Elland Road Expansion

[Tommygilf]

Pretty critical for the sport given how many games will likely be played there over the coming decades. The development is approved in principle by the council and work expected to start in the next 12 months on the West and North Stands (which is probably why there wasn't the ability to commit to say an Autumn RL match in October last year).

 

Consultation done over May 2025. I very much get the sense that there is not expected to be any pushback from the council.

Capacity on completion of redevelopment (which is 2 stands) if this development plan proceeds will be 53,000.

[Eddie]

Nowhere near big enough for the GF but a handy option while Old Trafford is being rebuilt. 

[Damien]

Hopefully Leeds Uniteds owners don't go down the route of some other clubs in not allowing RL during the Football season. Like Old Trafford Elland Road has always been a good, accomodating RL venue.

For big internationals 53k is pretty much perfect and would have been great as the Yorkshire venue for the Ashes.

[Tommygilf]

For England matches I think it will be an automatic pick now in virtually any series.

Club matches wise I think if the Etihad isn't available during an Old Trafford rebuild, then this will be probably the next best option. Its oddly almost further along than the OT rebuild already I'd have thought.

Challenge Cup semi final venue? Certainly for double headers I think it has legs.

Unfortunately I think this may push it to the "bit too big" category for things like the World Club Challenge games that the Rhinos successfully hosted there in the late noughties for example. Though we'd have to see how the ground felt with just the lower bowl in play.

Perhaps if Magic Weekend is ever changed into "big matches" or the like, then Elland Road could host a (West) Yorkshire version of that. 

Regardless it is fantastic for the sport that Yorkshire will be getting a premium 50k plus stadium. 

[Tommygilf]

6 minutes ago, Damien said:

Hopefully Leeds Uniteds owners don't go down the route of some other clubs in not allowing RL during the Football season. Like Old Trafford Elland Road has always been a good, accomodating RL venue.

For big internationals 53k is pretty much perfect and would have been great as the Yorkshire venue for the Ashes.

I don't think they will, that relationship is still there and if we had a significant amount of funding behind us I'd be fully supportive of the sport investing in a percentage of the facilities (just as I was with the Olympic Stadium). Likewise RL has to be a factor for LUFC making more revenue out of the ground like Tottenham and Everton want to do.

[Damien]

5 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I don't think they will, that relationship is still there and if we had a significant amount of funding behind us I'd be fully supportive of the sport investing in a percentage of the facilities (just as I was with the Olympic Stadium). Likewise RL has to be a factor for LUFC making more revenue out of the ground like Tottenham and Everton want to do.

Yeah I've long called for that too with Elland Road but can't see it as the RFL can barely fund itself.

[gingerjon]

39 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Pretty critical for the sport given how many games will likely be played there over the coming decades. The development is approved in principle by the council and work expected to start in the next 12 months on the West and North Stands (which is probably why there wasn't the ability to commit to say an Autumn RL match in October last year).

 

Consultation done over May 2025. I very much get the sense that there is not expected to be any pushback from the council.

Capacity on completion of redevelopment (which is 2 stands) if this development plan proceeds will be 53,000.

Disappointingly bland to look at but essential for West Yorkshire (not just from an RL perspective).

[WN83]

Hopefully the RFL can cut a good deal with the owners and commit to taking international fixtures there over a sustained period. We've seen the new ground bounce with Everton's place and even though this isn't a new ground, I think people wanting to see the change can help swell numbers. 

[Tommygilf]

Just now, gingerjon said:

Disappointingly bland to look at but essential for West Yorkshire (not just from an RL perspective).

I mean it doesn't have a circus tent above it...

[gingerjon]

12 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I mean it doesn't have a circus tent above it...

Oh god, imagine people who believe that will happen!

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, gingerjon said:

Oh god, imagine people who believe that will happen!

Wembley of the North territory that.

[Just Browny]

I think it looks decent and it'd be great news for RL.

[Anita Bath]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

Pretty critical for the sport given how many games will likely be played there over the coming decades. The development is approved in principle by the council and work expected to start in the next 12 months on the West and North Stands (which is probably why there wasn't the ability to commit to say an Autumn RL match in October last year).

 

Consultation done over May 2025. I very much get the sense that there is not expected to be any pushback from the council.

Capacity on completion of redevelopment (which is 2 stands) if this development plan proceeds will be 53,000.

Hope the seats will be a bit bigger and leg room will be increased to finally end the ‘yorksher model’  of preventing you getting your hand in your pocket.

[JohnM]

Wembley of the North? Won't that be Odsal, given the recent coup?

[Rugbyleaguesupporter]

In time could the smaller end be safe standing? 

Pretty similar to Aviva Stadium, Dublin and capacity wise as Suncorp. Ideal as non Cup final venue 

[Father Gascoigne]

3 hours ago, Rugbyleaguesupporter said:

In time could the smaller end be safe standing? 

Pretty similar to Aviva Stadium, Dublin and capacity wise as Suncorp. Ideal as non Cup final venue 

If they get terracing, it's going in the Kop end. 

Hopefully this is just proof of concept, as it's odd the club would opt for a tiered Kop. 

 

[hunsletgreenandgold]

I'm a huge fan - obviously you might say, being a LUFC fan. From a RL perspective, 53k (could rise to 56,500 in future) could cover everything except maybe GF and World Cup final? I could see a CC final taken 'on the road' possibly and you'd imagine it, like Everton, would be far cheaper than the London offerings and an almost guaranteed sellout. 

Now the not so great bits...

This redevelopment will be completed in full (it's a phase 1 and 2 approach per stand for those who don't know) by 2030 at the very latest. Leeds Mass Transit (trams) will be nowhere near operational, and certainly not the leg of it that comes out to Elland Road, until at least 2032. What that means is until then you have all the delights of getting to/from ER...with an extra 16,000 others. It'll be carnage and not a great experience, even if the stadium and it's surroundings are much improved. I'd be holding off any big 'events' held there until the trams arrive a couple of years later. 

Edited April 29 by hunsletgreenandgold

[Sports Prophet]

14 hours ago, Damien said:

Hopefully Leeds Uniteds owners don't go down the route of some other clubs in not allowing RL during the Football season. Like Old Trafford Elland Road has always been a good, accomodating RL venue.

For big internationals 53k is pretty much perfect and would have been great as the Yorkshire venue for the Ashes.

I just hope the RFL put enough pressure on the government funders to ensure the pitch is long enough for full 100m goal line to goal line.

[hunsletgreenandgold]

1 minute ago, Sports Prophet said:

I just hope the RFL put enough pressure on the government funders to ensure the pitch is long enough for full 100m goal line to goal line.

Has to be or it's a no from me and @Big Picture 

More seriously, if we had a fully functioning governing body who could reach out to the Leeds owners and put a case forward for it to become a RL 'national stadium' to the UK government, 'so throw us some cash to make it happen please', would be great! 

[Just Browny]

6 minutes ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

Has to be or it's a no from me and @Big Picture 

More seriously, if we had a fully functioning governing body who could reach out to the Leeds owners and put a case forward for it to become a RL 'national stadium' to the UK government, 'so throw us some cash to make it happen please', would be great! 

Wouldn't they say: "you've got a national stadium - Wembley."..?

[hunsletgreenandgold]

12 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

Wouldn't they say: "you've got a national stadium - Wembley."..?

It might be in name - but the fact we have to hire it every time we use it doesn't sound like it to me. I'm talking about something being tabled that essentially provides some finance towards the redevelopment in exchange for a long term agreement, for a set number of RL showpiece and international games to be played there. 

Edited April 29 by hunsletgreenandgold

[Trojan]

11 hours ago, JohnM said:

Wembley of the North? Won't that be Odsal, given the recent coup?

In the days before Wembley was rebuilt it was described by some wag as the  Odsal of the South.  In my experience it's not much better now.  I hope they can improve Elland Road because on the occasions I've been there for RL I've been less than impressed.  I suppose OT is getting a bit tired.  But the atmosphere there on GF nights takes some beating, and access is brill.  I speak as someone who hates Man U and was born less than 3 miles from Elland Road.

[WN83]

There looks to be a nice nod to Headingley in the design, in that one end will remain totally undeveloped. Presumably that's where the football away fans will be dumped as well. 

 

It's a Yorkshire ground, for Yorkshire people

[Worzel]

17 minutes ago, WN83 said:

There looks to be a nice nod to Headingley in the design, in that one end will remain totally undeveloped. Presumably that's where the football away fans will be dumped as well. 

 

It's a Yorkshire ground, for Yorkshire people

Personally as a Hull KR fan I don't understand why they haven't taken the opportunity to remove the undeveloped end entirely, cover it with gravel, and stick some burger vans and a wine bar horsebox on it.

[Ackroman]

3 hours ago, Father Gascoigne said:

If they get terracing, it's going in the Kop end. 

Hopefully this is just proof of concept, as it's odd the club would opt for a tiered Kop. 

 

The current standing in the kop is appalling. I was there last night but I am not a big bloke so just about fitted in. Trying to get a pint or perform the opposite, was an anxiety inducing affair squeezing past other speccys. It should have been knocked down years ago.