“For West Ham it is the right thing. We will deliver the legacy everyone wants, attracting people to the Olympic Park,” said the co-owner of West Ham United.
But David Gold is wide of the mark because even West Ham fans cannot agree if it is the best thing for the club to move to the Olympic Stadium, or remain in their current stadium, the Boleyn Ground.
Having looked at polls taken by popular West Ham websites, opinion seems to be almost split down the middle. As a West Ham fan, I am for moving to the Olympic Stadium. If West Ham United seriously wants to move up a level, then it needs to be playing in a sixty-thousand seat stadium to earn the extra revenue to attract better players.
As the saga of who is going to occupy the Olympic Stadium has dragged on, West Ham has been the only viable option. That is until now. I had a sense that something may be changing in that respect when Boris Johnson, the tousle-haired London Mayor, announced last month that he was not necessarily “wedded” to a football solution.
We have just found out that what he really meant was that he was not wedded to an English football club solution as he has just held “encouraging” talks with senior National Football League officials.
A spokesman for the mayor said in a statement:”Sunday’s game at Wembley, in front of over 80,000 fans, further cements London’s reputation as the natural home of American football outside of the United States.”
And if the photo of a smug Boris holding an American football, surrounded by scantily clad cheer-leaders is anything to go by, his head has already been turned. It seems that Karren Brady’s negotiations haven’t had quite the same effect on him.
Aren’t you a t behind the news here. Such a solution would not be a replacement for WHU they certainly would not take on a 90 odd year lease and couldn’t even use the stadium till after 2017 and that’s assuming that Wembley just lets them go, hardly likely. And of course t assumes that they would be willing to play in an athletic stadium rather than Wembley, again hardly likely. And of course officials for Boris has said no such discussion for their using the stadium took place, only advice sought though I doubt the total veracity of that claim.
As for DG claiming its the best thing for the club being wide of the mark because the fans are not in agreement what does that have to do with him thinking it is what’s best for the club? Its his opinion and he is in the best position to know it so a perfectly valid comment whether you agree with it or not. Your logic suggests that if 52% of fans agree with him its right but if a couple percent change their mind its suddenly wrong, no business can run in such a manner or owners comments be dictated by such fluid opinions based on emotion over logic.
What do you mean “let them go.” They are not talking about the one game a year at Wembley, they were talking about an NFL team based in the OS.An NF team could obviously not be based in Wembley!And the Mayors office admitted to exporatory talks with NFL choefs. “Guardian.com 31,10,12 Although David gold runs West Ham from the business point of view, saying it is “the legacy everyone wants” is blatantly not true as not all West Ham fans want it. You obviously know nothing of the spirit of the fans-because it is totally based on emotion. Football teams are not you average business, and all owners need to start realising this sooner rather than later.
And yes, it is a bit behind the news, because guess what? This is not a rolling 24hrs news channel.
A ground share with an NFL franchise would be fine because no NFL team would survive more than a few years in London. 80,000 for the odd game is fine. But all one needs to do is look at the old London Monarchs of the World League to see that attendance was down to below 10,000 when the league called it quits.
Furthermore, I’m willing to bet the best NFL players and college prospects would not see London as a preferred destination to New York, Chicago, San Francisco, or Dallas. So a mediocre to downright lousy team playing a game very few people really care about would be housed in Newham.
Not a hot commodity if you ask me. And I’m an American. I say let ’em in. If they are that willing to make such a dumb mistake, don’t interrupt them. Take their money and say thanks.
A ground share where a NFL team would help foot the bill would be fine. Totally agree with you.