Newcastle United is expected to make a decision on the future of St James’ Park soon. This comes from Peter Silverstone, the club’s Chief Commercial Officer, who spoke about the stadium’s future.

A tough decision for the club

We are considering what a new stadium would look like. It’s not a straightforward comparison – it’s not like comparing two identical options; it’s more like comparing apples to pears, Silverstone explained, emphasizing that this decision is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The club must decide whether to invest in the redevelopment of St James’ Park or take the bold step of moving to a new venue. St James’ Park is an iconic location that provides an incredible atmosphere and gives the team an advantage on the pitch – it already has 52,000 seats. A new stadium wouldn’t offer that right away, and we would have to pay again for every seat. However, a new venue could generate significantly higher revenue both on matchdays and beyond.

© John Edgar

PIF representative’s visit suggests an announcement is imminent?

Silverstone also stressed that Newcastle wants to approach this process carefully. Regardless of the outcome, we want to be able to stand in front of everyone and say: ‘This was a logical decision,’ he added. Progress on the matter followed a visit from Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who attended St James’ Park for the victory over Nottingham Forest and later held meetings with the club’s board at Matfen Hall. One of the key topics discussed was the plans for both the stadium and the training center, which require significant investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

During the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, Silverstone was asked about the stadium’s future but, according to iPaper, did not reveal too many details, only stating that no decisions have been made yet and that everything starts with the fans. However, he confirmed that a decision will be made soon, aligning with the club’s earlier statements that early 2025 is the target for the final announcement.

© Tom Whitehead