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How Birmingham City plan to use St Andrew’s Stadium to create the ‘greatest revenue stream’

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Birmingham City are on a mission to dominate English football.

Ever since the Knighthead group bought the Blues, promotion to the Premier League has been on their mind.

Step one, get out of League One, has already been achieved and now the next stage is to win promotion.

While Birmingham are doing well financially, as proved by a number of high profile signings, competing with the sides relegated from the top flight and the financial muscle of the rest of the Premier League isn’t easy.

Thinking outside the box is required to come up with new ways of generating revenue, and St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park is all part of the masterplan.

A general aerial view of St Andrews at Knighthead Park ahead of the Sky Bet League One clash between Birmingham City FC v Mansfield Town FC
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

Birmingham City chief outlines St Andrew’s vision

As part of their plan to bring more money into Birmingham, newly appointed chief commercial officer Stephen Haines has outlined plans to bring non-football events to the stadium.

It is a method that has proven to be a success for clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, and now the Championship giants want to follow suit.

Speaking to Blues plus, he said: “Tom (Wagner) and Jeremy (Dale) have been very clear: we want to make the most money and provide the greatest revenue stream of any club outside the three parachute payment clubs and then on a revenue basis compete with those clubs.

“How are we utilising the ground? Can we use the ground for different things apart from just playing football?

“Without talking about specific projects, there’s lots of things we haven’t been doing before that we’re exploring, that brands are getting very excited about.”

Birmingham City stadium plan update

The Knighthead group have always had big plans for the Blues and part of their vision is the possibility of a new stadium.

St Andrew’s has been the club’s home since 1906, but their plans to move into their new place by 2029 should things go to plan, where they hope to have a capacity of 62,000.

A 48-acre site in east Birmingham has been purchased and is said to be inspired by Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium campus.