‘Stadium deal can help on-pitch Swans success’
CHIEF operation officer Chris Pearlman believes a deal for Swansea City to become leaseholders of the Liberty Stadium will “greatly enhance” the chances of success on the pitch and put the club in charge of their own destiny.
The Swans are in discussions with Swansea City Council over taking on the lease for the stadium, which was built for a cost of £27million and opened in 2005.
It would allow the club to press ahead with plans to expand the 20,000 capacity venue, as well as allowing them to profit directly from commercial deals and any sale of naming rights.
The stadium is currently run by Swansea Stadium Management Company (SSMC).
Swansea City and the Ospreys are understood to have already reached agreement on a deal, with council officers now authorised to begin discussions over terms.
Swansea have long sought to improve the club’s commercial performance, an area where they trail many of their Premier League rivals, and Pearlman – who was appointed in October – believes a deal would be great for the club, as well as the taxpayer.
“We thought it important to comment briefly and bring our supporters up to speed on developments,” Pearlman told the club website.
“From a big picture perspective, our chances for success on the pitch will be greatly enhanced if we are successful off it.
“In the current Premier League environment, how well clubs maximize their commercial revenue has a direct impact on the quality of the team they can field on a weekly basis.
“As it currently stands, because of the current agreement, Swansea City does not see any direct revenue from the Liberty Stadium’s operations.
“The arrangement currently in place, while perhaps the right one when the stadium opened over ten years ago, does not benefit the taxpayers, nor either club, in the ways that it should.
“If a deal happens, we can begin to more actively explore some exciting things like stadium expansion and investing the necessary resources to enhance your match-day experience.’’