Newcastle United use £14.6m skyscraper to boost PSR hopes and £384 'champagne' tickets
Newcastle United are trying to maximise corporate opportunities on a match day to boost their PSR hopes and are now offering fans a new offsite hospitality package.
Fans can now wine and dine at the top of the city's illustrious Hadrian's Tower in the 26-storey building on a match day before wandering up to St James' Park. However, the champagne package at the 3SIXTY restaurant will set punters back £384 per person.
The match day experience includes a three-course meal and prosecco alongside a Newcastle legend before fans take their seats in the Leazes Stand. United say: "We’re thrilled to announce our new off-site matchday hospitality package at 3SIXTY Newcastle.
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"Located on the 26th floor, this stunning bar and restaurant offers panoramic views of Newcastle’s skyline, including a magpies view of our iconic St. James’ Park. Indulge in a delicious three course meal and drinks whilst taking in the stunning views, then head up to the stadium to enjoy the game."
With clubs like Manchester City offering "tunnel club" access at prices over £1,000, it is clear that the PSR rulebook is seeing top-flight sides forced to crank up their corporate game and Newcastle are no exception with a range of different packages rolled out again for the 2024/25 season.
The club's commercial chief Peter Silverstone told Chronicle Live back in August that Newcastle were playing "catch up" with sides like City, Liverpool and Manchester United. He said then: "It is not going to happen overnight. Maybe it is a better question for Darren Eales on the realisation of ambition and timeline. We are playing catch up that's for sure.
"Being in Japan and seeing the passion and intensity of that fanbase, I wish we could have been doing that earlier.
"There was a fan who had a Shola Ameobi shirt from 24 years ago. If only we had engaged with them earlier we might not have been having to catch up so rapidly. Our fanbase might be slightly bigger. Our job is now to grow that fanbase, internationally.
"We are catching up and our timeline to catch up on the pitch we are doing an incredible job. Off the pitch, it takes time to keep speed with on the pitch because the job Eddie Howe and the football team are doing is at breakneck speed."
The Magpies were forced to sell two hot prospects in Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to rivals Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion back in June. Back then the PSR guidelines hurt Newcastle on the field with Eddie Howe against the sale of the two stars.
But with Newcastle determined not to be in that position again and club owner Yasir Al-Rumayyan wanting the Magpies to be "best in class" across all departments, the pressure is on at St James' Park for all staff to raise their game on and off the field.