Chelsea have opened talks over a temporary switch to the home of English rugby Twickenham, while they redevelop Stamford Bridge.
The club’s home currently has a capacity of a little under 41,800, but in order to help comply with Financial Fair Play regulations, they announced plans to increase that to something closer to 60,000 earlier this year.
For that they would need to find a new home, in all likelihood only for one year, and Twickenham has been identified as a possible destination.
A spokesman for the Rugby Football Union confirmed to the Sunday Times that discussions have taken place: “We are regularly contacted by a variety of organisations, within and outside sport, on a wide range of opportunities concerning the use of what we believe is a world-class stadium.
“We have had an inquiry from Chelsea FC but have not had any discussions of any substance.
“While we don’t comment on any specific confidential conversations, each request is taken on its merit, assessing a variety of factors, such as the effect on the pitch, availability, transport and local considerations and other important implications.”
Chelsea have been trying to increase their matchday revenue for some time, although plans to build an entirely new stadium of their own, including a mooted scheme to build on the site of the Battersea Power Station, have been shelved.
Should the move take place, the earliest season it could happen is 2016/17, as Twickenham will host a number of games at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
A Chelsea spokesman said: “We’re investigating different scenarios as part of the consultation process we started earlier this year, but have had no discusssions of substance so far.”
Twickenham, which has a capacity of 82,000, has never hosted a football match and declined to be included in the Football Association’s doomed bid for the 2018 World Cup, but has hosted several concerts, rugby league games and the annual Jehovah’s Witnesses convention.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/sep/28/chelsea-in-talks-twickenham-switch-stamford-bridge-redevelopment
The club’s home currently has a capacity of a little under 41,800, but in order to help comply with Financial Fair Play regulations, they announced plans to increase that to something closer to 60,000 earlier this year.
For that they would need to find a new home, in all likelihood only for one year, and Twickenham has been identified as a possible destination.
A spokesman for the Rugby Football Union confirmed to the Sunday Times that discussions have taken place: “We are regularly contacted by a variety of organisations, within and outside sport, on a wide range of opportunities concerning the use of what we believe is a world-class stadium.
“We have had an inquiry from Chelsea FC but have not had any discussions of any substance.
“While we don’t comment on any specific confidential conversations, each request is taken on its merit, assessing a variety of factors, such as the effect on the pitch, availability, transport and local considerations and other important implications.”
Chelsea have been trying to increase their matchday revenue for some time, although plans to build an entirely new stadium of their own, including a mooted scheme to build on the site of the Battersea Power Station, have been shelved.
Should the move take place, the earliest season it could happen is 2016/17, as Twickenham will host a number of games at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
A Chelsea spokesman said: “We’re investigating different scenarios as part of the consultation process we started earlier this year, but have had no discusssions of substance so far.”
Twickenham, which has a capacity of 82,000, has never hosted a football match and declined to be included in the Football Association’s doomed bid for the 2018 World Cup, but has hosted several concerts, rugby league games and the annual Jehovah’s Witnesses convention.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/sep/28/chelsea-in-talks-twickenham-switch-stamford-bridge-redevelopment