The Use of Stadia by English Professional Football

Being real places of worship, stirring up fans' passion, but also being operated as revenue maker by clubs, English stadia are at the centre of all attention. After having held some tragic events, stadia, at the turning of the 1990s, became all-seater arenas where Premier League and Championship fixtures opposing wealthier teams, increasingly filled by top overseas players, are played and live broadcasted all around the world. Linked to record amounts of TV rights money that clubs have and are heavily investing on players' transfers and wages, seeing games reap attendance and stadia utilisation records. On parallel, tickets prices raised, as well, to reach record highs, becoming a real issue for fans arguing they have been priced out of the game. The following dissertation will analyse how, in this context, some Premier League - Arsenal FC, Liverpool FC- and Championship clubs - Brighton & Hove Albion, Charlton Athletic FC, and Reading FC - are driving their stadium to revenue, and what general conclusions can be drawn on such examples for clubs who are struggling with their matchday revenue stream.