The implementation of a stakeholder management strategy during stadium development: a case study of Arsenal Football Club and the Emirates Stadium

The relocation to new stadium developments has been a key trend within the football industry since 1990. For a stadium development to contribute positively to the area in which it is built and maximize the benefits for a range of stakeholder groups, it is important that a stakeholder management strategy is implemented consisting of two key components: stakeholder engagement and stakeholder participation. This article presents a case study of the stakeholder management strategy implemented by Arsenal Football Club during the development of the Emirates Stadium. Based primarily on the analysis of documentary secondary data supported by a small number of semi-structured interviews, the case study uses the theoretical literature on stakeholder management as a framework. It evaluates the extent to which the football club considered the needs and interests of different stakeholder groups during the development of the Emirates Stadium. Case study analysis shows that the stakeholder management strategy consisted of resident consultations, a communications strategy, a Stadium Liaison Committee, a Stadium Management Plan, and supporter consultations. The case study concludes by emphasizing that the stakeholder management strategy implemented by the football club, while clearly demonstrating evidence of stakeholder engagement, did not extend further with little opportunity for stakeholder participation and a lack of opportunities for involvement in decision-making processes.