Sweeney wants more non-sport events at Twickenham

Rugby Football Union main enforcement Bill Sweeney says it would beryllium "very difficult" to stay astatine Twickenham and "justify" important concern for betterment unless it tin summation the fig of non-sporting events astatine Allianz Stadium.

Speaking connected the Business of Sport podcast,, external helium pointed retired different venues - specified arsenic Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - are capable to bring successful other gross by hosting galore much non-sporting events specified arsenic concerts.

Sweeney said: "Part of the renovation of the stadium from 2027 means we are successful a treatment with Richmond Council astir the quality to signifier much non-rugby events. For us, it's 3 and we're lone allowed 1 connected a Friday.

"We've had the Rolling Stones. We could person had Beyonce but she wanted 3 nights and we are lone allowed 2 nights consecutively, and we've got a regularisation connected capableness of 55,000.

"We're having a speech present [with the council] and saying that if we are going to put £600m into the Allianz - and that's going to bring X magnitude of revenue, we person got the survey to amusement however overmuch economical worth it contributes to the borough - you are going to person to enactment with america successful presumption of an summation successful the fig of events we tin signifier successful bid to monetise the stadium.

"There are plentifulness of places that would similar to person america there. Birmingham and Milton Keynes would emotion to person america there."

Asked if the RFU could determination if the assembly were not consenting to summation the fig of non-sporting events from three, helium added: "It would beryllium a pugnacious telephone for us. It would beryllium precise difficult.

"I don't cognize however we would warrant the concern successful the stadium if we can't get the summation successful the lawsuit licences."

BBC Sport has approached Richmond Council and the RFU for comment.

In February 2024 it was reported the RFU had considered selling Twickenham and buying a 50% stock successful Wembley, according to a papers seen by the BBC.

The Twickenham Stadium Masterplan Programme (TSMP) revealed the RFU committee discussed the connection but nary ceremonial attack was made to the Football Association (FA).

Instead, it chose to absorption connected redeveloping Twickenham, which has been England's location crushed since 1909.

Twickenham was renamed arsenic Allianz Stadium past twelvemonth arsenic portion of a caller sponsorship agreement.