Would you watch football at this ground?

[gavrosh]

[quote="Napoleon Solo"]Supporters are erronerously labeled as customers, they are not , you don't really sell them anything you just tax them therefore it isn't important that we are listened to.

Supporters - real supporters - dont move clubs so are a captive audience. It therefore makes some sense for the owner looking at the short term return horizon to simply extract value out of the club by limiting costs.

Longer term, value is maximised by increasing the fanbase, and you can only do that with success, which means significant investment.

When it comes to West Ham, its quite clear that the vast majority of owners have been the former. Whether the current lot are is questionable. As much as they have ****ed up the past season, it was more a case of incompetence rather than anything else. Im still hopeful that they understand the very significant long term benefits of doing a good job on the conversion of the stadium, and if they do then, regardless of who eventually owns the club, we will be set for life. That's my hope, rather than my belief.

[Hammer110]

Has anyone heard of any plans to extend the roof?.Have heard rumors about retractable seats & such,but football is a winter game and as the lower tier is already exposed as it is,reckon the club might earn a few sheckles setting up a stall flogging lemsip come january!.

The roof being extended is one of the main parts of the conversion.

[IronworksDave]

Sadly for us there is a prime example of why the OS wont work, did any of you ever go to the ill-fated Stadio delle Alpi? This was a combined football/athletic stadium built by the local council for Juventus/Torino, although it was hardly if ever used for athletics.

Built with a capacity of 70,000 it was a complete disaster. I went there for the England - Germany game in 1990 and it was like watching midgets kick a marble. Juventus crowds dropped by 50% and after only 16 years it was demolished with a new stadium (very like the Spurs proposal) now being built for Juventus.

If we don't make substantial changes to the OC (including at some point getting rid of the running track) then this move will bankrupt our great club ....

http://bianconeri.tripod.com/dellealpi.html

[gavrosh]

That's an interesting article. Two things work in favour of the OS against Delle Alpi - first, its in the centre of London, in fact its probably the best linked in stadium in terms of public transport anywhere in the UK, quite possibly Europe for that matter. Second, there are fewer 'alpine winds' whistling into the OS.

Atmosphere of course will be a problem unless they come up with something regarding getting fans closer to the pitch. From my rule of thumb calculations, fans at one end of the OS will be about 200 metres from the opposite goal - which is about the distance between the far side of the Barking road and the goal in front of the North bank.

It was also interesting to note that athletics grand prix meetings require a warm up track. There will of course be a warm up track adjacent to the OS next year, but by 2014 it will be the Ikea village, if recent news reports are to be believed. Possible get out clause in terms of retaining the track?

[beckton]

It was also interesting to note that athletics grand prix meetings require a warm up track. There will of course be a warm up track adjacent to the OS next year, but by 2014 it will be the Ikea village, if recent news reports are to be believed. Possible get out clause in terms of retaining the track?

How would we be able to bid for World Championships if there was going to be no warm up track in a few years time?

I would have thought if the warm up track wasn't being retained it would be major news, has anyone told Levy?

[mywhufc]

The warm up track is staying and will be used by newham and Essex beagles athletic club

[Denbighammer]

The warm up track is staying and will be used by newham and Essex beagles athletic club

The least intimidating sports team name ever?

[cockney farmer]

Do they have droopy ears and smoke 60 a day ?

[Denbighammer]

Do they have droopy ears and smoke 60 a day ?

Some of the older ladies have spaniels ears if that helps?