West Ham have won Olympic Stadium

[guy]

i am gutted we did not win the bid for the staduim. in 4 years from now WH will be able to attract better players than spurs because of their financial muscle. Levy has mentioned that the NDP is not viable so it is back to the drawing board then. we will have to identify a new site then go through all the planning regulations and then start to build. that is upwards of 6 years i reckon.

:rofl: HOW DO YOU FIGURE THAT? Yep I can see Messi playing in the Championship

 

[SpurSince57]

It's easy to say that in hindsight - they proposed what seems like a much more viable alternative in Crystal Palace, but it all came down to whether the 'Legacy' had to be based on the site of the actual stadium. Most sane people would say 'Legacy' can be demonstrated in a number of different ways...just not the sentimental OPLC. I don't think that we can blame Daniel Levy for trying.

Londoners were overwhelmingly against the Spurs bid; this may come as a major shock to many on SC, but most Londoners don't give a stuff about football in general, and Spurs in particular. They do, on the other hand, seem to care about the Olympic 'Legacy'. Isn't that crazy? There would have been a huge political backlash, and guess what the other big London event of 2012 is? BoJo's going to have enough problems holding on to the mayor's office as it is; if Spurs' bid had got preference he might as well have just handed Ken Livingstone the keys today.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Londoners were overwhelmingly against the Spurs bid; this may come as a major shock to many on SC, but most Londoners don't give a stuff about football in general, and Spurs in particular. They do, on the other hand, seem to care about the Olympic 'Legacy'. Isn't that crazy? There would have been a huge political backlash, and guess what the other big London event of 2012 is? BoJo's going to have enough problems holding on to the mayor's office as it is; if Spurs' bid had got preference he might as well have just handed Ken Livingstone the keys today.

Isn't it alleged that BoJo was the one who encouraged us to bid in the first place?

 

[Chinaspur]

Londoners were overwhelmingly against the Spurs bid; this may come as a major shock to many on SC, but most Londoners don't give a stuff about football in general, and Spurs in particular. They do, on the other hand, seem to care about the Olympic 'Legacy'. Isn't that crazy? There would have been a huge political backlash, and guess what the other big London event of 2012 is? BoJo's going to have enough problems holding on to the mayor's office as it is; if Spurs' bid had got preference he might as well have just handed Ken Livingstone the keys today.

Yes but we couldn't really know that would be the case until we had bid. We gave it a shot - turned out that the tide of opinion quickly went in favour of West Ham. We've maybe lost a bit of face, and taken our eyes off NDP for 6 months but it's not been catastrophic for us.

If Daniel Levy really thought it was best for the club then it was reasonable for him to have a go...anything could have happened during the bid process; secret documents leaked revealing Gold's plans to turn the stadium into a massive porn dungeon, Karen Brady caught getting quotes to have the track removed whilst simultaneously eating live babies or (and perhaps more feasibly) West Ham's financials could have been discovered to be massively erroneous having only been scribbled down the side of a copy of Asian Babes.

 

[SpurSince57]

Isn't it alleged that BoJo was the one who encouraged us to bid in the first place?

If he did, I'll bet he regretted it as soon as he saw those opinion polls.

 

[piedpiper]

:rofl: HOW DO YOU FIGURE THAT? Yep I can see Messi playing in the Championship

laugh all you want mate. arsenal's new stadium catapulted them from somewhere near 13th to 5th on gate takings. what do you think WH will accomplish. we will be playing catch up once they are in their new staduim. look at what Man City have accomplished with their new owners.

 

[AngerManagement]

laugh all you want mate. arsenal's new stadium catapulted them from somewhere near 13th to 5th on gate takings. what do you think WH will accomplish. we will be playing catch up once they are in their new staduim. look at what Man City have accomplished with their new owners.

Well to be fair Arsenal already had success (more than in their new home) and an established world wide fan base before moving to a bigger stadium.

Man City have accomplished what they have because they have become a play thing of rich investors not because they moved to a bigger stadium (they're weren't making waves in the same stadium before they started paying silly money out of the investors pocket)

West Ham do not have the fan base that the new stadium will make a great deal of difference to their revenue (pretty much all their potential match day going fans can already easily get a ticket at Upton Park, so availablity is not the issue)

You can argue that they may be more likely to be taken over by a MAn City type of owner if they move to a more desriable up and coming area like post olympic Stratford and the stadium might make them more investable but that is pure speculation at the moment.

These types of take overs are rare and it is just as likely they would be taken over by someone who would not invest in the sqaud greatly (plus you have to factor in the fair play rule which may prevent investors coming in and buying success at clubs that can't generate the funds themselves)

West Ham get a 60k capacity, ok but to fill it they have to do things like charge kids a quid (even then 60k is a stretch for them) I have said in another thread that they could well grow their fan base as a result of this but by no means do I think they will to that extent without success on the pitch first.

 

[adamthfc]

i am gutted we did not win the bid for the staduim. in 4 years from now WH will be able to attract better players than spurs because of their financial muscle. Levy has mentioned that the NDP is not viable so it is back to the drawing board then. we will have to identify a new site then go through all the planning regulations and then start to build. that is upwards of 6 years i reckon. shit i really wanted us in the OS and competing by 2014 with the bigger clubs for players. i hope this does not set us back for the next 10years.

still love spurs and think we have the best chairman in DL. In Levy I Trust !!!!

No they won't unless they suddenly fill the stadium at proper prices not
Kids for a quid adults for slightly more our revenue will still Be more due to ticket prices and the fact for most games we sell out at those ticket prices

 

[adamthfc]

I think those who are criticising Daniel Levy should take some time to reflect on the facts as we know them. We lost the bid, because we refused to leave the running track in. It seems that was THE crucial point. Daniel Levy cared enough about the ordinary fan to know that the experience would be much worse, and therefore compromised a lucrative opportunity in order to ensure the best possible experience for the fans. If he was the soulless lying money-grabbing arse that some on here would have then he would have done what the Porn Barons have done and put in the strongest possible bid regardless of fan experience.

If it was just about profit he would have won this bid, and then with significantly increased value in his asset sold up to some random billionaire. One who had no knowledge of football and how potentially the bad atmosphere could affect results in 7 years time. But one who could do the maths and see 60,000 seats to be sold every week with very relatively little debt burdening the club. One who could also see the value of having a brand new stadium, with naming rights, within view of Canary Wharf and the money makers in London.

We don't know the exact financials - as much as some have speculated - but if it wasn't lucrative then I'm confident Levy wouldn't have gone for it.

You could counter with 'was he thinking about the fans when he cared so little about our heritage', but equally compelling is the argument that he cared about the 20K fans who can't go to games because the stadium is so small, or the fans who struggle to get to WHL because of the crap transport. How you value heritage is a subjective matter. Some might see it more important than 1000s of fans stuck at overcrowded tube stations each week, some might not. The fact he looked to the OS does in no way prove he doesn't care what the ordinary fan thinks.

Finally the 'viable' issue. Anyone who has been involved in this kind of bid and negotiation would have said the same about the NDP. We already had a weak bid because of the track. Levy probably was lying about the viability of the NDP. And fair play to him. If it had swayed the decision at all then as a negotiator it was the right thing to do.

I write all this as someone who is very happy we didn't win the stadium - perhaps I value heritage more than Daniel Levy - or perhaps I haven't seen the figures and don't really know the implications of building in N17. But I do know this Daniel Levy is a bloody brilliant chairman, and if you can't appreciate him after this then you never will. He has clearly put the fans ahead of a short term profit and we should all be very grateful we have him and not King and Queen Dildo.

Whl is really not that hard to get to it's an excuse if you really want to go to spurs you will handle the journey I've been toGrounds alot harder to get to.and where were these 20000 fans desperate to watch us when There have been games on general sale.it's easy to want to go To ac Milan scum at home etc but what about bolton twenty young boys at home.

 

[Riandor]

Whl is really not that hard to get to it's an excuse if you really want to go to spurs you will handle the journey I've been toGrounds alot harder to get to.and where were these 20000 fans desperate to watch us when There have been games on general sale.it's easy to want to go To ac Milan scum at home etc but what about bolton twenty young boys at home.

Simply because when it takes over 6 hrs to travel to and from WHL, you want it to be worthwhile. I love spurs, but I have family considerations too and spending all that money and time on a home game vs Bolton is not going to be attractive as Milan or Arsenal.

WHL either needs the NDP or we move, but standing still is not an option, we will die a slow and painful death if we do. I understand heritage, but sentiment should not get in the way of progress!!

 

[PT]

There have been games on general sale.it's easy to want to go To ac Milan scum at home etc but what about bolton twenty young boys at home.

That argument is a non starter Adam. Whilst the gate was down on those games, they are a rarity and most home matches are a sell-out. What about the season ticket holders who don't show up? Their seat can't be re-sold unless it is put on the ticket exchange system which rarely happens as the decision not to attend is taken and then no thought given to anyone else who might buy the seat for the game.

Games will go to General Sale - as they do in all Premiership Clubs, other than the Class A Matches. It is not an argument as non-attendance is across the spectrum of ticket buyers / holders.

 

[Jack2]

It's going to be a big stadium for a Championship club...! :wink:

 

[adamthfc]

That argument is a non starter Adam. Whilst the gate was down on those games, they are a rarity and most home matches are a sell-out. What about the season ticket holders who don't show up? Their seat can't be re-sold unless it is put on the ticket exchange system which rarely happens as the decision not to attend is taken and then no thought given to anyone else who might buy the seat for the game.

Games will go to General Sale - as they do in all Premiership Clubs, other than the Class A Matches. It is not an argument as non-attendance is across the spectrum of ticket buyers / holders.

What's season ticket holder not showing up got to do with games going on general sale? And it's not irrelevant these people are so desperate to come
To te lane complain that they can't ever get tickets are clearly lieing what they mean is thy want to come to all the supposed glamour ties they can't be arsed to come to the wigan and Bolton games etc

 

[adamthfc]

Simply because when it takes over 6 hrs to travel to and from WHL, you want it to be worthwhile. I love spurs, but I have family considerations too and spending all that money and time on a home game vs Bolton is not going to be attractive as Milan or Arsenal.

WHL either needs the NDP or we move, but standing still is not an option, we will die a slow and painful death if we do. I understand heritage, but sentiment should not get in the way of progress!!

I dont think it takes alot of fans 6 hours to and from but in a way you has proved my point if people don't want to travel now what difference will it make when we have got a new stadium won't we have empty seats for these less profile games?

 

[PT]

What's season ticket holder not showing up got to do with games going on general sale? And it's not irrelevant these people are so desperate to come
To te lane complain that they can't ever get tickets are clearly lieing what they mean is thy want to come to all the supposed glamour ties they can't be arsed to come to the wigan and Bolton games etc

Ok I'll spell it out for you then.

Bog standard catB game comes up. It goes through Members Sale to General Sale and on match day there are a thousand or so seats vacant.

How do you know those seats are NOT the Season Ticket holders who have shunned the game, rather than member / non members being selective as to what they watch?

It's most likely that there's a touch of both. Your Young Boys example was poor too as the Club cannot sell to capacity because of UEFA stipulations on marketing.

 

[Bobbins]

What's season ticket holder not showing up got to do with games going on general sale? And it's not irrelevant these people are so desperate to come
To te lane complain that they can't ever get tickets are clearly lieing what they mean is thy want to come to all the supposed glamour ties they can't be arsed to come to the wigan and Bolton games etc

This is clearly bollocks.

I can't get a season ticket, but the three home games I've been to this season, with my two mates who also would love season tickets, are Blackburn, Wigan and Wolves.

Hardly 'glamour' ties are they?

Complete and utter arse.

 

[Beni]

I think the NDP being 'Not viable' is if its done under Levy. Oviously the plan can be progressed but if under Levy, at a risk to the club financially. So, I see it being either tfl, Lammy and the council negotiate and assist Levy with whatever the issues are, or Levy goes elsewhere to another location.

Or, Levy sells to someone that pays and progresses NDP that Levy won't.

 

[Green Samot]

From the BBC:

Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has asked for confirmation of West Ham as the preferred tenant of the 2012 Olympic Stadium to be delayed.
Hearn wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Boris Johnson, and is also consulting lawyers about possibly launching a judicial review.
More to follow.

 

[Pedro]

Any idea why the LO chairman would object rather than us?

 

[Pedro]

more...

West Ham were named preferred bidders - a decision that must still be ratified.
But as the club closest to the site, Orient believe their existence would be threatened by the Hammers' arrival.