What latest Everton deal really says about major changes at new stadium

Yahoo

5 hours ago

On the face of it, another announcement of a 'founding partner' for Everton's new stadium might not generate a second thought. Commercial deals are part and parcel of the modern game now, something that we as fan expect, acknowledge but have no enormous interest in peeling back the layers more than is required.
Advertisement
On Monday it was announced that Seat Unique had become the latest founding partner of the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the 52,888-seater stadium the Toffees will call home from the start of the 2025/26 Premier League season.
Seat Unique will become Everton's official match-by-match premium ticketing partner, providing premium match-by-match and event sales for the bars, restaurants and experiences at the club's new home on Liverpool's waterfront. The aim for the new stadium is very much to see it become a world-class destination for sport, music, entertainment and cultural events.
READ MORE: Everton have made clever change to transfer plan - I think other clubs could follow it
READ MORE: Everton state-of-play with transfer window back open, PSR deadline looming and big news imminent
Advertisement
Everton are a club going through a tremendous transition, arguably at the most important juncture in the club's history, where it moved from flirting with financial catastrophe and a catalogue of bad leadership decisions, to being well positioned to find a route back to the challenging at the summit of the English and European game in years to come. It's now feasible that this can happen with the right strategy in place given the infrastructure the club can now lean on under new ownership with deep pockets, operational expertise and big ambitions.
For so long, as wonderfully traditionally and sentimentally meaningful Goodison Park was, the club could not access the opportunities to drive revenues like their rivals could, meaning that transfer spend was always going to outpace revenue growth, thus rendering it unsustainable.
In the modern game, premium hospitality is an important part of commercial strategy. It is valuable and there is a reason why major sporting institutions have outsourced their selling of this inventory to the likes of Legends Hospitality. It is big business, especially for sporting teams who have major new arenas with th capability to really deliver in the sector.
Everton now have that with the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and it should be instructive as to the trajectory of the club as a business that such a deal has been struck. Premium hospitality had previously been sold pretty much over the phone.
Advertisement
The Hill Dickinson Stadium joins the likes of Wembley Stadium, London Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in partnering with firms such as Seat Unique to make the most of premium hospitality sales.
Premium spaces at the stadium range from seven-course fine dining to more relaxed options like Trinity Place. The 'Beyond' package offers an immersive matchday experience, combining informal dining with interactive digital experiences, plus a behind-the-glass view into the flash interview zone and players' walk-out tunnel.
Meanwhile, Village Street, located in the West Stand, will channel the city's pre-match energy with pubs, street food stalls, and lively gathering spots. Outside, the 17,000-capacity Fan Plaza will come alive with pre-and-post-match entertainment and cultural events all year round.
Seat Unique, which has more than one million monthly visitors and one in five customers based overseas, is a platform that connects fans with official premium tickets and packages across sport, music and culture.
Advertisement
Hill Dickinson Stadium is expected to attract more than 1.4 million visitors annually and is generating thousands of jobs, boosting the long-term social and economic growth of North Liverpool.
Everton CEO Angus Kinnear said: 'Hill Dickinson Stadium will redefine expectations of what a premium experience in sport and entertainment can be. Huge demand has already led to seasonal premium memberships selling-out across our bars and restaurants as we countdown to the kick-off of the 2025/26 Premier League season — and we already have a strong pipeline of match-by-match interest.
'Seat Unique's platform will support and scale that demand, delivering access to unforgettable experiences for our most passionate fans, as well as helping attract new fans from across the country and around the world.'
Seat Unique, which is a primary ticketing platform, not a secondary ticket seller, becomes the fourth founding partner of Everton's new stadium, with the club having made significant strides to drive forward commercial revenue opportunities attached with their new home, with more to follow. Castore, Aramark and Christopher Ward have previously signed up.
Advertisement
Robin Sherry, founder and CEO of Seat Unique, said: 'Seat Unique is for the fans that want more than just a seat. It shares a vision with Everton for bigger, bolder and better fan experiences. The new stadium will be a new way to experience Everton.
'We're incredibly proud to partner with Everton Football Club and support them in delivering an outstanding fan experience at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The variety of offerings is unmatched anywhere in the UK and innovative experiences like cinematic seating and the Village Street are football firsts. We can't wait to see fans creating memories that last a lifetime.'