A round up of stories about Everton’s new stadium and other off-the-field news over the international break
Next year’s move to the new stadium can propel Everton into European football’s elite ‘million fan’ club. The ‘European Club Talent and Competition Landscape report’ published on Thursday is a detailed study commissioned by UEFA to look at various aspects of European club football, including attendances, transfer trends, competitions plus head coaches and the section on crowd figures is particularly pertinent to Everton’s relocation to Goodison Park in 2025/26.
The research found that Manchester United had the highest aggregate attendance across domestic league football in Europe last season as they were watched by a combined total of 1,397,148 spectators while German side Borussia Dortmund had the highest average home attendance of 81,305. Some 16 clubs across the continent enjoyed aggregate home attendances of more than a million for their domestic league home matches, including half a dozen from the Premier League with United joined by West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Everton’s average home attendance of 39,058 at Goodison Park last season was just above the Premier League average of 38,584 and although the Blues have only ever averaged over 50,000 once in their history (51,603 for the 1962/63 title-winning campaign), the move to their 52,888 capacity future home at Bramley-Moore Dock gives them the potential to be watched by over a million spectators in total next season.
Everton have released a powerful new video that reaffirms the club’s commitment to the area around Goodison Park when the lights go out at ‘The Grand Old Lady’ after 133 years next May. Everton in the Community is launching a new campaign highlighting the charity’s present and future provision in Liverpool 4.
‘Forever’ will enforce Everton in the Community’s current presence in L4 while highlighting the club’s commitment to the area through the life-saving work of its official charity.
Sue Gregory, chief executive officer for Everton in the Community, said: “Imagining Liverpool 4 without Everton Football Club stirs up a lot of emotions in everyone but as the club’s charitable arm, we have a responsibility to the local area and its people and will be remaining anchored here, continuing to build stronger communities and brighter futures for many years to come.
“We are acutely aware that Liverpool City Region is facing ever-growing issues relating to poverty, unemployment and health deprivations and these issues are exacerbated in the north of the city. With the launch of our ‘forever’ campaign and outlining our commitment to the Liverpool 4 community, we are ensuring that Everton remains in the heart of this area once football has moved to the waterfront.”
Former Everton CEO tips club to rocket into ‘top 10’ next year with ‘rosy future’ on cards.
Everton’s move to their new stadium will rocket them back into English football’s top 10 – so long as they remain a Premier League club – predicts one of their former chief executives. Keith Wyness who served as CEO at Everton between 2004-09 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed the Blues can “have a rosy future” if they remain in the Premier League next season.
The 66-year-old told Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast: “The new stadium will bring Everton back into the top 10 for commercial revenue in the Premier League. It was never going to catapult them up to the top level, but what it does do is stop them dropping any further back.
“At Goodison, that was happening. it’s a huge positive and the £60m number (prediction for annual revenue) can only increase from here.
“The future looks great if they can stay in the Premier League and kick on with a new ownership situation settled. Everton have a rosy future.”
Everton announce record-breaking Red Bull partnership deal that will take them into new stadium
Everton have entered into a partnership with Red Bull. But the Blues are NOT becoming part of their global football groups or having any red on their kits.
Instead, Everton have confirmed a deal that will see the world’s biggest energy drink company, Red Bull, replace Lucozade as the club’s new ‘Official Energy Drink Partner’.
No figures have been disclosed but as part of the multi-year agreement, which will not only cover the club’s historic final season at Goodison Park but the move to their new 52,888 capacity stadium, Red Bull will benefit from the opportunity to promote their brand globally across the club’s physical and online channels in what the ECHO understands is a record-breaking deal of its kind in terms of finances for the Blues.
Meis shares 14-word update on new Everton stadium
Dan Meis, the architect who designed the new Everton stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, has visited the site again to reflect on the progress made.
Meis shared images of his time in Liverpool last week and posted an update on Instagram including a number of photos from inside and outside the stadium. “Started with a napkin sketch over 7 years ago but won’t be long now…” read the caption on the carousel of photos.
