Tottenham is facing the prospect of playing Champions League football in front of crowds smaller than 30,000 at White Hart Lane next season as it seeks to ensure that its new stadium "is ready for the start of the 2018-19 campaign," according to Matt Hughes of the LONDON TIMES. The club may have to remove as many as 8,000 seats -- the majority from the Paxton Road Stand -- "to facilitate building work on the new site, which is adjacent to the ground that has been their home since 1899."
Tottenham is committed to moving out of White Hart Lane for the final year of the £400M ($573M) stadium development project. A ground-share at Wembley with Chelsea is its preferred option for the '17-18 season "rather than alternatives such as Stadium MK, in Milton Keynes, but it is understood that the building work could also have a major impact on them next season."
The club is "pursuing a range of other options" and is hopeful that it will end up losing fewer seats, but despite concerns for its fans and the short-term loss of revenue, its "priority is ensuring that the new stadium is completed on time." Given that the club is back in the Champions League for the first time since its run to the quarterfinals in '10-11 and "could yet claim the Barclays Premier League title for the first time, demand for tickets is likely to be higher than ever, although such progress on the pitch also vindicates the decision to build a new 61,000-capacity stadium" (LONDON TIMES, 4/21). In London, Tom Collomosse wrote Tottenham has "about 23,000 season-ticket holders." If it was to follow this plan, provision "would be made to relocate all of them inside White Hart Lane, so no season-ticket holder would be left without a seat." One option "could be to install temporary seating to cover any reduction in the capacity, which is a little more than 36,000."
If the project proceeds as Tottenham wishes, next season will be its last at White Hart Lane (EVENING STANDARD, 4/21).
