Salford Red Devils stadium trouble revealed as sensational takeover nears completion

Salford Red Devils tonight conducted a fans’ forum where the issue of the stadium and where the Red Devils will play in future seasons were spoken about in length.

Salford have been mooted to leave the AJ Bell Stadium and move to Moor Lane – the current home of Salford City FC.

Meanwhile, the football side and Sale Sharks have been reported as nearing a takeover of the AJ Bell.

Executive chairman of the Red Devils, Paul King, had this to say on stadium proceedings: “The stadium is going, and we will have a new landlord within the next 12 months. However, we are here for the 2022 season 100%,” King said.

PK: The stadium is going, and we will have a new landlord within the next 12 months. However, we are here for the 2022 season 100%.

— Salford Red Devils 👹 (@SalfordDevils) November 9, 2021

The rent, however, is yet to be negotiated for 2022 or 2023, but the Red Devils are still set to be in the AJ Bell Stadium until 2023, with the rent being a whopping £450,000 once the new landlords take over.

That, according to King, is significantly more than what Salford currently pay which means that cuts have to be made elsewhere.

Paul King is now discussing challenges of the AJ Bell Stadium:

– Rent yet to be negotiated for 2022 or beyond 2023
– Contracted here until 2023, with rent being £450k once the new landlords take over (significantly more than we pay now).
-Increased rent means cuts elsewhere

— Salford Red Devils 👹 (@SalfordDevils) November 9, 2021

With regards to the move to Moor Lane, there are also difficulties, according to King.

Development work needs doing to the ground, regarding floodlights, television gantry as well as hoardings, whilst the small ground means that attendances will be heavily limited.

Parking is also a consideration, with Moor Lane having neither a headquarters nor a training facility available for the Red Devils if they moved.

Challenges of the proposed move to Moor Lane:

-Development work (floodlights, tv gantry, hoardings)
-Capacity
-Parking
-HQ & training facility (neither of these at Moor Lane)
-RFL future landscape unclear

— Salford Red Devils 👹 (@SalfordDevils) November 9, 2021

King, on the other hand, was also positive about the attraction of moving to Moor Lane, including the naming rights of the venue and the fact that Salford would get the revenue generated by food and drink.

Add into that a ground that the Red Devils could call home and suddenly Moor Lane looked viable.

Moor Lane positives:

-Naming rights
-Revenue from food & beverage
-Self-determination
-Atmospheric
-An opportunity to reset in a home of our own
-Early due diligence suggests it is affordable

— Salford Red Devils 👹 (@SalfordDevils) November 9, 2021