The verdict on West Ham United's controversial move to London Stadium | BBC Sport

Two years after West Ham's final match at Upton Park, BBC Sport visits the Hammers' new London Stadium home to get the verdict on the controversial move.
Is there an identity crisis at the club?
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The verdict on West Ham United's controversial move to London Stadium | BBC Sport

[@jamieb7503]

It looks like a fishbowl. Crap atmosphere. And it's a rented athletics ground. Sold their soul and Old West Ham is dead

[@leoevans1839]

bit dramatic mate

[@steaks652]

@@leoevans1839 ,but absolutely correct, sold there souls, terrible atmosphere!

[@user-my4qf2fe9r]

I am a Arsenal fan, but still my favorite stadium was Upton Park

[@katgunderheisendonoghue6050]

I agree with everything accept for the fishbowl point. It is a lovely looking stadium but it’s got no feel to it and the fans are way to far from the pitch.

[@siddyfisher1765]

Well I'm sorry to say a lot of the "positives" don't really mean much to West Ham's proper support. "It's pretty" and the "area is nice to go to" don't mean much. It's not intimidating for the opposition fans and the atmosphere is dead. Local businesses from around Upton park were left behind and now fans are left with this soulless bowl. Some of these extra "fans" aren't real West Ham fans which contributed to the lack of atmosphere. From the station to the stadium, fans are treated like an inconvenience on matchdays because it's a popular area. Fans are even told in the stadium to sit down so they don't 'inconvenience' those in the rooms/boxes higher up. West Ham have moved away from being a community focused people's club to trying to be something they're not by trying to branch out to people who aren't West Ham fans or even football fans. This shows by the marketing move for the new badge which shows West Ham London, not West Ham football club or F.C. It should have gone, be successful on the pitch first and then build a new stadium if you need to grow from there, West Ham have done the opposite. They are mid-table and if they ever get relegated within the next few years (they only have 39 points this season), this stadium move will look even worse.

[@leecharlesmusic]

The pie & Mash shop they mentioned closed last week :(

[@kylesmith4513]

West ham is East London. I don't feel like an East London team anymore it's like we all just got shit on.

[@colinwells5057]

@@kylesmith4513 fucking bang on lol

[@Professional_Youtube_Commenter]

switch sides to charlton or leyton, west ham has turned into a santised coporate team to make money with.

[@stoniptfosupersonic]

@@kylesmith4513 i feel sorry for you and other fans. Im from croatia split(Hajduk) but I alwalys loved West Ham and Liverpool. West Ham at Boleyn Ground always looked to me like really f scary place to play games as away team so they needed to just expend on it like Anfield did, in my opinion. Fans and especially some ultra fans should have react quicker to scare away idea of moving. Now its to late im afraid. Shame, I always wanted to visit Boleyn Ground

[@MrLeangreenmachine]

As an way fan, I have to say this is quite easily the worst ground I have ever been too. The stands are held up literally by scaffolding, the place is utterly soulless and about money, and not football. I legitimately feel for all fans who have to go here every week, the place is a joke

[@jonmortermusic]

Another away fan here, and I have to agree. It's just a mish-mash of a stadium that's not even owned by what is now a soulless club. West Ham fans should boycott the place and should rightly be furious with what their owners have done to them. Man United fans created FC United of Manchester out of anger...the WHU fans should do the same as their club more or less finished in 2016

[@stevemann3375]

That's a bit of an exaggeration James about the scaffold, don't forget the cable ties!

[@dragonofthewest8305]

True

[@gabrielpurves7156]

£13.30 for a pie and beer!

[@calvinhicks1992]

Anyone else reckon the American woman started supporting West Ham after watching Green Street? 😂

[@daneevans7590]

Calvin Hicks yeah I’m sure she just packed up and left straight for East London after she saw the movie lol. She probably moved there and became a fan after going to uptown park or her bf (husband) is a fan and got her into it. She did say something about her grandkids going there so it’s likely she’s married with kids and deeply settled in the area

[@mattbrowne182]

@@daneevans7590 or really hates journo's

[@monk3742]

@@daneevans7590 I don't think it really matters though, the responses she gave showed she was a solid West Ham fan who has just as much love for them as a born and raised fan.

[@jauntyangle5667]

She is still a better fan than Gold, Sullivan and Brady.

[@stevemann3375]

@@daneevans7590 Uptown Park? Prick.

[@Isleofskye]

Update: 27 December 2019: 17th in the League just ONE POINT away from being in THe Relegation Zone and losing their soul , heart ,passion ,heritage and tradition to move to a soulless and sanitised Stadium with the fans well away from influencing things. Lovely big pitch for footballing sides to revel in . It's criminal and heartbreaking and I am a MILLWALL fan.... They are now West Ham PLC -A Corporate Club...

[@daneevans7590]

Isleofskye Of course they are. They’re a top six club without a top six squad. Plastic corporate football club and the fans wanted it. Can’t feel bad for them, this is what they wanted after all. I’d have to look for a new side to support if I were a west ham fan

[@Isleofskye]

It could and should have been so different. Upton Park was one of the old iconic FOOTBALL Stadiums. I went there in 1965 when they beat WBA 6/1 with Brian Dear scoring 5 and I still remember that atmosphere and occasion. No more...

[@darrenhind8286]

@@daneevans7590 wouldn't call them a top six club but okay.

[@georgeday9852]

@@daneevans7590 we wanted it? We didn't fucking ask for this. We were never asked if we wanted the London stadium. But here we are. People said that we should move but no true west ham fan wanted us to lose our soul the way we did, especially not to play even worse than we did at the Boelyn. We're going down this season and are facing a potential crisis after that, as 90% of our players leave and we become the reminiscent embodiment of a once great football club. GSB out.

[@MrBurnley21]

Why do you feel bad for West Ham when you are Millwall? I want Bastard Rovers to go out of business!!! I'm Burnley FC btw

[@mrmike6805]

Upton Park was a tough and intimidating stadium to go to for away teams. Going to the London Stadium is like a weekend holiday for them!

[@Genevasplaytime]

What did you do at upton park? F-all! this year has proven you very foolish.

[@joeybill9472]

@@Genevasplaytime West Ham finished 5th in 99 and 7th the year they left Upton Park. They also finished 3rd in 86. Also won a European trophy at Upton Park. My point being they could have achieved this at Upton Park by rebuilding the East Stand rather than play in an athletics ground.

[@omarandresmejia3110]

This was such a boneheaded decision by the club, anyone who's seen Arsenal struggle since leaving Highbury and losing that atmosphere would've seen that moving into a newer, larger ground isn't the best way to go.West Ham is not a top 6 team, and if they are relegated in the near future, they will be stuck with a huge stadium they can't fill, disgruntled fans, and unsound spending by owners, putting the very future of the club at risk. Upton Park was smaller. It was harder to get to. What made all of that irrelevant was the atmosphere it produced. West Hams very identity I rooted in its community, and the club has forsaken that for VIP boxes, and fancy shopping areas. Absolute disgrace.

[@no.fourteen9316]

The thing is is that Arsenal had outgrown Highbury so we had to move even though we tried to expand the stadium, West Ham should never had moved stadium until they actually had some sort of success on the pitch (e.g consecutive top 8 finishes)

[@andrewkeegan1876]

Slightly different in that Arsenal's new stadium is a proper, purpose-built football ground whereas West Ham's is an Ikea flat-pack job that was never designed to host football matches. The new Arsenal ground is also very close to the old Highbury stadium, so many of the pre-match rituals, meeting places and associations with local businesses and the area itself remain as they were. Of course it would have been sad for Arsenal to leave their ground as well. For both clubs there was so much history they'd have felt was being left behind. Still, I would say the change for Arsenal has been much better than it has for West Ham.

[@joeybill9472]

Different circumstances. Arsenal couldn't increase Highbury due to it being a residential area and also Arsenal needed bigger stadium. Don't get me wrong I miss the old school feel Highbury had. But West Ham didn't need to move. All they needed to do was increase the East Stand to make Upton Park a 40 000 seater stadium would of been perfect and that's what real West Ham fans wanted.

[@qtredhead]

Not purpose built, harder to get away from, crap stewarding, crap views, nothing traditional about it, it's just not 'West Ham". Last season myself, my dad and my partner gave up our season tickets after combined 150 years support. I have absolutely zero desire to ever set foot inside that bowl again. I feel - and I know of many others who feel the same - that a huge part of my life has died. Once you break the addiction, you lose most of the interest, yes I still look out for the result but I feel so detached from a club I've been actively supporting since 1979 now. Ruined. Gutted.

[@oldskoolpaul89]

Same here . Just dissapointed and now heart broken. Really makes my blood boil mauve.

[@joeybill9472]

I'm the same with my club Arsenal since our move to the Emirates. I then enjoyed going to Upton Park with my dad as he preferred to go there aswell. Now we don't even go the Olympic stadium as it's not the same.

[@liamwilliams5939]

sad but true Natasha :(

[@edercortes1960]

I’m sorry to hear that I am an American and to hear you guys give up because of this sort of problem makes me realize even in the US all of fans suffer the consequences

[@steaks652]

Modern corporate football. Proper football is gone R.I.P. Upton Park was brilliant.

[@djelalniyazi4090]

its only a rented stadium, all troubles are because they moved, its not a purpose built football stadium.

[@johnruby147]

Totally agree

[@buttscarlton110]

Exactly, it's a athletics stadium the players are no where near the fans

[@jenhernandez8720]

Those movable stands are the biggest scam of all-time. They are extremely expensive yet the stands are still too far from the pitch, not to mention it still maintain an oval shape which makes no sense for football watching

[@BrandonjSlippingAway]

@@jenhernandez8720 I mean there's no moveable stands that can create a true rectangle perimeter, and even if there was it wouldn't change the distance of the upper tiers anyway.

[@jenhernandez8720]

@@BrandonjSlippingAway Why not? The only consideration is whether they are are willing to reduce maybe 1000 seats at the lower tier, which West Ham would find it hard to fill if they got relegated. Etihad was a distant bowl when Man City first moved in, after several redevelopments now the fans can literally touch De Bruyne when he takes a corner

[@spek888]

The best feeling in football is being in a stadium that is vibrant has a name and soul, When Arsenal left Highbury part of Arsenal died that day, Upton park, whiteheart lane, these places had soul and atmosphere, and I truly miss this as a football fan.

[@ciarankelliher7133]

People should copy what was done with Anfield

[@rohithraman6488]

To be fair I haven't been to the new spurs stadium but it certainly looks magnificent

[@jorgesuarez7073]

So, supposedly moving into a modern bigger stadium will make you a better and bigger football club? Sure, that is how it turned out for Arsenal when they left Highbury for that refrigerator called Emirates.

[@petert9224]

I grew up on the North Bank at Upton Park , back in the 70’s when it was 50p for boys and pound for adults . I work as a shift worker , but I could always get in half a season at UP . Outside decent fish and chips, Mark the Rib man and Nathen’s and of course Ken’s cafe . Enough Pubs to find a pint . Parking was always a bit hit and miss but Tube and Bus near ground . Stratford , I am not paying forty quid for the privilege of be able to buy a ticket , even because I am not a season ticket holder the tickets available are pony . The walk back to the tube is a joke , expect to wait 45 mins to get into the station , a lot of the pubs near the ground make it clear your not welcome after the game . As for the ground itself , it’s poor , to far from the action, away seating id save your cash unless you like looking at scaffolding . Facilities , eye watering prices for pretty poor food and drink . Atmosphere , the stewards have knocked that on the head . Gold, Sullivan and Brady, have killed my club . Everything that made it matchday has been destroyed .

[@ryanedwards805]

West Ham need to do what Man City did, lower the pitch so they can add more seating and bring the fans closer to the pitch. Forget the athletics side of the stadium, athletics is not big in our country, it makes no sense to hold onto the track. Excavate the track, lower the pitch, add seating where the track used to be, then you regain your atmosphere and add a little more capacity. Doing this will also massively improve the view.

[@RuleBritannia1987]

West Ham don't own the stadium they can't do anything to it, they're just a tenant.

[@ingmarsen]

@@RuleBritannia1987 Exactly . The UK taxpayer owns it. They're just a tenant who pay very little for it!

[@abbaszaidi8371]

I think they can only remain as tenants if they retain the athletics track. A caveat in the bid for the stadium.

[@adama-k2710]

They still use the track for various athletic events. I don't see why they can't install some kind of temporary seating there though, then take it away when the track needs to be used (a bit like what they do at concerts)

[@alexphillips6126]

The athletics track has to be there till 2024

[@hoozgates]

Arsene: We lost our soul when we move to Emitates Stadium from Highbury.

[@huubhuijbens8816]

When did he say that? He was a big part of the design of the new stadium.

[@Clem_Fandango11]

He has never said that. He lead the move.

[@YA-hm5zy]

He did say that

[@glennoconnor1130]

@@Clem_Fandango11 he did in a recent interview. Look it up

[@Clem_Fandango11]

@@glennoconnor1130 just did. He said 'We built a new stadium but we never found our soul... we left it at Highbury': Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits 2006 move to £390m Emirates Stadium cost the club its 'atmosphere' Arsene Wenger was in charge when Arsenal left Highbury for the Emirates Frenchman believes the north London club left its 'soul' at their former home Wenger says building rules meant Emirates' stands were too far from the pitch Fact is though that he still lead the move with the board. I have to say the last bit is why I'm not a fan of the Emirates. The old Highbury was brilliant , small pitch and close stands. I loved going there. The Emirates looks nice but for football fans there it's terrible for watching.

[@Clem_Fandango11]

Do they supply binoculars for the game? And where's the money gone for the sale of Upton park? The rent on the London Stadium is bugger all!!!

[@tjhill4801]

Upton park or the bolyen ground! Was a true,wonderful old true to the local area of east London,football ground! This new stadium they have moved to is not a football ground,the owners of west ham have a lot to answer for...changing the club crest as well! Disgraceful all around! It's getting all too familiar in football these days forgetting the true fans and catering for the corporate! (By the way I'm not a west ham fan) if you agree with me,give me a thumbs up,thanks(I'm a football fan!).

[@michaelledain5283]

Should of just rebuilt stands one by one and make them square and single tier 20,000 in North and south. Modern inside a classic football stadium on the outside. The pitch should no more than 3 meters away also.

[@joeybill9472]

Exactly. Atletico knocked down the Madrid Olympic Stadium and it works better. NSW Government are looking to knock down the Sydney Olympic stadium and rebuild it.

[@hammersfan1886]

It was and always will be a mistake we have gone backwards since the move ...heart and soul has been ripped out of our club

[@cormacwhite8210]

This didn't age well, weve had a couple of good seasons fighting for top 4 got to the Europa League semi finals and the Sevilla game in the round of 16 had an unbelievable atmosphere ♥️⚒️

[@jonnymace5854]

Farewell boleyn⚒

[@Charlie-xb2ge]

Not any positives about the stadium, I used to enjoy going to home games at UP and was a season ticket holder, new stadium has taken the love away

[@richshackleton8104]

It will be a nightmare when the Lions visit for a Championship game next season 😂😂

[@lewisdowsett8390]

Well that didn't happen

[@traceurGeorge]

I’m not a West Ham fan. Whether it’s every game day match or match of the day I watch, I promise you EVERY TIME my heart goes out to the fans of West Ham. There’s no nicer way of putting it, your club sold its soul and with it a lot changed. What happened to Boleyn ground sums up what’s going on across the country and London, pubs being knocked down for expensive high rise flats. What stands our for me the most with it all is the blatant disregard for the locals - those who are left and haven’t been priced out of the area. Not only was a stadium with history and love knocked down, but a landmark of London culture was taken away, businesses were left behind and fans thrown to the wind under the guise of improvement and development. Stadiums are and should be seen as what they are, buildings of modern cultural significance, places of pilgrimage for thousands and they should be shown a worthy amount of respect, not brought by property developers hoping to make a quick couple of quid.

[@sebwbaodowd2746]

These grounds are what's wrong with the premier league and why I prefer the Championship

[@mastermindty6219]

Lol... R u guys coming up then or u just gunna keep losing and drawing

[@daneevans7590]

I wonder about the clubs that come up and straight down, sometimes do you feel like it’s more fun in the championship and would rather just stay there lol

[@sebwbaodowd2746]

@@daneevans7590 I definitely feel that, I would rather stay in the Championship than come back up I don't miss the premier league at all.

[@sebwbaodowd2746]

@@mastermindty6219 I don't know, looks like we are trying to throw it away lol

[@mastermindty6219]

@@sebwbaodowd2746 lol but would u actually prefer to stay there haha.... Give over 😂😂😂😂

[@michid9507]

These people sold Upton Park just because off economical interests.From the moment of signing that contract,our Hammers lost their heart.Since then,we only had away games.

[@Instasamps]

I’m so glad we never left Ashton Gate.

[@AH-be6bu]

I’m just as glad we never left the City Ground.

[@alexmcintosh3397]

City fans certainly livened the place up today 🤣

[@dazza944]

I said when they was a year away from moving it will be a bad move. I get clubs move with the times and financial gain but a club of West Ham’s stature should’ve just stayed where they were. Shame the way footballs gone. Almost all grounds now look like fish bowls. And as for the fans saying “we were promised this and got that” Join the club mate.......sounds familiar to me

[@Isleofskye]

IF relegated there is no chance of getting large crowds against the likes of Rotherham and Wycombe Wanderers who both look like getting promoted and Huddersfield, Blackburn and Reading... Nothing worse for destroying any remaining atmosphere by seeing breaks in the crowd thru' empty seats....

[@kriskjellquist1758]

White seats were a terrible choice. Painfully obvious when 20-30% of sections are empty.

[@andrewkeegan1876]

The move has been a disaster. The Boleyn was one of the great grounds in English football. Renowned for its atmosphere, and always a tricky proposition for visiting teams. A big part of the soul of West Ham United, and loved by our supporters. Far from being a proper home, the new ground is not even a football stadium, and no amount of scaffolding and tarpaulin can hide the fact. The move was always intended to make the club a more marketable proposition for potential buyers, thus enriching the current owners when they decide to sell up. Under the guise of ‘progress’ we’ve been sold a pup which is unworthy of the club and bears no comparison to Upton Park. If a move was necessary at all - which is not out of the question, but certainly debatable - it should have been properly planned and managed to ensure the club ended up with a modern, atmospheric, purpose-built stadium. And sole ownership. As it is, we are mere tenants of the world’s biggest Meccano set, a soulless bowl of a ground which is barely fit for purpose. The whole affair is a disgrace and a historic mistake for West Ham United.

[@1977RiffRaff]

I am from Germany and went to Upton Park every time I spent some time in London, it did not matter if WHUFC were part of the Premier League or Championship, I was looking forward to enjoy the atmosphere in and around the stadium. This was the West Ham experience with the neighbourhood, drinks in the pub around the corner etc. I don't even think of visiting a game in the fishbowl now. The club sold it's soul, it's a shame!

[@mitchconner2021]

Liverpool haven't left annefield you don't need change to be successful? Maybe the change they need is in the conference rooms

[@timknott5856]

Not the same ball park dude ... London is over crowded and has a housing crisis... Liverpool’s population has reduced by 30% by the 70s where quite a significant number of houses in Liverpool are condemned and empty or occupied by DSS tenants making CPOs easier to come by... Look how much it’s cost spurs to build their stadium... Look at what West Ham have got for next to peanuts....

[@joeybill9472]

Please ignore the idiot above. It was submitted to rebuild the East stand. However it was deemed to close to the bus garage. Now that bus garage has shut block of flats are coming. In reality it could have been done and made it 40 000 seater stadium which is what real fans wanted. But the owners went with the money and corporate fans. Sold a dream given a nightmare.

[@Bootyeheg]

@@joeybill9472 that’s what I would’ve wanted and I’m not even a west ham fan

[@StephenWong14]

I'm not a WH fan. I haven't been there but I guess a stadium which is built for track-and-field events with such a great distance between the pitch and the stands is never going to be popular among football fans.

[@danielkerr4100]

From a Portsmouth fan and our fans being so close to the pitch this stadium looks so shit.

[@dogcowrph]

Rebuild the stands and make come right up to the pitch. The stands can always be pulled back when the runnings track is used.

[@Rabidanti]

Great idea

[@kflem80]

I've been to Upton Park as an away fan and it was a great ground with a great atmosphere. The thought of travelling one end of the country to the other to experience a view from miles away doesn't excite me

[@davidknight8172]

Nightmare. Upton Park any day.

[@arnie8604]

All I no is ..... u CAN'T buy atmosphere ..... been a fan almost 40yrs and was devastated seeing Upton destroyed.

[@whoareyou9514]

It is obvious that there was 0 reason to leave....😔 I'm gonna miss the satdium that makes you.......family..... What I was loved that stadium ....fans were close ...scream the fans. and every thing.......💜

[@MarkoBuha]

West Ham are not a Top 6 team. They need a stadium no larger than 45,000 capacity at the most

[@johnruby147]

I was at the Bournemouth game this season 2018/19 , and I was looking round at a lot of empty seats , thinking " this stadium is way to big for West Ham" , as you rightly state , 45,000 max . Upton Park could easily have been redeveloped to accom 45,000

[@callumholder6915]

@@johnruby147 how's it way to big when we pretty much fill it lmao

[@callumholder6915]

And upton park defenitly could not have been upgraded to 45,000

[@johnruby147]

@@callumholder6915 Ask yourself Callum , how many fans are real West Ham fans that go to the LS ? , On the occasions i have been i have seen shirts of other teams worn by "fans" so not everyone in the stadium is a true West Ham fan , the go because of the cheap tickets

[@callumholder6915]

@@johnruby147 you've said it doesn't fill. Now your giving me a reason to why it is getting filled due to people who aren't actually fans? I have a season ticket and have been a holder since we moved there, haven't gone to every game but I've been to alotvand cannot remember one occasion where there are "fans" with another teams shirt that isn't the team we're playing. And if they do even for cheap tickets I'd be very suprised if they'd pay for our bollocks football. Again I'm also confused to why you've said upton park could have been upgraded to 45,000 considering it was practically impossible. If you were to bring up some disadvantages on the stadium I'd agree because I hate it as much as everyone else does, atleast come up with something that's true

[@aes1373]

If West Ham really want to change the stadium to their liking and have a big ground, they just to have to buy it. Then they can do what ever they want with it. Get rid of the running track etc... but if your just renting it, theres not much control over it.

[@bobkatfan2013]

They did try to buy it, but Spuds and other London clubs objected.

[@skillbros5685]

Long live the Boleyn ⚒❤️⚒

[@Isleofskye]

Sullivan said he would be " disappointed" if West Ham did not make " The Top 6". Well he has achieved that if the Top 6 are West Ham, Brighton, Villa, Watford, Bournemouth and Norwich. Just hold the match day programme upside down...:) Also there is another misunderstanding. He did not say he would get WHU into The Champions League but Championship and to be fair it's still on...

[@Isleofskye]

How do you feel now m8 , given how well they are doing this season? Oh ! Hang On ! That was me.....haha

[@beantaz3862]

Looks like this idea did not pan out. They should put a glass dome as a roof, making it a giant bubble.

[@johnruby147]

Watch Baroness Brady's video , selling the stadium to the fans . "A state of the Art Stadium" she calls it . It's a bloody athletics stadium , always has , always will be

[@weswheel4834]

But as athletics stadiums go, it's state of the art!

[@tonybroderick4808]

Are footballers not athletes?

[@63Branson]

At Upton Park you could almost pat Sir Trevor Brooking on the back when he took corners. I know because I always tried to as a kid 😉. Couldn't say that about the London stadium.

[@lucasjwesty2216]

I remember going to the OG West Ham stadium with my dad for the last time seeing it

[@lewishopper6943]

So glad we got the valley back

[@davedrienhuizen6567]

The guy at 3:43 - 3:55 tells it all! I've been a Dutch West Ham fan for over 40 years. Visited the Boleyn Ground about 15 times. I was there when we played the last game. For me, You can’t find a better football experience then Upton Park. Till today, I visited the London Stadium once. Yes, maybe it was the crappiest game (the Burnley game that was mentioned) that I could have chosen but besides all the mayhem on and off the pitch it was a terrible, soulless atmosphere! The only good thing: The Rib Man was still there with his famous Holy F*ck sauce but that was the only positive thing that I could think of.

[@kevinwaylen5770]

I’m a west ham season ticket holder and the stadium is growing on me. We’ve been here a while now it needs the stands nearer the pitch the gaps all filled in with more seats and the roof closed on match days then the noise would be incredible COYI

[@Batmanthe3rd]

I don’t get why they’re building football match days suited for families? Football has never ever been a place for families to go to, they ruin the atmosphere at football matches! Football is supposed to be the working man’s game where the tickets would be cheap, you’d get pissed with the lads and the atmosphere would be rocking. I agree in some cases of a dad taking his son to the games in a different section of the ground but seats have also killed atmosphere a lot in football grounds

[@johnruby147]

Football in Britan stopped being the "Working Man's Game" when boxes were introduced into stadiums and Sky came along with it's millions of £'s and ruined football

[@50pence59]

Elite football is high end business. There is still plenty of all types of football to go around for everybody. You don’t like business football? Watch football further down the leagues. We’re all supposed to be football fans first. When West Ham play away and I couldn’t travel, I’d watch the Orients in Leyton or Forest Gate where you can still experience 70s football. Progress or become Sunderland or Leeds. It’s a genuine choice.

[@Isleofskye]

@@50pence59 How is the "progress" you mentioned going ? 17th just one point away from the relegation zone. You have lost your soul and identity and opposing fans and players LOVE their day out there. THe home fans can no longer intimidate as they are well away from the action and away players no longer " freeze"..... Popcorn anyone ? lol

[@joeybill9472]

@@50pence59 progress. They've gone backwards since going to the stadium. All they needed to do was increase the East stand to a double decker at The Boleyn and that would have been enough. Also why should fans stop supporting West Ham to go and support cash strapped lower league teams who are owned by terrible owners and not the fans. It wouldn't be West Ham.

[@Mr.E723]

In the 60s and 70s, there were a bunch of stadiums built in the US referred to as “Cookie Cutter Stadiums”. Built to host both baseball and (American) football. The main complaints from the fans was typically that they were lacking in atmosphere, there was nothing unique about them, and most importantly the compromises that had to be made to accommodate multiple sports caused what would normally be amazing seats to be far away from the action. I’m seeing all the same problems here

[@ramesh8504]

In India, season ticket price for ISL ranges between £6-£12.

[@isaz597]

Surely they could lay removable temporary seats on the athletics track to get fans closer to the pitch for match days?

[@deaddoll1361]

The athletics track isn't grass, so damage doesn't grow back.

[@isaz597]

@@deaddoll1361 there's ways around that. They could lay some strong material over the track to protect it then put temporary seats over it. The athletics track is only used 2 months a year & the remaining 10months it's a football ground. It's not like they play football & have athletic meets similar times in the year. It's plausible

[@iaingalloway3991]

Been a few times this season with our lad (we live in Birmingham now which makes it a hard sell believe me, still, Villa are crap luckily) and he's really enjoyed it. The outside is nice, good transport links, good choice of food & booze (i.e. much better compared to other grounds), better toilets. ticketsa can be really good value, you can leave the missus shopping in Westfield (for real!), they've got those mini kid's kick-about areas and blah blah blah ... so yes, I get why people like that. Thing is, that's all irrelevant really and it's the football inside that we pay for and travel to watch. Those who never went to Upton Park will never know how intense it was, how close you were, the atmosphere and the noise and how it intimidated away teams. Beieve me, the best thing that can happen is that a filthy rich oil tycoon or whatever comes in a buys some land near Upton Park (we nearly got the old Post Office depot in the 90s if anyone remembers?) and builds a new ground dedicated to football and not athletics. Bayern Munich had the old Olympics stadium there and hated it for the same reason and they moved about 15 years ago and haven't looked back.

[@tylerwessling3402]

If it didn't have a track and the supports were closer to the pitch it would be better. It's even bad playing as West Ham on FIFA because you can't see supports on screen just green

[@thefivepoints]

They should've designed it with football in mind in the first place. I.e. lower the pitch like at the Etihad.

[@50pence59]

Tyler Wessling That’s funny 😂

[@50pence59]

thefivepoints Agreed 👍

[@stevemarks9360]

The Stratford wanderers, bad team, bad club in a ridiculous stadium! GSB need to leave!

[@fredrikopsahl2418]

*London Shopping Centre Stadium

[@stevenmcguinness4751]

Birmingham fan here, Sullivan and Brady were trying for Years to get Birmingham City Council to build a Stadium of 50k for BCFC. City of Birmingham Stadium (you’ll find it on google still). They promised Champions League football and super signings. But it never happened. They are up to the same old tricks, next stage for West Ham will be the sale of the club to foreign investors with no care for the future of the Club.

[@hornylorney8150]

As a Man United fan I hated those evening kick off away games at tight stadiums like Upton Park, Goodison Park etc where the crowd is on top of the pitch and everything is tight and narrow. The Olympic stadium doesn't suit West Ham at all

[@88wentworth]

Should have done what Spurs did, but it's only a little bit different. Club still at White Hart Lane. Same journey to the ground, crowd nice and close to the pitch, I do get fed up when everyone says it's the best ground in the world.2016/17..2nd 2017/18 3rd..at moment 6th WHLondon 17th. Relegation.. you'll stay up if Carroll, Bond, Brooking,Moore,Hurst,Ferdinand all came back. Good Luck anyway, For us it's all down to the Special One.....Why Moyes again ?????????

[@ssundar4378]

5 years on we are down

[@jonmortermusic]

As a Spurs fan it's the only time ever I was happy to lose to West Ham...the battle to take over the Olympic Stadium site. We lost and I'm very glad we did, although rumour has it that we never _really_ wanted it in the first place, we just used the scenario to put pressure on Boris to support the rebuilding of White Hart Lane which he subsequently did. We now have a fantastic purpose-built new stadium yet we still have the same trip to see our team, the same sights and sounds, the same cafes, the same queues at the fried chicken shops, the same pubs...we were the lucky ones. West Ham fans don't have that luxury and I do genuinely feel for them to a degree. Your owners sold your soul, your stadium, and your identity (the new badge is awful, I liked your old one)...yet you got your stadium, albeit a soulless concrete bowl of echoes, for virtually free...so be thankful you have one. Bury fans don't even have a club to support any more, another awful owner who asset stripped their club.

[@jimmyarkthida1660]

The bubbles lol

[@SandipanNath123]

Sharing your ground with Athletics is always a nightmare. Just look at Stadio Olimpico in Italy.

[@connorjn8879]

I’m watching this in December 2018 under Manuel Pellegrini. After the board heavily invested in the playing squad, in the training facilities, things have definitely improved. The playing style, the atmosphere. We still need to carry on investing, getting more good playing styles and the atmosphere will get even better. I’m a season ticket holder and have been since the move. Things are looking up, Pellegrini’s plan is saving Mr Gold, Mr Sullivan and Mrs Brady. Hopefully we can challenge the top teams in a few years and really build something amazing. COME ON YOU IRONS

[@felttippen4294]

COME ON LONDON UNITED©

[@thefivepoints]

They've screwed over the fans and the club for their own financial gains. They need to invest in building a new stadium but they're more interested in just taking the money and not spending it.

[@alexphillips6126]

This aged well

[@hornylorney8150]

Uh oh...

[@felttippen4294]

West Ham United > West Ham London > London United Sold their soul to try and be a Chelsea. Nice tourist attraction tho, and the kids enjoy the bubbles lmao When some Yanky sounding bird speaks on behalf of the East London ICF boys, you gotta know it's time to throw the towel in. RIP West Ham United!

[@LS-bw7jt]

Elijah Woods wife

[@fernandogimenobellido7705]

Owners only care about money. Please, give the club back to the fans.

[@pravishal5102]

One thing that strikes me is why are the fans far from the pitch? Is it not the the first thing the owners should have taken care of?

[@kennethreynolds7288]

The owners of this club have no interest in West Ham..it’s just about getting money 💰..a true fan would never want the club to move away from its home to a rented athletics stadium ...fact !!

[@dieg]

Imagine they get relegated with that stadium

[@vladimirmoosegaming]

“West ham fans would never be deluded enough to think we would play champions league” 2 years later we are 4th!

[@stuartsheers5562]

That lady speaking the American sounding one sits one seat behind me 😂😂

[@briwire138]

It's amazing what a few wins does.

[@ryanwestham]

Makes me sad

[@victorcastillo-dx9vh]

I don't live in London, so I can't tell much about Upton Park and olimpic stadium, however I love the Hammers! COYI. My best regards to every WHUFC supporter. Greetings from Mexico City.

[@BrandonjSlippingAway]

This is the white elephant of hosting the Olympics and like tournaments. You either sink gargantuan amounts of money into infrastructure, only to tear it down later, or try to justify its existence in the years after with new tenants. West Ham here have tried to make it home and it hasn't been great for them. Australia is lucky in that oval stadiums get year-round use regardless for cricket and Australian Football so it hasn't been as much of a problem, however Stadium Australia in Sydney's had its issues.

[@joeybill9472]

Aren't they rebuilding Stadium Australia? I went to NRL game there and you may aswell had binoculars for the game.

[@BrandonjSlippingAway]

@@joeybill9472 They were but the NSW government has canned the rebuild. The money is only going into rebuilding SFS at Moore Park now

[@joeybill9472]

@@BrandonjSlippingAway oh really? What's happening to Stadium Australia now?

[@BrandonjSlippingAway]

@@joeybill9472 I'm not sure, at most some small cosmetic stuff. There's not gonna be any structural changes happening any more. A lot of the reason for this about-turn is the SCG Trust overseas both stadiums at Moore Park, and they have a lot of clout.

[@joeybill9472]

@@BrandonjSlippingAway ahh ok. I preferred going to SCG over the Olympic stadium in Sydney.

[@davidknight8172]

You have to go with the times and demand of people that wanted to go and see the hammers. If I’m honest I still love the atmosphere which you got at Upton Park.

[@TheBigGoonerAJ]

they said they'd break the top 4 , they forgot to mention of the championship

[@paulies5407]

Mickey mouse stadium. We've been had over by some dwarf from Cardiff who pretends he's west ham through and through and a mockney who sold us out completely. As many have said, we sold our soul for absolutely fuck all.

[@markanderson4094]

Upton park your missing it from e.f.c. fan

[@mdlyonn0035]

Football isn’t a sport anymore it’s a business. People just have to come to terms with that, there’s no going back now.

[@gordonhotchkiss646]

Here is something funny David Sullivan is originally from my home town. But no one there has a clue who he is.

[@DMWBN3]

Hate all these new stadiums., although it's not really a new thing. Modern footballs gone to the money men & lost its appeal for many staunch supporters. "Players enjoy the fans being so far away from the pitch" . . . Sums it up really.

[@MrBurnley21]

They've attracted the local yanks to the new ground then!!!😅😅😅😅

[@zhint9355]

As a Grasshopper fan from Zurich I can relate. Harturm-Stadion was a proper old school ground. They tore it down with the promise to build a new one. neighbours spoke up at the judge until the investors had enough. since then we have to play on enemy soil (since 2007). imagine you had to move to milwall for your games. we have won 2 votes to build a new one. now it is still beeing blocked by selfish freshly moved-in bastards who want a neat little park for themselves there. and to improve ther real estate value. they forced another vote, because they argue the credit was discussed but not the desing plan. and this one would be "eco-unfriendly". WE SHALL NEVER SURRENDER AND WILL FIGHT TILL THE DAY WHEN GRASSHOPPER CLUB ZURICH RETUNRS HOME AND RISES FROM THE RUBBLE LIKE A PHOENIX AND RETAKES THE THROWN OF SWISS FOOTBALL! Good luck to West Ham supporters. May you find a fitting solution and get back your identity!

[@limedickandrew6016]

Bigger and more glitzy doesn't always mean better. Here in Birmingham where I live there was a fabulous little night club called The Gary Owen. Sometime in the 90s they knocked it down and built a new one on top of the old one. It was bigger and more glitzy. But it lost the charm and intimacy of the old one and nights there were never quite the same. Hated it. Back to football, and look at the state Coventry City are in with their nightmare move to the Rich Arena. Owned by Wasps Rugby Club, Coventry City were there at the pleasure of Wasps. Been kicked out several time. They've played their home football at Northampton, this season at Birmingham City. A club without a home. West Ham are pretty much in the same boat as Coventry. There at the pleasure of the London Mayor. Look what happened to Wimbledon FC, now MK Dons. Another club that lost their home. Lose your home, you lose your soul, your identity etc. What do we call people who lose their homes? Outcasts, refugees, migrant?. And if West Ham get relegated, that is when the trouble could really kick in.

[@aes1373]

I cant imagine the london stadium in the championship. Then again the stadium of light is in league one, so even though this stadium carries the olympic legacy, it might still end up in the championship.

[@3lrancho]

Fighting relegation at the 5year mark there gold and sullivan

[@Yarin4ever]

Well well eell

[@ivanhasudungan2697]

the real united in progress

[@alexandroschatzilazarou8038]

so sad for west ham,actually 5 years after sullivan told that,that west ham in next five years will be in the top 6,now 5 years after that,west ham going directly to the relegation,the exact opposite..i hope the best for the west ham,money and chairmans like him ruins football..

[@Bootyeheg]

I dont get how a stadium like London stadium would’ve made them better, if they wanted to get better they should’ve stayed put in their old stadium and signed better players, I feel for you if you’re an og West ham fan

[@thefivepoints]

They can't stay in that stadium. The gap between upper and lower tiers is rediculous and its miles from the pitch. They should've designed it in the first place with football in mind after the Olympics. Its can't continue like that.

[@okkcomputer]

will be the best stadium in the championship pretty soon =)

[@jauntyangle5667]

Gold, Sullivan & Brady looking to their exit strategy: Money, Money, Money!

[@Joshuawhu]

My family supports west ham but am a Chelsea fan it's a shame that they left the boleyn ground

[@Joshuawhu]

@Jot Grewal idk

[@Isleofskye]

Best Popcorn in London and The Loos are much better than The Boleyn .....other than that....

[@thomasconboy4636]

I’m American I went to uptown park it really felt like a event

[@gabrielpurves7156]

Cheaper tickets but £13.30 for a pie & beer More toilets, better facilities in some ways 99.9% attendances - 62,500 sell-out games Only PL club with general sales straightaway Up to £20 for an adult to see UECL footy Good transport links

[@tommywm24]

If the team won games this wouldn't be an issue. I'd like to see these whiny pricks complain when they play a Champions League game there. "Atmospheres rubbish".....win some bloody games then!

[@londonguy3559]

Ignorant post from somebody who knows absolute jack about West Ham fans. When have West Ham ever had sustained success in the top flight? Yes Sherlock, the answer is never. But why do fans still flock to see them? It was because Upton Park generated a proper football atmosphere and the fans were close to the pitch. This monstrous athletics stadium has sucked the life of the atmosphere and passion of the fans support for the team as they are too far away from the action. Even if the Hammers were winning games, the atmosphere were still suck at this so called football stadium. The only solution is to knock it down and build a football purpose stadium(Spurs had right idea) or build another football stadium in East London. But under these incompetent owners it will not happen.

[@50pence59]

It’s full every week.

[@Isleofskye]

@@50pence59 They should get 20,000 in The Championship next season...

[@joeybill9472]

@@50pence59 full of non football and non West Ham fans.

[@marktucker208]

Even as a neutral I hate it, if I see that a TV game is West Ham at home I won’t watch it, the atmosphere just makes it so miserable to watch. Only people who got something out of this were the owners and the local council, the fans were screwed over AGAIN