Rangers are getting used to rubbing shoulders with Europe’s biggest clubs in the Europa League.
The Gers have become late-stage mainstays in Europe’s secondary competition with Ibrox a fortress that several of the continent’s top clubs have failed to breach in recent season.
The Rangers support are set to return to the famous stadium next week as the club looks to defend an impressive 3-1 lead over Fenerbahce in Glasgow’s southside.
Heading into the match, new data published by Transfermarkt has confirmed that Rangers are amongst Europe’s biggest clubs when it comes to revenues generated by ticket sales.
Rangers amongst highest gate revenue in Europe
Rangers are something of a sleeping giant with the club ambling through the last few seasons after finally getting their hands on the Scottish Premiership trophy.
There’s a feeling the club’s current custodians have taken Rangers as far as they can with US investment on the horizon at Ibrox.
That exciting takeover news is in no small part down to the potential of Rangers’ gate receipts and returns on the European stage.
Transfermarkt have listed the top 20 European clubs in terms of gate receipts with Rangers finishing a noble 19th place, banking €53m (£44.5m) in the 23/24 season.
Rangers competed in the Europa League after crashing out of the Champions League qualifiers to PSV Eindhoven last season, reaching the first knockout round before being beaten in a tight clash with Benfica.
Outranking 20th place Borussia Dortmund, Ibrox’s earning potential has Rangers keeping company with the likes of VfB Stuttgart, Juventus and even Galatasaray.
Whilst there’s a lot to be proud about at Ibrox, Rangers are dwarfed by top European side Real Madrid whose €185m (£155m) in gate receipts is more than treble that banked in Govan.
Old Firm rivals Celtic, who competed in last season’s Champions League, did not make the cut.
US investment and Ibrox expansion plans
Whilst Ibrox is clearly ticking over quite nicely as things stand, there have been plenty of sounds at Rangers concerning expansion.
Rangers were forced into a Hampden relocation in the summer after an upgrade to the Copland Stand was hit with delays concerning Chinese steel.
It’s led to apprehension concerning future expansions at Ibrox but Rangers have previously suggested that increasing Ibrox’s capacity to 70k is genuinely feasible.
The comments of 49ers Enterprises chief Paraag Marathe concerning Leeds United’s Elland Road then take on a new complexion.
The American sports mogul – who is a key player in the US takeover at Rangers and is the serving chairman of Premier League hopefuls Leeds – has previously talked up expansion in Yorkshire.
”Our goal is to expand Elland Road,” Marathe explains, with the stadium’s current capacity close to 38k.
”There will probably be a couple of phases that ultimately take us to 53,000. The first phase will likely be 47,000 then up to 53,000.”
Rangers fans may have to hold their horses when it comes expansion just yet however; estimations suggest the proposed changes at Ibrox could cost as much as £50m.
