EXCLUSIVE: Spurs courting NFL as they make plans for new 65,000-seater stadium... but that could hurt Wembley



Tottenham are working on secret plans for a new 65,000-seat multi-purpose stadium that would allow them to share with a London-based NFL franchise — a move that could put them on a collision course with the Football Association.

Earlier this year, Spurs dumped their original designs for a 56,000-seat stadium costing £400million, stating that they wanted to reconsider a number of interior features at the new White Hart Lane.

But The Mail on Sunday can reveal Spurs have appointed Populous, designers of the Olympic Stadium and the Emirates Stadium — home to north London rivals Arsenal — to design a bigger ground allowing an easy switch from football to NFL.

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Sources close to the build believe Spurs are looking to design a completely new stadium based around a combination of the two sports.

It is understood that plans being drawn up for the Premier League outfit may include a sliding pitch to protect the playing surface for when it is used for NFL matches.

The sliding pitch would cost a substantial amount and suggests that, behind the scenes, Spurs bosses are confident they can lure NFL games from Wembley or even attract a London NFL franchise.

The revelation also adds weight to the likelihood of an increasing NFL presence in London over the next few years. An NFL-ready stadium would send Tottenham and the FA into a head-to-head battle to bag millions of pounds per season from NFL games.

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Wembley hosts an international Series game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers this afternoon. It is the first time two NFL games have been staged at Wembley in the same season after Minnesota Vikings beat the Pittsburgh Steelers last month 34-27. Such games have helped increase Wembley’s income in recent years, with profit estimated at between £500,000 and £1m per game.

Wembley typically hosts around 30 major events a year including football, concerts and the NFL, with income roughly £3m per event. Much of that money goes to the clubs, artists or organisations.

Wembley’s take from non-England football events comes from staging fees and income from in-stadium advertising, catering and parking. If Spurs managed to lure the NFL to a new stadium and established a formal relationship with a permanent NFL tenant, they could take a split of the ticket receipts as well as a hosting cost. That could jump to millions per game.



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Wembley could not realistically bid to become the permanent home of an NFL team needign to play eight home games per season and use the stadium as a base from summer to January.

There have been suggestions that the Jacksonville Jaguars, owned by Shahid Khan, who bought Fulham in the summer, could be one franchise to move to London, though Khan denied that yesterday.

Last year the Jaguars signed a four-year deal to play one game a year at Wembley until 2016. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has become increasingly keen on establishing a franchise in London, following the success of a series of one-off matches.

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Three games will be played at Wembley in 2014 as the NFL steps up attempts to globalise the game. The stadium will host Jacksonville v Dallas Cowboys, as well as Atlanta Falcons v Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders v Miami Dolphins.

Speaking at a Sports Journalists’ Association lunch this week, Goodell said: ‘The great thing about our fans in the UK is that it seems they want more and more. And we want to deliver that. I’ve often said I don’t rule out that there could be a franchise here in the UK. If it continues to grow that is a real possibility.’

A Spurs spokesperson told The Mail on Sunday: ‘THFC has always seen the new stadium as being at the heart of the regeneration of the area and this process can be enhanced through future-proofing the design, as well as increasing the functionality of the stadium. The club intends to continue to examine all options as it refines its plans.’