After many forgot about Chelsea’s plans to give a £1 billion upgrade to Stamford Bridge, the schematics are back in the news.
News greeted Chelsea fans this week that the plans for an upgraded Stamford Bridge could be back on the table. The green light for the construction of a 60,000-seat stadium was thought to have expired in March of 2020 and the plan looked all but dead at the time. However, the pandemic has changed things for the project as the permits are now extended until April 1, 2021.
For Chelsea fans who would like to have a seemingly brand new stadium and for the club, it is very welcome news indeed. Chelsea has fallen behind many of its competitors in the upper echelons of the English football and around Europe in both stadium size and newness. Tottenham and Arsenal boast larger and more modern stadiums, and the two Manchester clubs possess larger and ostensibly more profitable venues than Stamford Bridge.
While the charm of the Bridge is unquestionable, modern economics dictate that larger football stadiums bring in more money. A larger revenue not only makes the ownership happy, but it also allows for more resources for facilities and above all; high-quality and high-cost transfers. This is a fact of life around football in the 21st century.
So, the news from authorities that the permitting authority was extended—the process had to be an undoubtedly arduous and mind-numbing one as it is in many places around the globe—must have been greeted with happiness among Chelsea supporters. After all, a ‘new’ stadium is almost always a good thing. It’s got all new amenities, it’s fresh, it’s much roomier both in seating and in causeways, it’s modern. But, maybe there is a downside to all this good news in the eyes of some.
To find negativity amongst all this positivity represents a rather depressing point of view, but sometimes things needs to be explored. The design is well, uninspiring. It’s eerily gothic and frankly, it’s dreary and gloomy. It’s supposedly in tune with the surroundings, but no matter what the suggested rationale, it’s boring and a bit depressing in itself. The blueprints are certainly not exciting and energizing in the eyes of fans and it seems to pale in comparison to other fantastic new stadiums—both around town and around the globe. However, that’s seemingly the only negativity.
Regardless of this negative opinion and the emotions surrounding the design, the new stadium needs to be built. It’s a necessity in the modern age if the fabulous Blues are to compete with the best in Europe. It has to go on and it must get going soon. It will be a long hiatus from the site, four years it seems, but the sooner the better. Even if the stadium design is polarizing, the construction needs to begin. It’s overdue. However else one may categorize it, it’s home to Chelsea and therefore, it’s ours.
How do you feel about the proposed stadium upgrades? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!