Luton face $12 million bill in stadium improvements if promoted

Every English club dreams of playing in the Premier League. After all, it's seen as the top soccer division in the world. This is the case not only for the caliber of players in the league but also for financial aspects. However, there are potential costs of earning promotion to the top flight as well. […]

Every English club dreams of playing in the Premier League. After all, it’s seen as the top soccer division in the world. This is the case not only for the caliber of players in the league but also for financial aspects. However, there are potential costs of earning promotion to the top flight as well.

Luton Town chief executive Gary Sweet has claimed that his club will have to shell out around $12 million if they are promoted to the Premier League for improvements to the club’s Kenilworth Road stadium to comply with Premier League rules. The stadium currently has a max capacity of just over 10,000 fans.

Sweet says team would need to tweak stadium this summer

“It is maybe more of a gargantuan task than building a new stadium,” Sweet recently told BBC radio. “There’s rather a lot of work to do. We’ve got about £8 million, maybe £10 million ($12 million) of improvements to do which is pretty much rebuilding one stand in less than three months, which is some task.”

“It’s just really to comply with Premier League’s broadcasting requirements and some facility requirements that are needed.”

Luton Town are currently third in the Championship and could be promoted to the Premier League next season.

Imagine playing PL matches at Kenilworth Road ???? pic.twitter.com/0Z1mY7pSWX

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 25, 2023

Luton also has plans for new stadium for future improvements

Luton is currently third in the Championship table and has already locked in a playoff place. The club has also already announced plans to build a new 23,000-seat stadium. Nevertheless, this new arena would not be ready to use if they were promoted to the Premier League this summer.

Sweet claimed that the club will be aiming to break ground on the new stadium later this year. He stated that the arena’s budget could be around $125 million. “It’s quite a heavy investment for football at that level for us and will firmly put us into the Premier League bracket,” stated Sweet.

“But just to be able to get Kenilworth Road ready now, just for maybe two or three years, is maybe more of a gargantuan task than building a new stadium.”

Luton could still finish second in the Championship table to earn an automatic promotion spot. Sheffield United are currently in the second position, four points ahead of Luton. The Blades also have two games in hand compared to Luton as well.

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