We want to hear
your thoughts on the
future of our stadium
Allianz Stadium (formerly Twickenham Stadium) has been the home of England Rugby for well over a century. It remains an iconic sporting destination, forming part of a cultural heritage, and playing an important local and regional economic role.
The stadium provides the RFU with 90% of its revenues, with all profits reinvested into the game of rugby across England, from grassroots right up to our national teams, and more locally in our surrounding communities across Richmond and Hounslow.
Like all stadia of its age, Allianz Stadium needs a level of continual investment and refurbishment. However, with the pitch and stands remaining empty for as many as 340 days a year, we must seek other revenue streams to make these improvements whilst continuing to invest in the game.
Our ambition
The RFU is exploring the potential of hosting more non-sporting events at the stadium, including concerts that can attract the world’s biggest artists.
Currently, we are limited to hosting no more than three concerts per year, each with a significantly reduced capacity, with two required to be on a Saturday and no single act able to play across three consecutive days.
To deliver the revenue we need, we estimate that over the coming years we need to increase this to fifteen per year. We are also looking at the capacity of these events and when they can be held.
Increasing the number of event days would also allow us to invest further in improving the game day experience for local residents and make the stadium more of a community asset.
More information can be found within our FAQs below.
Our consultation
We want to hear the views of our local communities as we also begin speaking to Richmond and Hounslow councils, Transport for London, South Western Railway and other key stakeholders.
You can let us know about your current experience, as well as sharing your ideas of what you would like to see at the stadium, by completing our survey. This survey will stay open until 1 November.
This is just the first step in this journey and we hope as many people will get involved and share their thoughts on Allianz Stadium, both now and for the future.
FAQs
Why do you want to increase the number of non-sporting event days you can host at Allianz Stadium?
- The stadium provides the RFU with 90% of its revenues, with all profits reinvested into the game of rugby across England, from grassroots right up to our national teams, and more locally in our surrounding communities across Richmond and Hounslow.
- Like all stadia of its age the stadium needs a level of continual refurbishment. However, with the pitch and stands remaining empty for as many as 340 days a year, we need to look at other revenue streams to make these necessary improvements while still investing in the game.
- To strengthen our financial footing, we are therefore exploring the potential of hosting more non-sporting events, including concerts with a desire to attract the world’s biggest artists.
How many non-sporting event days do you want to host each year?
- Currently, we are limited to hosting no more than three concerts per year, each with a significantly reduced capacity (55,000 people compared to 82,000 people on rugby game days), with two mandated to be on a Saturday and with no single act able to play across three consecutive days.
- To deliver the revenue we need, we would like to increase this to fifteen per year. We will also look at these events being able to cater to a higher capacity than we are currently able to and when they can be held.
- This would be a phased process, with the number of non-sporting event days we can host increasing gradually over a number of years, and subject to rigorous review mechanisms from the Council.
What type of non-sporting events would you be looking to host?
- Our focus is on attracting the world’s biggest international artists for concerts, although we are open to a range of different performances and events. Ultimately the more competitive we are against other stadia, the more selective we can be about who and what these are.
- We also want to hear what you would like to see at the stadium and encourage you to provide us with your thoughts as part of our survey.
How have you decided on the number of non-sporting events you want to hold, and what stakeholders have you spoken to as part of this process?
- This is our own aspiration, based on what additional revenue we think we need over the coming years to make a range of necessary improvements into the stadium, while still investing in the game of rugby across England.
- In determining what the right number of events should be, we now want to listen to the views of our local communities, as we also begin speaking to Richmond and Hounslow councils, Transport for London, South Western Railway and other key stakeholders.
Would these changes to non-sporting event days be brought forward all at once?
- We want to emphasise that this would be a phased approach, with the number of non-sporting event days increasing gradually over a number of years. It would also be subject to review by the Council. The experience of local residents on events days is very important and we are committed to a continuing dialogue with the local community as we work to make improvements for local residents and for those travelling to and from events.
What issues are there with the stadium now that you need to invest in?
- The Stadium we see today has been developed over time. While all four stands have been upgraded at some point, the West and North stands haven’t been since the 90s. As would be expected this has meant that our maintenance bill has continued to grow, as wear and tear becomes more of a problem. We are now looking to find long-term solutions to some of these issues.
- Beyond this we also have more aspirational hopes to improve the event day experience, including our hospitality, to allow the Stadium to go above and beyond expectations and become one of the best in its class.
Will you be exploring how you can improve the match and event day experience for local residents as part of these applications?
- We have been here for 115 years, and so it is of the utmost important to us that whatever we do here is done in a way that reduces the impact on the area we call home.
- Ultimately creating more revenue streams allows us to invest further into the match day. This is therefore something we would look to explore in further detail in the future and would be a key part of our thinking as we look to improve the stadium over time.
- In the coming months, we will also be working closely with Richmond and Hounslow Councils, the Metropolitan Police and transport bodies like National Rail and Transport for London, and the local community, to see how else we can improve the game day experience now and in the future.
What is the process for approving any changes to the number of non-sporting event days you can host?
- Any changes would require both planning and licensing applications to be submitted to the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames.
- The planning application would seek to vary the existing condition that limits the number of concerts. The licensing application will in turn ensure that we have the right operational arrangements in place for any increase to this number, including those related to security, sound, and the safe movement of attendees to and from the stadium.
When would you be looking to submit planning and licensing applications?
- This is still very early on in the process and what happens next is very much dependent on the views of our local communities, as well as Richmond and Hounslow councils and other key stakeholders.
- That said, we want to be honest and would like to be in a position where we have more clarity around what time would be feasible in the early part of next year.
Why are you launching a survey? Is it open to everyone?
- The new survey is the first step in this journey. It will run until 1 November and is open to everyone to complete – whether a rugby fan or a member of the community.
- We want to hear how people view the stadium today, whether they visit (or would like to in the future), how we can improve their experience and what other facilities the stadium could offer for local communities. We hope as many people as possible will get involved and share their thoughts.
Will there be any further opportunities for me to have my say?
- Yes, absolutely. This is just the first step in this journey and following the completion of the survey, we will review all of the feedback we’ve received and publish a summary on our website as well as an update on our next steps, which we expect would include further consultation and engagement later this year.
What areas of influence do people have in the changes you are seeking to make to non-sporting event days?
- We are right at the start of this process and in determining what the right number of events should be, we want to listen to the views of the communities local to the stadium as well as those that join us for our sporting and non-sporting events currently.
- In particular we welcome your thoughts on which aspects of the event day experience are most important for us to get right. We are also open to ideas about what days of the week these events should take place and at what time of the year.
Do you have any longer-term aspirations to increase the overall capacity of the stadium, or rebuild parts of it?
- As we think about the long-term future of Allianz Stadium, we want to look at improving the whole site and in doing so improving the experience of those living close by and those traveling to and entering the ground. These will be in part dependent on building new revenue streams through non-sporting event days.
- We do not however have any current aspirations to increase the overall capacity of the stadium for rugby events.
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