Whether they stay at St James' Park or move elsewhere, Newcastle United chiefs know they must do all they can to ensure they are maximising profits in every sector of the football club. Step forward Tottenham Hotspur, who have shown the power of having a stadium capable of being than simply a place to play football, boosting their bank balance in the process.
Sunday saw the north London side host yet another American football clash as the NFL rolled into the capital, drawing huge crowds. 61,182 fans were in attendance, with special guests galore spotted both on and off the pitch during the day.
Tottenham recently extended their partnership with the NFL, with the club holding the title of the 'Home of the NFL in the UK'. Spurs are said to make a flat £15m per season with this arrangement, while the club also take a significant share of the food and drink revenue on NFL game days, estimated to be around three times larger than on a normal Spurs matchday.
This is the level of revenue Newcastle would ideally like to have when their stadium plans finally come to fruition. The Magpies have already moved to create a new matchday fan zone in the city centre, while vastly increasing their corporate capabilities inside the ground on game day.
Newcastle have recently opened their doors to welcome the England national sides - and the Saudi Arabia men's team - to Tyneside, receiving a healthy financial figure for doing so.
“Of course, commercially, hosting events like this is always a major positive,” said Peter Silverstone, Newcastle's Chief Commercial Officer. “There’s a monetary benefit, but it also massively helps in terms of reputation. It’s fantastic in terms for revenue and commercial spinoff, but it’s even more valuable in terms of prestige for the city and the venue.”
Back in London, among the special guests in attendance on Sunday was none other than former Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley, who continues to be linked with an investment in Tottenham.
The financier was spotted in a private box as the Chicago Bears beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, in a fresh hint that she is looking for a swift return to Premier League life.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has previously confirmed his club are open to investment from new minority partners as they seek a financial boost from outside parties.
"We've got a lot of exciting projects on the horizon and we want to make further investment in the teams," he said at the recent fans' forum. "Some form of minority investment is what we're looking for. We've got nothing to announce at the moment but we are in the market."
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