Salford Red Devils stadium row causing financial hardship says club

Salford Red Devils currently shares the AJ Bell Stadium with Sale Sharks

A council row over the ownership of a city's rugby league stadium is causing "significant financial hardship" to a club, board members have said.

The future of the AJ Bell Stadium, home to Salford Red Devils and Sale Sharks, has been in doubt since co-owners Peel Holdings moved to sell their stake.

Salford City Council currently owns 50% of the ground and has tabled a plan to buy the property giant's share.

But opposition councillors are fiercely against the move.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported the city's Conservative councillors, led by Councillor Robin Garrido, succeeded in getting the plan 'called-in', the process by which major decisions are reviewed, this week.

Red Devils board member Oli Randall said "the delays over the clarification of the future ownership of the stadium is already causing significant financial hardship for it tenants".

He added: "We can't set prices for season tickets, which should already have been placed on sale in July.

"The current owners and management team have been in place for just four years during which time the Covid lockdowns devastated the revenue and commercial relationships during the last 12 months."

'Sporting heritage'

The proposed purchase of the 12,000-capacity stadium, built in 2011, is aimed at delivering "demonstrable and ongoing social value" and securing the city council's long-term interests in any future redevelopment of the adjacent land.

Coun Garrido said the Red Devils were an "important part of this city's sporting heritage" but disputed the need for the city council to buy the stadium.

He added: "The city mayor talks about improving sport throughout Salford by owning the stadium but they have been part owners for 13 years and what has been achieved? Have we seen a proliferation of new local sports clubs, particularly for our young people, I am afraid not.

"I am bound by confidentiality not to talk about negotiations currently being carried out with the city's existing partner Peel, but whatever the detail it will inevitably cost this city millions of pounds."

Salford Mayor Paul Dennett said the stadium negotiations were ongoing

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: "We are in the middle of negotiating an operating lease with someone who inevitably will run the stadium for the city council.

"And what we're hoping will happen is that will generate a financial return that will come back to the city council every year while at the same time de-risking the entire operation of the stadium."