Everton are exploring ways of using the hyraulic tower at Hill Dickinson Stadium along ways of increasing their commercial growth
Everton’s new president of business operations Andrew Middleton has outlined his role trying to expand commercial growth while revealing that the club is exploring the possibility of utilising the hydraulic tower on the site of Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Middleton, who joined the Blues in January, has addressed a number of topics in a first-person piece that will appear in the matchday programme for the game against Manchester United on Monday.
Those topics include: Why financial regulations mean revenue generation is fundamental to on-pitch success; the Friedkin Group’s commitment to reinvesting commercial revenues into football operations; the commercial platform offered by Hill Dickinson Stadium; plans for the new ground next season, including enhancements to fan experiences in Budweiser Plaza and Club View; exploration of further stadium utilisation, including the hydraulic tower, and ongoing Everton branding of the stadium.
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He writes…
“I am really proud to have joined this great club at the turn of the year as President of Business Operations and wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself properly and explain the focus of my role.
“Coming from outside of the football industry, I bring executive leadership experience from roles at organisations including Evelyn Partners, British Gas and easyJet. Throughout my career, I have led businesses undergoing transformation and growth, and I am excited to now apply that experience to a club with the heritage, ambition and global potential of Everton.
“My responsibility is simple in principle, though ambitious in scope: to help Everton grow commercially and ensure we are maximising the enormous platform we now have at our disposal – most notably, our incredible waterfront stadium.
“First and foremost, I want to recognise the excellent progress already made by colleagues at Everton. Thanks to the enormous effort of so many across the club, we proudly play our football at the best stadium in the Premier League. It’s because of this that the team have been able to attract prestigious Founding Partners such as Pepsi, Budweiser, Castore, Christopher Ward and Aramark, alongside the fantastic support that Hill Dickinson provide us as stadium naming rights partner.
“These partnerships are not only commercially important, they reflect the ambition, drive and stature of this football club.
“As a result of that work, the club is on course to deliver its strongest annual commercial performance to date. The move to our new stadium has been a vital catalyst in that growth. It has provided us with a world-class platform to attract global brands, expand our premium offering and unlock new opportunities on both matchdays and non-matchdays.
“And, as a proud Scot myself, I’m especially looking forward to welcoming the Tartan Army when they join us in March.
“Importantly, this new chapter in our club’s history has also allowed us to give Everton Women a permanent home at Goodison Park – a historic ground now dedicated to the women’s team. That commitment underlines our belief that growth must support the whole club and ensures that both our men’s and women’s teams have platforms befitting their ambition.
“But commercial growth is not about headlines or balance sheets alone. It directly underpins what happens on the pitch. Every commercial agreement we secure, every event we host at our new home and every traditional or newly sourced revenue stream we enhance or develop strengthens our ability to invest in our men’s and women’s teams, our recruitment strategy, our academy and the infrastructure that supports elite performance.
Everton’s new president of business operations Andrew Middleton
“Angus (Kinnear, the chief executive) and our ownership have made clear that commercial revenue is to be reinvested into football operations. That means stronger commercial performance translates into greater flexibility in squad building, improved resources for coaching and performance staff, and the financial resilience required to compete in the world’s best league under modern financial regulations.
“Our ambition – to challenge consistently, to return to European competition and ultimately to compete for trophies – requires sustainable financial strength. The clubs that compete at the top end of the Premier League do so not only because of history or support, but because they have built robust commercial platforms through European football that enable them to invest year after year.
“Success on the pitch will, in turn, help grow our commercial portfolio, expand our fanbase and further leverage the opportunities presented by the stadium. It is a virtuous cycle once achieved – but it begins with building strong commercial foundations.
Football’s financial regulations, including the most recent changes, mean that revenue generation is more important than ever. Clubs must live within clearly defined parameters, and growth must be matched with discipline. We need to be assertive in delivering the financial firepower our football operation requires, while maintaining the cost management and sustainability that long-term success demands.
“At the same time, we recognise that this must be balanced with ensuring the cost of football remains as affordable as possible for our supporters. That is precisely why we are determined to maximise the use of our stadium throughout the year – creating additional revenue streams that strengthen the club.
“This is a shared responsibility – across leadership, staff, players and supporters – as we collectively work to make Everton as strong and sustainable as it can be.
“On a personal note, I am grateful for the warm welcome my family and I have received at Everton, and we have been enormously impressed by Hill Dickinson Stadium. It is a remarkable home for elite-level football, sporting events and concerts, and is rightly admired across the Premier League and Europe. I will be working with colleagues at Everton to continue refining and enhancing the experiences we offer – whether that’s on matchdays or through our growing non-matchday tours and events programme.
“Throughout my career, I’ve always found that listening to feedback is the key to unlocking long-term, sustainable growth. With that in mind, I want to thank every Evertonian who has taken the time to complete our post-match and experience surveys.
“The response we have received so far has been extremely encouraging. We will be using the insights to help us understand what is working well and where we can continue to improve.
“We will, of course, also continue to engage with supporter groups whose perspectives and constructive challenge help shape our thinking.
“Planning for next season is already well under way. We are exploring commercial opportunities connected to events at the stadium, including the usage of the hydraulic tower.
“We are looking at how we can further enhance the experience on the Budweiser Plaza, and continuing to evolve our premium areas, including Club View. Our branding project is also ongoing as we work to place an even stronger Everton stamp on the stadium and make it feel even more like home.
“There is much work to do – but there is also enormous opportunity.
“Everton’s future will be built on ambition, discipline and unity. My role is to help ensure we have the commercial strength to match the passion, history and expectation of our great club and its supporters.
“Thank you for your continued support.”