San Mamés at full stretch as Athletic target 2,440-seat expansion | OneFootball

San Mamés is straining at capacity 12 years after completion, and Athletic are responding by freeing up tickets and preparing a 2,440-seat expansion. A waiting list of more than 7,000 members and near-total ticket uptake underline the squeeze.

According to El Correo, Jon Uriarte said last season the club were exploring ways to squeeze in extra seats, including creating places beneath existing rows.

The board has since scrapped most complimentary tickets, cut visiting allocations to the La Liga minimum and the 20 directors have surrendered four invites apiece. The withdrawn passes are being sold to supporters, increasing gate income at a time of record wage costs and no European revenue this season.

The medium-term plan is an internal expansion of 2,440 seats, taking capacity from 53,331 to nearly 56,000 by adding row by row and sector by sector. The scheme revives scope baked into César Azcárate’s original design, and is costed at 5.2 million euros. Some works could run for up to 8 months alongside match activity, and despite being unveiled five months ago, no steps have yet followed.

Demand remains intense, with frequent full houses. The new campaign opened with 49,416 in for Sevilla and tickets virtually gone.

Uriarte’s tenure has brought other seat gains, from cutting the press box from four to three rows in the upper main stand to reclaiming 16 spots beside the dugouts after UEFA required a double substitutes’ bench. Those seats cost 465 euros and include a screen and a half-time picnic.

Source: El Correo

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