Midlands and Northern footy fans could be in for a right treat, mate.
New Birmingham Stadium Plans
Those Championship lads, Birmingham City, have gone and locked in plans to build a new stadium. And it's not just any old stadium, mind you. This one's going to have room for 62,000 fans and could even host other sports, like that poncy American football.
Capacity and Ambitions
The Blues chairman, Tom Wagner, hasn't put a cap on how many fans the new ground will seat. But he's anticipating it to be a number that warrants major events to be played there. He's talking about World Cup and Champions League footy, the Euros, rugby, NFL... the works. But before they can dream of hosting fixtures of such magnitude, the bloody stadium has to be built.
Design and Heritage
London-based architecture firm Heatherwick Studio and American company Manica have been tasked with bringing the venue, which is set to cost an eye-watering £3 billion, to life. The stadium's design will have a nod to the city's industrial past, with a 'chimney theme' being discussed. Birmingham has had its fair share of iconic chimneys throughout history.
Another intriguing element to the design process is that Heatherwick and Manica will collaborate with Stephen Knight, the creator of hit TV series Peaky Blinders, which is set in Birmingham. Knight, a lifelong Blues fan, highlighted the importance of reflecting the city and club's heritage with the new stadium.
Conclusion
So there you have it, mate. Birmingham City are planning a new stadium that could host all sorts of sports. But let's be real, the only sport that matters is footy. Everything else is just a sideshow. And if they want to fill those 62,000 seats, they better start playing some decent footy. But I won't hold my breath.
