Upton Park has been completely redeveloped (very badly) over the last 20 - 30 years. Is any of the 4 stands more than 30 years old? It is now one of the ugliest and most old fashioned grounds in the country and has absolutely no redeeming features.
Upton Park has been completely redeveloped (very badly) over the last 20 - 30 years. Is any of the 4 stands more than 30 years old? It is now one of the ugliest and most old fashioned grounds in the country and has absolutely no redeeming features.
Does it still have those turret thingys by the main entrance, that look like theyre made out of plywood?
I don't understand why people turn this into an issue about taxpayer funding.
We needed a stadium for the Olympics. We built one. Now the Olympics have finished, surely there is a responsibility to maximise the returns on the stadium over the long-term. This means leasing it out to the highest bidder.
Any bidder will only bid at the market rate (by definition). If that doesn't cover the maintenance/running costs then so be it. No tenant is going to pay more than they have to!
The alternative being make it an athletics stadium with no regular income or bulldoze it. Sham have got their commercials right.
Not at all sure that this will work for West Ham, look at Coventry (and indeed on a much lower level Derlington or anyone who ever used Nene Park). It's a big gamble. To be fair to Spurs, it's normal that councils and the like give a load of money to property developers when somewhere needs redeveloping (the figure of £20 million was bandied about for the new tower blocks by Lewisham station, I've no idea how true that is but it's had a lot of subsidy). £27m to improve Tottenham sounds like a bargain.
Do people really think West ham will sell out 60k each week, no chance. Give it a season or 2 for the novelty to wear off and they'll be getting 40-45k tops
And that would be top 10 or way less (guess) attendances in England (& whales). They won"t get those numbers.
It seems that we UK tax payers (as part of our contribution to IMF and European funds to bail out ailing european economies) have been subsidising most Spanish clubs for years!
For all the reasons Grandpa states on the previous page I would say this represents a big future threat to CAFC and, therefore, any potential investment. WHUFC will be desperate to try and fill a 60k seater stadium and will do anything within their power to do so - our fan base and geographical catchment area will be high up on their target list so it will take a very complacent person to say this will not affect us. We must have loads of 'floating voters' who have been battered by the last few years.
My guess is that Jimenez/Slater will be drawing up a contingency plan to deal with this (if for nothing else to present to potential investors). Really don't wish to scaremonger but it worries me more than a little.
It seems that we UK tax payers (as part of our contribution to IMF and European funds to bail out ailing european economies) have been subsidising most Spanish clubs for years!
Exactly and having read the article, I think I might find the time to write to this nice competition commissioner pointing out the subsidy that is going to West Ham...
The thing, I don't understand is, is why Orient the local club, with very good community schemes is not allowed to share the ground, in the same way that Queen of the South share Hampden Park with Rangers ?
It is a big irony that money used for supporting the local community, will put out of business, a very positive local organisation, who deliver community schemes.
WHU have always enjoyed significant largesse from the football establishment due to single handedly winning the world cup. So it continues.
I am happy that a football club is occupying the stadium though, the fact that Orient is not able to share really lays bare the competitive reasons that WHU owners have. WHU want to dominate the local area and the local club, Orient will be forced to move or go under. That is the premiership model, eliminate all lower league competition, so that you have a captive market and can sell more tickets/etc. The Gold / Sullivan gamble in purchasing and funding WHU debts has paid off. They are going to become very rich.
WHU will get a lot of benefit from the transport links and make them an attractive investment, and with all the masses of TV money they get, the terms for occupying the ground, should have been better for the govt. The transport links really helps with supporters following from abroad. The Javelin is very quick and not that much more expensive, if you can afford a Premiership season ticket, then an extra 20% on your ticket does not make that much difference.
At least, there will be no excuse for WHU not offering decent money for Solly in the Summer, when that (transfer bid + summer) finally arrives.
R.I.P. West Ham. Shame they couldn't redevelop the chicken run and get the ground to 40k as they had planned to, another great London ground to be destroyed.
On another note, it looks like I won the argument about sightlines at a ground with a running track. :-)
The thing, I don't understand is, is why Orient the local club, with very good community schemes is not allowed to share the ground, in the same way that Queen of the South share Hampden Park with Rangers ?
Rangers dont share Hampden Park, they play home games at Ibrox (aka Castle Greyskull), Queens Park play at Hampden and they dont share it with anyone for league games either.
Queen of the South play 80 miles away in Dumfries.
If we get it right on the pitch and can get back to the promised land of the Premier League then I think The Valley as is would be full most weeks regardless of West Ham. If we want to grow bigger than that then it's still all down to success on the pitch.
£2 million a year rent...wowsers! Not something you want to be paying if you slip down the leaques....look at Coventry who are going into administration for non payment of £1M a year rent on that horrid Rioch stadium. Prefer to own your ground or not?
Forgot, its West Ham again so the FA rule book must have got lost somewhere. Poor Leyton Orient who will now lose completely their catchment fan base area.
The thing, I don't understand is, is why Orient the local club, with very good community schemes is not allowed to share the ground, in the same way that Queen of the South share Hampden Park with Rangers ?
Rangers dont share Hampden Park, they play home games at Ibrox (aka Castle Greyskull), Queens Park play at Hampden and they dont share it with anyone for league games either.
Queen of the South play 80 miles away in Dumfries.
Thanks for the correction. Ibrox is well described !
The thing, I don't understand is, is why Orient the local club, with very good community schemes is not allowed to share the ground, in the same way that Queen of the South share Hampden Park with Rangers ?
Rangers dont share Hampden Park, they play home games at Ibrox (aka Castle Greyskull), Queens Park play at Hampden and they dont share it with anyone for league games either.
Queen of the South play 80 miles away in Dumfries.
Thanks for the correction. Ibrox is well described !
Comments
To be fair to Spurs, it's normal that councils and the like give a load of money to property developers when somewhere needs redeveloping (the figure of £20 million was bandied about for the new tower blocks by Lewisham station, I've no idea how true that is but it's had a lot of subsidy). £27m to improve Tottenham sounds like a bargain.
Apparently worth 25-30 million pounds in 2010.
My guess is that Jimenez/Slater will be drawing up a contingency plan to deal with this (if for nothing else to present to potential investors). Really don't wish to scaremonger but it worries me more than a little.
I think the governments view will be, that securing the stadiums use will support the development of the southern park.
It is a big irony that money used for supporting the local community, will put out of business, a very positive local organisation, who deliver community schemes.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/mar/06/leyton-orient-west-ham-olympic-stadium - Leyton Orient contest West Ham's Olympic Stadium sole tenancy rights
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/mar/21/leyton-orient-olympic-stadium-hearn-essex - Barry Hearn may move Leyton Orient to Essex if Olympic Stadium bid fails
WHU have always enjoyed significant largesse from the football establishment due to single handedly winning the world cup. So it continues.
I am happy that a football club is occupying the stadium though, the fact that Orient is not able to share really lays bare the competitive reasons that WHU owners have. WHU want to dominate the local area and the local club, Orient will be forced to move or go under. That is the premiership model, eliminate all lower league competition, so that you have a captive market and can sell more tickets/etc. The Gold / Sullivan gamble in purchasing and funding WHU debts has paid off. They are going to become very rich.
WHU will get a lot of benefit from the transport links and make them an attractive investment, and with all the masses of TV money they get, the terms for occupying the ground, should have been better for the govt. The transport links really helps with supporters following from abroad. The Javelin is very quick and not that much more expensive, if you can afford a Premiership season ticket, then an extra 20% on your ticket does not make that much difference.
At least, there will be no excuse for WHU not offering decent money for Solly in the Summer, when that (transfer bid + summer) finally arrives.
They are going to struggle to fill it, especially when they get relegated. (old squad, no money)
Don't know the figures for Fulham, however Chelsea's ground is, I believe, worth about 183 - 200 million pounds.
On another note, it looks like I won the argument about sightlines at a ground with a running track. :-)
Queen of the South play 80 miles away in Dumfries.