The upcoming season will mark a new chapter in the history of Everton. The Toffees will bid farewell to Goodison Park at the end of this season and step into a new era with their new stadium, which will hold 52,888 spectators and is located along the banks of the River Mersey.

Is the new stadium crucial for the club's future?

Everton has faced significant financial difficulties in recent years during the construction of the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium, which had a total cost of around £750 million. Moving from Goodison Park, which has been the club’s home since 1892, was necessary in order for Everton to keep up with the rapidly changing world of modern football. The old stadium could not generate the same matchday and commercial revenue as those of their rivals.

Everton’s financial data for the 2023/24 season will be published in the coming weeks, but in the 2022/23 season, commercial revenue was £38.9 million, a drop from £50.4 million the previous year. Meanwhile, matchday revenue increased from £15.6 million to £17.3 million. The new stadium will allow for a significant increase in these figures, giving the new owners more flexibility to invest in the team. This is especially important in light of the upcoming changes to Premier League financial regulations – the sustainable growth and profit rules (PSR) will be replaced by a new cost control system for teams, similar to the one used by UEFA in European competitions.

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Stadium as a musical mecca

The larger stadium capacity, along with the expanded food and merchandise offerings, will undoubtedly help increase revenue. However, Everton has bigger ambitions – they want their new stadium to become one of the most important concert venues in the North of England. In an interview with IQ Magazine, Everton’s Head of Events, Suzie Parker-Myers, explained why the stadium design gives the club an advantage over other venues. This mainly involves the fact that from 2026 onwards, Everton will be able to host up to four non-football events per year, with audiences ranging from 5,000 to 53,000.