Tom Wagner makes bold Birmingham City support claim amid 62,000-seater stadium plans | OneFootball

Blues are hoping to move into a new 62,000-seater stadium by 2030

Birmingham City owner Tom Wagner has issued a bold claim on the potential growth of the club's fanbase amid plans of moving into the well-documented 'Sports Quarter' complex within the next five years.

Blues have been in the EFL since the summer of 2011 following their most recent relegation from the Premier League, with the American hedge fund investor making it no secret that the West Midlands side are looking to end such an exile as quickly as possible.

Wagner acquired control of the club back in July 2023 when his company - Knighthead Capital Management - purchased an initial 45.98 percent stake, as well as taking full control of the club's hostile and iconic stadium, St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.

At the time of the deal, St. Andrew's was still undergoing a major rebuilding process after two lower tiers in the Tilton End and Kop stands were left out of bounds due to safety reasons, with Wagner subsequently investing millions of pounds into a makeover of the ground ahead of the club's record-breaking season in League One last time out.

However, it has been well known for almost two years now that Birmingham will not be playing their home fixtures there for much longer, after it was initially announced in April 2024 - weeks before the club suffered relegation to the third tier for the first time in 30 years - that a £2-3bn regeneration project was in the pipeline at the derelict Birmingham Wheels site, with a 62,000-seater stadium the centrepiece.

And, with plans for the 'Sports Quarter' continuing to develop at a rapid pace, Wagner has full faith that it will be a success, regardless of Blues' divisional status.

Plans for the East Birmingham regeneration were effectively green-lighted in the summer when government funding for a £1bn West Midlands Metro extension running to the Sports Quarter and beyond was approved, with Wagner outlining the importance of improved transport links.

The development is set to generate approximately 8,400 jobs for locals in the City of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands conurbation, with the 62,000-seater stadium to be surrounded by training facilities, a 15,000 to 20,000-capacity indoor arena and various retail and commercial opportunities.

At present, Blues are continuing to sell out home games at St. Andrew's, having done so for almost every third tier encounter under Chris Davies last term, with an average attendance of 27,404 across four home games thus far, representing the eighth-best tally in the Championship.

As such, with St. Andrew's currently holding a capacity of 29,404, Wagner has no doubt that Bluenoses will fill out the upcoming stadium, which he hopes will be open by the beginning of the 2030/31 season, regardless of whether the club are in the Premier League or not.

“You’re suggesting we don’t have enough fans to fill 62,000?," Wagner said via the Sun.

“We sold 50,000 seats at Wembley last year for our Vertu Trophy final. We had 22,000 people live on the phone waiting to buy tickets when the last ticket was sold.

“So the demand is there. We don’t need to sell 62,000 every single game in year one.

“But I bet we will every Saturday, and we’d do it in the Championship," he claimed.

Birmingham City's fanbase is among the most passionate in the Championship

Whilst rival fanbases have often made tongue-in-cheek comments that St. Andrew's has only been full to the brim during a relatively successful period and new era at Blues, it cannot be argued that the club's fanbase is one of the most passionate in the division.

Wagner has also immersed himself in the local culture too, often seen footing bills in pubs within the vicinity of St. Andrew's and various away stadiums, most notably when visiting Wrexham for high-profile clashes against the Red Dragons due to their ever-increasing stature under the stewardship of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Blues, of course, are also competing against bitter rivals Aston Villa and nearby West Bromwich Albion when it comes to enticing the latest generation of supporters in B9, with there set to be a major increase in numbers when it comes to attendance figures at the new stadium, which is also set to be larger than Villa Park, despite their B6 neighbours also seeing expansion plans approved in recent weeks.