Last night, Celts Are Here released a compelling article on Celtic’s season ticket waiting list and the reasons why fans so rarely get offered season tickets at our club.
According to the piece, the reason is simple: our renewal rates are astonishingly high, sitting at 98-99% every single year. It’s a remarkable figure that has once again sparked debate about whether Celtic Park could undergo a major refurbishment.
Many within Celtic have explored the idea of expanding the main stand, potentially adding another 10,000 or even 20,000 seats. A 10,000-seat expansion seems more feasible than pushing capacity up to 80,000, and I believe we could comfortably sell those additional seats, generating a healthy seven-figure boost to our income from season tickets alone.
For that reason, a lot of people think this would be a smart move.
But there’s a crucial question to answer before any plans could move forward: what would it actually cost? Some believe the expense would vastly outweigh the benefits, at least in the short term. Additionally, we’d likely take a major attendance hit for at least a year, as the main stand would have to close during construction.
Logistically, it’s difficult to envision how this could be done, at least at the moment. I’ve heard cost estimates as high as £80 million, which would significantly eat into our cash reserves; in fact, at that cost it virtually wipes them out.
While it’s clear that the main stand will eventually need some form of renovation, the scale and purpose of that renovation remain hard to predict at this time.
Ironically, one of the biggest challenges would be explaining to current main stand season ticket holders that they’d lose their seats for the duration of the project. Relocating them would be impossible, as we’re all well aware, and there’s substantial revenue tied up in those seats, the hospitality areas, and other facilities within the main stand.
All of this would go on hiatus for at least 12 months, if not longer.
I understand the argument that, if we’re going to commit to major infrastructure spending, it should be focused on something that creates additional revenue, and adding 10,000 seats certainly achieves that. Even on the higher end of the cost estimates, the project could pay for itself in around 20 years—a small fraction of Celtic’s future timeline. Another 10,000 seats would provide a further structural advantage that Ibrox couldn’t compete with.
There are strong reasons to pursue this project, and equally strong reasons for caution. While we have the cash reserves to invest now, the practical challenges of executing this plan are substantial. If we were to proceed, it would be essential to ensure the work is completed quickly and that we have a solid plan for existing season ticket holders in the meantime.
The rewards are obvious: 10,000 more season ticket holders would bring increased spending across the board, potentially adding another £10 million to our annual income and speeding up the project’s payback.
It’s a subject that’s been looked at in the past and will undoubtedly come up again in the future. Now, with cash reserves in the bank, there’s a good case for considering it seriously.
But ultimately, it all comes down to what’s feasible. A multi-year project would present even more challenges, whereas a one-year undertaking with some short-term sacrifices could yield substantial long-term rewards.
This is precisely what the smart minds at Celtic Park are paid to decide, and I don’t envy them. It’s clear that if we’re to be regarded as an elite club, significant infrastructure investment around Celtic Park will be necessary, whether or not that involves additional seating. If we’re going to do it, though, it has to be done right.
That’s why this potential expansion will get a serious look, and if it appears feasible, it may well be a path worth taking.
As a fan who sits in the Main Stand I would be against this. I’m too old now to have to sit out a season or two. Appreciate there is a waiting list but 60000 seats is enough in my opinion. Maybe in a couple of years where we have made inroads in Europe, but not just now. In saying that, the Main Stand could do with a refresh. I pay top price for my seat and can’t even see the big screen for any replays.
Of course stands tae reason, the stadium will always need some sort of upkeep. Tho last thing we want, is to eat way into our resources just when we’re in such a healthy position. Invest in a strong team on the park for Europe. Keep the stadium capacity increase until we’re in an even stronger, financially secure position. Can imagine right enough, what a capacity increase and new roof design on the south stand would dae for the atmosphere alone. Would be somethin else.
One things for sure, such expansion ain’t gonna get any cheaper. The opportunity for investing the cash surplus to build and expand on the legacy of Fergus McCann is not one we should pass up.
Time for a share issue perhaps ?
Stadium Naming Rights could play a significant role here, opening a completely new income stream and shortening the period of any financing.
The Fergus legacy can be leveraged to gain further advantage over the forces of darkness and secure such advantage for the next 30 years
Let’s do it, lets get the fans off the waiting list and into the expanded super Celtic Park !
I posted this at the start of the season, 99% renewal means 500 new season ticket holders with a waiting list (which hasn’t accepted anyone new for years) of more than 10,000. The main stand is going to need work anyway and I think it’d be crazy not to put additional seats in. The disruption is unfortunate but will pay off. Now is the time to do it with the bank balance looking strong, ok it might take all the surplus but it doesn’t put us in debt and will pay off right away.
All things considered, I think we should leave as is. The cost and the upheaval is not worth the effort and we should always remember, that if the huns go tits up again and we get a continuous easy ride in the league, then the boredom factor might kick in and the attendances could well drop off. Aye, there are too many ifs and buts.
I’ve now lived in USA for half my life – one of the big differences between US Stadia (whether that be huge outdoor or indoor for Football or Baseball – or smaller arenas for Basketball) they all boast Private Suites aka skyboxes at a mezzanine level above the first tier. These are a MAJOR revenue generators and typically sold to Corporate entities, who in turn use these for promotional activities for clients or employee rewards etc. You get the revenue from the lease of Suite itself, each attendee also requires a Ticket, plus the extremely lucrative benefits of the catering that goes along with this.
I’ve been fortunate to have been at corporate events of all three of those major US sports, and now that I remember, Hockey too!
If I was a Celtic Marketing executive, I would be pushing to add this capability in any Main Stand reno – a sensible forward thinking Exec would already be doing a study on how well these could be marketed and just how much revenue could be realized. Celtic is in a fabulous position to maximize this with the Champions League participation which drives the marketability of this to an even higher degree. Not every Club could make this work, but Celtic absolutely could and it should be ‘easy sell’ to Corporations to make that investment to realize their own Marketing Benefits from participation.
I think ‘the Ranjurz’ missed a trick by not incorporating this into their latest makeover.
James, the main stand is totally outdated and needs modernising. It looks completely out of place with the other three sides. Apart from what you have said the stadium does not meet uefa standards, so it cannot host international or cup finals. These are addition revenues Celtic can tap into
I am sure in this day and age there would be ways to mimimise the complete closure or part closure or doing it in stages.
I am in favour of the increase. Can you imagine the atmosphere with 70k?
Maybe 75,000 capacity…
Not sure what it’d come to with both South West and South East Quadrents & a second tier straddling between the two and executive boxes etc etc…
Would be nice to see the whole stadium level all around and a nice frontage as well…
Although the current walk up to the stadium is very nice as well !
I’m no engineer or architect but filling in the two quadrants as stage 1 would create extra capacity. When complete use this to home those in the main stand that would need to be moved to allow a levelling up of the stadium. And in this digital age, use technology to share the load – easy enough to allocate seats and all season ticket holders forfeit (say) four games in the season.
My concern would be domestic attendances if no challenge is forthcoming. But I’m buoyed by the new CL format and what a European League could look like.
Just make sure we order the steel from a reputable supplier!!!!
Great point Porto Joe… Oh and The company suppling the steel wouldn’t have any problems getting payment from Celtic either !
It might be possible to do it over two years.
If they redevelop the corners between the main stand and the Lisbon Lion and Jock Stein stands this could be done first and used to house the majority of the actual fans that sit in the main stand.
Separately the main stand could be rebuilt (but as I understand it the facade of the main stand is listed and needs to be kept…
Whatever happened to the hotel that was planned? Has the planning permission lapsed?
This has been spoken about since the stadium was first rebuilt. Talk of the front being listed and also a comment from the liaison officer I believe saying it wasn’t an issue. I’d love it to be increased. I’d always thought 80k but it would appear that it’s more likely only to increase it to 70k. Good comments about the corners being worked on first to accommodate existing main stand supporters. I’m reckoning it’s just not worth it or else we’d have done it, but we’re in the best position all round just now to do it. One thing for sure, that extra 10k capacity just now, gives us an estimated 15 above the sevco year on year. Imagine that was 30/45m?? It’s an extra 500k for each euro game in tickets alone. And this isn’t to mention the atmosphere that could be added to an already famous support
Do the corners first, then re-home some ST holders there while upgrading main stand. ST holders could also be given a choice to get special Celtic TV access to watch the home games that way for a season at a fair price. There would need to be a “first dibs” on getting your seat back once built, but I think by incorporating all of this it’s doable.