Brentford move nets London Irish more than £1m
London Irish moving to the Brentford Community Stadium has already netted the rugby union club more than £1m.
The Exiles will play at Brentford’s new ground next season, relocating from Reading FC’s Madejski Stadium.
And the money subsequently generated by season ticket sales and corporate income has now reached seven figures.
Season tickets for the 2020/21 campaign went on general sale on 4 February.
London Irish chief executive Brian Facer said: “We are delighted with how season ticket sales have progressed and how much of an appetite there is to see London Irish back playing in London.
London Irish ‘returning to its roots’
“When Mick Crossan took over as owner of this club, one of his key objectives was to see the club return to its roots in west London and we are thankful to him for providing this.
“We are now in a position to bring Gallagher Premiership rugby back to the capital, at an affordable price, with a family tickets available for £600 for 17 home fixtures (16 competitive fixtures and one pre-season friendly).”
A contract for the Exiles to groundshare in Reading was in place until 2026.
However, a break clause enabled the club to leave early and return closer to its roots – London Irish played at The Avenue in Sunbury prior to the Reading move.
They will host a pre-season friendly at their new home prior to start of the Premiership season.
“Throughout London Irish’s 122-year history, the club has been renowned for being a home away from home for the Irish and expat community,” Facer added.
“Our mission has always been to make Brentford a similar experience to what supporters enjoyed when we played at The Avenue, and the team is working to ensure this happens.
“With any stadium move, we know the logistics of getting to and from the ground is important to supporters.
“The Brentford Community Stadium has eight Overground, Underground and National Rail stations within a mile or so of the stadium.
“There will also be over 1,000 car parking spaces and park and ride options to ensure our Thames Valley core supporter group can attend home matches. This was successfully trialled in our recent away fixture against Harlequins.
“We are excited about the coming months as the move gets ever closer.”
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