, their stance “may depend on which club it is.”
The RFU chief recently raised the prospect of moving England`s rugby headquarters away from Twickenham, possibly to the Midlands (with Milton Keynes mentioned as an option), partly due to restrictions on the number of non-sports events the stadium can host. For example, Twickenham was unable to accommodate all six Beyoncé concerts that Spurs` stadium is hosting this summer.
Currently limited to three non-rugby events annually, Sweeney is confident this restriction will be eased, which would further improve the RFU`s financial situation and reinforce the decision to remain at Twickenham.
He reported positive ongoing discussions with the Richmond council, indicating that they recognize the need for more non-rugby events for the stadium`s financial viability. A recent survey of local residents showed strong support (75%) for the stadium hosting more non-rugby events.
Despite the discussion of alternative locations, Sweeney reiterated the RFU`s strong preference to stay at Twickenham, citing not only cultural and historical reasons but also the critical role of its location for hospitality and ticketing, which constitute half of the RFU`s revenue.
Plans for a significant £600 million upgrade to the stadium are also in place. Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has also previously spoken about the potential necessity for Chelsea to relocate temporarily during the Stamford Bridge redevelopment.
