The Olympic Stadium: How The Hammers Struck Gold - BBC News

It's costing taxpayers hundreds of millions to convert the Olympic Stadium into a home fit for West Ham Football Club. With the amount spiralling, BBC Sports Editor Dan Roan investigates a deal that is shrouded in secrecy, and that could make the club owners even richer while leaving us to foot the bill. (This film first aired on 06/08/2015)
Subscribe to BBC News HERE bit.ly/1rbfUog
Check out our website: www.bbc.com/news
Facebook: / bbcnews
Twitter: / bbcworld
Instagram: / bbcnews

[@matthewsiddle4744]

Tottenham struck gold when they lost the bid and got the brilliant stadium they have now

[@ColtColin]

Not wrong, that is one gorgeous stadium.

[@karlwithakcomedy]

West Ham should've planned before construction of the stadium to take ownership so that it could've been better modified for football. That's what Manchester City did when the Eithiad had been constructed for the Commonwealth games.

[@ColtColin]

That would have cost money the owners didn't want to spend. But you're not wrong

[@harryfoley2294]

Brilliant stadium? It’s a toilet bowl mate😂

[@CCA2020]

Harry Foley compared to the London stadium that is a shithole

[@xvola6888]

How the owners struck gold not the Hammers.

[@thinkbig3384]

Bang on fella

[@90AlmostFamous]

Yup, the atmosphere will be lacking in this stadium

[@Zach-mw5so]

2:10, did he just say the most prestigious sporting address in London??? I’m sorry, but even though I’m American, I think that would describe Wembley.

[@50pence59]

Zach N It should do, but Olympic Park is a far better venue.

[@rhdrbob]

@@50pence59 bullshit, you're so far from from the pitch at the OS Wembley is pretty much uninterrupted views

[@mercury6765]

I’d argue SW19 is the most prestigious

[@benbennit]

Dodgy stadium. Literally the wrong shape for football.

[@ZizouTheKing22]

need to bring binoculars... fans are way too far away from the pitch

[@charlesgilbert1050]

And the most depressing bit, as supporters, we hate the stadium... God, I was I could go back to Upton Park...

[@Professional_Youtube_Commenter]

You lot were loving it when they announced it, thinking youd be a top 4 team with new money and new players. Nah, youre getting relegated.

[@Genevasplaytime]

@@Professional_KZbin_Commenter Look at your comment now :)

[@tombogaert1015]

Exactly!!!

[@LyricLounge]

@@Professional_KZbin_Commenter This aged well.

[@diegol.5619]

@@Professional_KZbin_Commenter "youre getting relegated" *Finishes in the semifinals for the Europa League AND in a European spot in the prem*

[@dothedeed]

Most of the stadiums built specifically for 1 time global sporting events sit empty and slowly decay afterwards. All the stadiums built for the Beijing Olympics are currently abandoned. Brazil built a football stadium in the middle of the Amazon for FIFA and now its a roosting site for birds. The Caribbean built stadiums for the Cricket World Cup and last I heard one was being used to graze goats. Unless there is a queue of bidders willing to pay for the building there's no other option. The OIC / FIFA etc just enrich themselves off tax dollars from a rotating series of municipalities. Most govts lose money hosting these events but somehow no one learns and every 4 yrs some sucker bids.

[@SuperCatman]

you are an idiot. the birds nest is commonly used, as well as most of the venues. the water cube is now a water park. the park hosts many of chinas national stadiums for sports. only a few are abandoned.

[@michaelwatts8337]

@@SuperCatman here here! I lived and worked in Beijing until 2014. I personally attended several events at the Birds nest stadium including the race of champions and a football match between Birmingham City and Beijing Goan. But I do miss Upton Park where I was a season ticket holder for many years.

[@90AlmostFamous]

That's why I like the idea of multiple nation's Co hosting events togetherness

[@cm5988]

Taking BS out of your arse, do the research first. Beijing's bird's nest is occupied with events like football matches, festivals, and concerts. The national basketball stadium became the home for Beijing basketball club, and they won 3 championship titles there since the Olympics.

[@Professional_Youtube_Commenter]

the olympics should be done in an uninhabited greek island, they have loads of them. Build a stadium and facilities there, and just have the olympics there every year, problem solved.

[@markgable101]

You can't blame West ham. They just happened to be in the right place at the right time, when the Olympics was announced. Most post Olympic stadiums are massive white elephants. So at least it's in use and employing local people.

[@Yano5151]

That's true. There are some downsides but looking at most of those Brazilian stadiums used for WC 14, it's good to see it not go to waste

[@zr0w3n-16]

But West Ham are using public money to make more profit

[@zr0w3n-16]

+Gamer Zeke and all the info is being kept private, it should be public if it costs us that much.

[@tajmuhammad9688]

Mark Gable I agree with you and as a Tax payer I welcome West Ham Take over and New Logo Hammers is wonderful Symbol. From A Loyal fan of since childhood to adulthood till I Die.

[@lizardlenny]

I still can't see how that could possibly generate a decent atmosphere even with a good attendance.

[@user-vt5hm5wu3g]

+Stuart Gibbons it's not about the stadium, it's about the fans. Yes, some stadiums have better acoustics than others, but at the end of the day if your fans are good they will be loud in any stadium with any layout.

[@jerryramanen3869]

+Хозе Гонзалез When stadium or indoor arena is old it's done the old acoustic way just like in Upton Park its very compact and a square with fans very close to pitch. Same way in ice-hockey. Atleast in Finland (Helsinki) the older hockey-hall has much better atmosphere than the new one (Hartwall Arena) as It's full concrete and compact. Also the fans are much better in the old one ;).

[@georgeday9852]

@@user-vt5hm5wu3g doesn't matter what shape your stadium is when half of it is full of tourists... COYI ⚒️

[@CarterFGlenn]

Don't blame West Ham, blame London. I don't blame the team for taking that amazing deal. This is all on the city making a horrendous deal.

[@NazriB]

Lies again? 10 Olympic Medals Tiger Beer

[@thedude5600]

Fun fact, when the bid was first thought up, the London bid team approached Leyton Orient about taking over the stadium once the games were over. They refused, not believing London would win the games.

[@PSI441]

watching this five months later... ...HA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[@KBHDTV]

HAHAHAHA indeed!

[@aaronh4276]

TheArmaniCode palace HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[@thetowerfantasymusic]

What a shit show this has been. Improvements need to be done for this new season !

[@willcarps]

Hahaha

[@freedomfighter4293]

How the owners became filthy rich and killed West Ham

[@bradleywright2516]

We thank you so much for paying for it. SO STOP BLAMING WEST HAM AND BLAME THE FUCKING GOVERNMENT.

[@coysgub5599]

+Brad Wright as much as I'd like to blame west ham (as a spurs fan) i can't help but agree, you can't fault the club for not rejecting what was a stupidly good deal for it. The government, more specifically Boris Johnson are/is to blame for the irrefutably scandalous use of public money to give an unfair advantage to a private institution. trying to blame west ham for the whole situation is like giving a child all the chocolate it wants and then trying to scold it when it gets fat.

[@tajmuhammad9688]

Brad Wright I agree with you mate.

[@danielrauch5526]

This is hilarious to watch now

[@rhysboi5572]

St James park needs a update like this

[@aes1373]

At the end of the day they need to buy it and come up with an innovative way to get the seating to the pitch and still keep the running track (it's a requirement by the city).

[@bluerainbow956]

Keep the running track, its yours!

[@Batmanthe3rd]

Wow... just wow

[@rijhkelaars918]

That new badge it's an atrocity, I'll miss the old badge, and I understand the concern of the long standing hammers fans, and im not so sure of the football/fan enviroment at the Olympic Stadium either,on the other hand, football is a big business and no club won't turn down millions of £, interesting years for West Ham

[@MrRock1878]

I went to watch Everton last season (got beat 3 1) and I feel sorry for the West Ham supporters having to watch their team in that joke of a stadium,always had a lot of time for West Ham,horrible Tory owners.

[@Joesyoutube1]

Brilliant move by West Ham, it's the governments fault. West Ham just took advantage of the circumstances presented to them

[@tajmuhammad9688]

Joe Romenesko I agree with you my beloved West Ham Got very Good Deal from Legacy Co.

[@jnd933]

the governments retarded in this country dont know why people bother voting

[@njclondon2009]

clearly not a west ham supporter?

[@musahala]

Well, I know who I will be supporting from now....

[@mikeheap7978]

I'm a City fan and a designer of football stadiums I have to say the move in 2003 to the Etihad stadium was great for fans and clubs. The atmosphere has taken a hit no doubt but the comfort in stands with extra space between seats and space and extra facilities on the concourse is outstanding. It's a shame for the West Ham fans that the stadium is a dog, the pitch proximity is critical to the fans enjoyment of football and atmosphere.

[@gregpool18]

a liverpool fan, this is a smart move by WestHam, credit to them, this move will put them in the top big clubs not even in Britain, may even in Europe if things got well and with a little bit of luck, but if they are doing this with Tax payers money, then it must be renegotiated and put things in perspective, because it's not fair and not right, they have no rights to use public money for their intrest, but this move should not be stopped or dragged, its a good move for English football.

[@torrance8897]

Why not just lower the pitch and fill it up with seats?

[@isaz597]

Like Barca did. They dug up the pitch anyway. Like you said.

[@SandipanNath123]

Because they share the ground with UK Athletics

[@erikjansen8597]

If football was not there, how much would the stadium cost the city in annual maintenance cost?

[@VallanoMedia801]

It's the year 2023 and west ham won the europa conference league trophy with an undefeated record away and at london stadium

[@redtailpunk]

hindsight is 20x20, but boy is this a bit funny a few years on

[@joepaccrakurii1227]

Aw boris was involved. That explains EVERYTHING

[@HarryFlowerrs]

Come on you Irons👍

[@Thyalwaysseek]

Give the people bread and circuses.

[@shoehub2153]

*cake

[@eddyvideostar]

At 1:27 minutes: Lovely lady, pleasant, great accent, very articulate.

[@bobmotives5573]

Watching this in 2019. LMAOOOOOO. This is perfect evidence the"experts" no nothing. Not iconic, still English owned and not the London brand

[@Badnercalabrese]

Yeah now I saw this in 2020 and I literally just came for the comments....

[@maarten9844]

Watching this in 2021 when WH are in Champions League spot before any other London based team...

[@pipebombhs1412]

@@maarten9844 chelsea taking care of it buahah

[@williamperry8945]

Ahaha " they're going to get relegated next year anyway" 😂😂😂😂

[@amarimbumba6338]

As soon as he said that....what a prick

[@michaeljohnstone6795]

William Perry Well your smart aren't you

[@Chris-uo5fz]

Who knows what could happen this year

[@Babins1]

William Perry Awkward.....

[@tomharris5169]

He was only one year off in fairness

[@jakedona2993]

This video didn’t age well

[@vatti4602]

Amazing move by West Ham

[@peterjones2903]

I was one who got my first season ticket when we movedBut can understand those who want to go back home

[@thefivepoints]

'We wanna be in the Champions League, we wanna compete with Man City' LMAO in 2020.

[@corvus2512]

Its hilarious watching some of the crazy predictions in this, however i think the absolute funniest bit is that this season west ham are making a run for european spots and it also the season fans haven't been allowed in... there is such a shit atmosphere in the london stadium the team play better with no supporters

[@NoCluYT]

Now they're challenging top 4...

[@FurlogTheGiant]

the NFL was willing to pay for it

[@maarten9844]

NFL is in the pockets of Daniel Levy mate

[@lucaschapman2188]

Should of built a Big Arse stadium in Essex .Land is cheaper there and 99 percent of their fans live there anyway.

[@Smart1529]

Sort of removes the east London roots tbh. Stratford makes alot more sense. Besides even if you live in Essex it's way more easier to get to then Upton Park.

[@ColtColin]

God I miss our old badge.... And stadium

[@ElainaMaruyama]

"We wanna be in the Champions League like Liverpool and Chelsea and to do that you've gotta have a big stadium". Ummm. I want what you're smoking because Neither Anfield nor Stamford Bridge are big by todays standards and Leicester City with their 32k stadium are third in the league.

[@WilliamRobinson-bb6mr]

It gives you more of a chance but Leicester are extremely well run which West Ham aren't.

[@NoCluYT]

They're both expanding their stadiums. Especially Anfield. They've already expanded one of the stands and will do more.

[@liverpoolfcsadio3196]

Struck gold my arse got sold down river I'm glad Liverpool never moved old stadiums are the best.

[@zaretix]

How old is that lad drinking beer at 8:26 ?

[@eddyvideostar]

8:50?

[@50pence59]

One of the best deals in football.

[@harikrish9558]

Oh it's because of these owners that Mia khalifa is a fan of westham... Always wondered why

[@JJ-ev9uz]

wouldent be happy if my club moved into a baseball stadium wtf its so far from the pitch

[@ahbuilds4193]

I think the London stadium is really nice but fans are to far from the pitch and I don't have a clue how they could move the stands closer

[@SandipanNath123]

They could, but since they share the ground with GB Athletics, it is impossible.

[@NoCluYT]

They could possibly make the pitch deeper and add more seats, but all of those extra seats will kill the atmosphere. Another plan is to expand the the area under the seats which will bring the seats closer.

[@itfc88]

Anyone who has been miles away from the pitch

[@pauline1024]

What have they done to the beautiful logo? :(

[@sebrobinderay1150]

they gonna be so far away fans will hate it

[@nickmiller1226]

If the Olympic stadium had been built as a football stadium and then it could have been sold to the highest bidder. Spurs vs hammers would have been bidding the price up

[@reptiliatv7701]

There would be a bloody riot if Newcastle moved to a stadium like that> Toon, Liverpool, Everton, proud to be on our original site.

[@SpeccyHorace]

No shit. If Newcastle moved out of the city there'd literally be no point ever going there.

[@howtoowen1013]

5:11 no one gonna talk about boris johnson in the back ground 🤣🤣

[@a1_trillz]

West Ham should thank London Borough of Newham for giving them money for QEOP

[@NMAgaming1]

All in all it is the people who built the stadium's fault. If they had built a stadium that was better suited or they had come up with an alternate plan with the stadiums future, the tax payers would never have to pay this much money. The people who want West Ham to use this stadium, are actually only trying to prevent wasting the money that they spent on the stadium initially.

[@stephenjamesbarrett]

+NMAgaming1 From what I remember there was a plan in place for the legacy - it was to remove the top tier and roof re-utilizing the roof maybe in Rio 2016 and reforming the stadium as a 25,000 seater stadium maybe trying to get Orient to move in (they weren't interested in that). I think the success of the 2012 games came as a complete surprise to the legacy committee so the idea of making it smaller and removing the iconic triangular roof supports was not an option anymore.

[@martinperring5286]

Not sure. More money is wasted by having to pay to run and police the stadium than West Ham is paying in rent. It would have been a massive shame for it to have become a white elephant but it would be cheaper. Government is losing 20 million a year on it. West Ham occupying the stadium is increasing the government expense not diminishing it. Yes the fault lies with the poorly planned legacy, it was built to be downgraded after then games to a 25k seater. This would have been fine but for political reasons, BoJo changed his mind. He knew that the whole Olympic legacy would be called into question if the stadium was empty for 9 months a year. They should have kept the old plan or built a new stadium in its place. Keep in mind, the whole top stand was a temporary structure which is why the redevelopment was so expensive. If they knew that it was going to be used for football afterwards it would have been fine but the documentary covers this quite well. But what we have is a disaster. Either someway to renegotiate the contract is needed or the stadium needs to be sold. But unless the stadium was sold extra cheap why would West Ham buy? They get to keep pretty much all the revenue and pay for a fraction of the matchday costs. But at the same time at this rate the government will lose over billion throughout this contract. Its almost worth giving it away for free at this point.

[@andrewlaw6422]

maybe if charlton athletic didn't get relegated they wouldn't have to worry

[@ricardo-ilyaioannides869]

i wonder if there is actually even one west ham fan out there , who truly believe that moving this stadium wasn't the worst decision ever made!!

[@chikachikaslimshady7564]

The seats are so far away from the pitch

[@daimonhart3973]

interesting as an supporter of club ....... lilly means can borroow place from time to time please ?!

[@thefivepoints]

100% for the owners benefit and no one elses. Its an athletic stadium not a football stadium. And we're all paying for it.

[@jamieoliver3262]

Used to be one of the best grounds in the country electric hostile new place is a walk in the park!

[@Wayneyb1986]

End of the day we've got the stadium it would cost more for it to sit empty we've taken it over and are going to creat more jobs and more money back into the system so in my eyes it's all a good thing

[@carsnstuff3195]

This deal turned into an absolute disaster

[@MauryaSomesh]

2021 is almost over and still club is mostly owned by British people

[@harrykey6689]

If West Ham had to pay the money back then it won't be an issue cause of the BPL deal being worth so much

[@PaquetasCar2147]

Sullivan,: " it would make no commercial sense to buy this club,...! 🤔🤔 quite a revealing statement that, if you think more deeply about it. To me it's a subtle tip of the hat to what has been a festering financial malaise that has its roots in the mismanagement of the club that started decades ago with previous owners.

[@georgeday9852]

"tHeY'lL NeVer fiLl tHe SeATs"

[@TheFaaSH]

Too much hassle for London's fourth club

[@gardengnome2409]

Funny seeing Boris’s face in there. Brown envelopes??

[@bertiethinks...953]

Filled Stadium - CHECK! No abandoned stadium - CHECK! Tottenham (North London club wanting to move to East london) No way -CHECK! Game, set and match -CHECK!

[@Isleofskye]

Bertie now realises you have lost your massive Home advantage while those lucky lucky bxxxxxxs at Spurs will learn from this soulless,sanitised "Stadium" and have a REAL FOOTBALL stadium close to the pitch while you have another 98 years of this -CHECK !!! :)....and I hate Spurs...

[@martinperring5286]

The documentary isn't arguing that its bad for west ham. Quite the opposite.

[@frasier8838]

What **** would want to be seen in east london ??🤔

[@jasonwhite8537]

this is so unfair giving a club an unfair advantage

[@akm1967]

A great stadium For Athletes

[@nadqureshi96]

That guy right at the end is proper thick. The owners aren't "taking the club away from us" - its called progression mate.

[@BKIslandersfan]

Acting like they are taking West Ham and moving them to Edinburgh or something.

[@tajmuhammad9688]

Nadeem Qureshi I agree with you mate.

[@Isleofskye]

How is the " progression" going ? You had a MASSIVE Home advantage before as only the best sides overcame your intense, passionate Upton Park atmosphere to win there. Now it is like playing at a meutral ground and every Home win ( other than 1/0 Spurs) has been against lowly sides who can not score. Every single one.

[@Chris-uo5fz]

Who still think the same nad

[@ThePluto61]

Some fantastic progression, lol!!!!!!! Wet Spam havent struck gold at all. Currently in the relegation spots. Championship football v Scunthorpe at the Tumbleweed Trampoline Stadium - well thats worked well! Dildo brothers probably havent struck gold either, not much value in this "brand" anymore. Ground share with Leyton Orient. This will be the London version of Coventry City. Remind me where they are now? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@flourishes4u]

All these people saying 'they won't fill the stadium' and they've just sold 52,000 season tickets in a 60,000 stadium.

[@mrairdancer]

+Thomas Bristow I thought the Olympic stadium was a n 80,000.

[@SpeccyHorace]

For a quid each.

[@finestin92]

Man, no wonder, that Boris was advocating for brexit so much 😀

[@ShaikhMomo]

Boris is now Prime Minister, seems we need to have an Public inquiry into pretty obvious that dubious deals have been done and even possibly dare I say it, Bribery?

[@psycoticbastard]

If that's gold I hate to have silver

[@simonlewis720]

Worst ground in the premiership,miles away from the action ,Upton park was a great atmosphere,fans close to the action to make it intimidating

[@samallardyce2522]

0:08 We want to be in the champion league. 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@maarten9844]

Your comment didn't age very well mate

[@dom8809]

we did not strike gold, this stadium had ended the club

[@teewrx420]

3.5 years on and West Ham may take over complete ownership in the next year, athletics are thinking of moving to Birmingham, West Ham have only lost 3 times at home since the beginning of 2019, and Ex says naming rights may be announced before Christmas. Not my final decision at all, but looking back maybe they did have a plan for West Ham itself all along... or maybe I'm a sucker who knows

[@SpeccyHorace]

It's the last part of your post.

[@Wayneyb1986]

End of the day were there because our board and the Olympic committee agreed a deal not West Ham if you ask myself or most West Ham fans we didn't want to move. And let's be honest if any other club got it then they wouldn't complain would they so shit happens

[@carsnstuff3195]

WE HATED THIS MOVE

[@jamieoliver3262]

Definitely not spent saving on the side despite job Moyes is doing !

[@thefivepoints]

The owners struck gold not the fans. Or should i say struck 'Gould'.

[@Fatima502]

Ignored by Roan & Co is that the initial plan was that the stadium was to be a home for athletics, with the upper tier removed. That would have left a medium-sized venue which would have been ideal for that sport and other events. Rather like the Letzigrund in Zurich or Charlety in Paris. I'd have liked the investigation to ask why London, and England, needed yet another football stadium at the cost of athletics. But BBC News coverage of sport is obsessed with football, isn't it?

[@Professional_Youtube_Commenter]

thats exactly it, the centre is for a 400m athletics track, not a football pitch, so the seats are really far away from the game. becase football pith is smaller.

[@oc911]

This hasn't aged well. West ham are now a wreck of a club🤦‍♂️

[@akhilvasudevan3989]

Your comment aged well. They're in Europe now

[@callumholder6915]

Wish we'd never have moved

[@joepaccrakurii1227]

That's quite embarrassing CLAIMING to win the world cup cos they had 3 players in it

[@aaronmiles9244]

COYI

[@James-lm6wt]

News is wheeler dealer Harry rednapp had his fingers in the deal

[@Tan92lfc]

Rent free is super rare in 2023

[@tepertoo6913]

One thing not mentioned here (or anywhere else that I can see) is what happens at the end of the ten year deal? If the stadium owners want to triple the rent or not offer West Ham an option to rent the stadium at all. where does West Ham play then? Will other clubs be entitled to bid for renting the stadium after ten years? If a better offer is found then it must be in the tax payers interest to take it .... which would leave West Ham looking for a ground share with Orient or Charlton perhaps?

[@nadqureshi96]

it's 99 years, not 10...

[@schurgy16]

+Teper Too Back to Boylen?? lol

[@moviesjean23]

Made their money where ?

[@Yorkshars]

12:34 wtf happened to the badge. Where is the castle ? ...am a spurs fan. This is heartbreaking to see. Upton park sold for 40m and diangana for 20m... I feel so bad for you and gsbout is trending now so hope you get rid of the old perves. When you rebuild your stadium in west ham park I will again look forward to playing you away.

[@Newcastleunited1969]

😂😂😂

[@davidnolan6319]

Imagine sitting in Jessica ennis stand watching championship football, worst signing in football should not have moved

[@Samboy666]

Ye struck Gold 😂😂😂😂😂😂 For the owners ye. Sold the old ground pocketed the cash. Ye they bribed the right people to get it but its disgusting this has happend and the fans hate being there.