It seems the world and its wife has an opinion on West Ham United’s controversial London Stadium.
West Ham‘s move to Stratford from their beloved Upton Park was beset by problems from the start.
The distance from the stands to the pitch is a major bone of contention for many fans with the bowl shape of the venue the biggest problem as the stadium was not built with football in mind.
Having signed a 99-year lease many supporters are disillusioned at the prospect of a long-term future at the ground in it’s current state.
The club’s owners David Sullivan and David Gold also pledged that the move would enable West Ham to spend more on quality players in the transfer market in a bid to compete with the Premier League elite.
But despite record income that has not materialised and fans showed their frustrations when protests spilled onto the pitch during the infamous defeat to Burnley back in March.
Meetings with supporter groups since has seen Karren Brady make pledges to bring in architects to look at getting seats closer to the pitch and the possibility of changing the colour of the carpet surrounding the pitch.
The club says it will continue to listen to fans in a bid to improve the matchday experience.
But a damning from Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler – a man who knows a thing or two about football stadia – proves no amount of claret and blue gloss can fix the major problem at the London Stadium.
Speaking during the club’s recent draw with Manchester United Tyler was far from complimentary of the ground.
“West Ham started with that cluster of away games because the stadium was being ‘reconfigured’ I think the expression is, it was for the world athletics championship,” Tyler said on Sky Sports.
“There is a real auditorium feeling (in the stadium) for sport. We’d all like to be a lot closer, especially speaking for commentators.
“It isn’t a football ground.”
It is a damning indictment from a man who has travelled the world commentating on matches during a distinguished career.
Sullivan, Gold and Karren Brady must now push the stadium operators into decisive action to ensure their fans – 52,000 of whom signed up to the dream by purchasing season tickets for the first two seasons at the ground – enjoy going to the ground that is set to be their home for the next 97 years.
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