Recent Arsenal board appointee Otto Maly will be leading the charge to expand the Emirates Stadium, according to a report.
Arsenal recently confirmed a number of boardroom changes, with Tim Lewis leaving the club, Richard Garlick receiving a promotion to CEO, and four new board appointees.
Isaan Khan reports for the Daily Mail that new Arsenal board member Otto Maly has a clear remit to expand the Emirates Stadium.
Maly played a key role in building the SoFi stadium in Los Angeles, a 100,000-capacity ground home to the LA Rams, and the plan is evidently to add seats to the Emirates next.
Khan’s report adds that each potential expansion option for the Emirates comes with complications, and a massive overhaul is unlikely. Instead, a modest increase of a few thousand seats is more probable.
Dave Steiner is another new board member at Arsenal, and he also has a strong background in real estate investment and corporate governance, so the Mail report that he’s expected to assist in long-term planning for commercial and infrastructure projects.
As for the other new board members, Ben Winston has been added to try and elevate Arsenal’s brand using television and marketing, with the potential for TV shows on streaming services featuring Arsenal players, and celebrity crossovers.
Finally, Kelly Blaha will be focusing on long-term financial planning, to keep Arsenal competitive in the market.
The intentions behind the recent changes seem clear enough, with each new board member having a defined target. The task now is to effect those goals and keep the club fighting at the top of the Premier League and in Europe.