Standing areas at The Olympic Stadium

[Old Git]

Gold & Sullivan are looking at the possibility of standing areas at the Olympic stadium.

http://www.beyondthepitch.net/podcasts/ ... avid-gold/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

25 minute interview - the stadium comments are approx at the 20 minute mark.

[mywhufc]

That is strange because this was asked at a fans forum meeting and was ruled out, and I'm sure premier league rules would have to change. I may be wrong though.

[gavrosh]

Gold & Sullivan are looking at the possibility of standing areas at the Olympic stadium.

http://www.beyondthepitch.net/podcasts/ ... avid-gold/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

25 minute interview - the stadium comments are approx at the 20 minute mark.

This is the 'safe standing' system i think he's talking about:

http://www.safestandingroadshow.co.uk/the-proposal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There's a private members bill on course for a vote in Parliament in October, but apparently its not expected to go through, simply because the Tories dont want to be tarred by the shitty stick that Labour would launch at them claiming they wanted to cause another Hillsborough, or something. Anyway, as was said before the Premier League are still against it. We can but dream though, and its good to hear that the retractable/ demountable seating system is still very much in play by the sounds of it (unless Goldie is just outright lying).

http://bathlibdems.org.uk/en/article/20 ... nding-bill" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Pop Robson]

23:40

"it is not a football stadium" David Gold

[the pink palermo]

We've already got standing areas at the Boleyn .Back of the East Lower, Chav corner, Bobby lower..........

At Donny yesterday we had 3,300 standing - around a third of the gate .

It's not about standing - people don't want to be told where to stand .They want to move around .

Won't happen - plod will intervene .

[Sweeney Bod]

Of course they are looking at standing areas. Damn cheaper than trying to install decent temporary seating behind the goals and they could market it as "being down with da fans". Perhaps the penny has finally dropped for them, and they now realise the stadium is totally unsuitable for football.

[The Rebirth]

23:40

"it is not a football stadium" David Gold

No **** sherlock :lol:

[KierZ]

We've already got standing areas at the Boleyn .Back of the East Lower, Chav corner, Bobby lower..........
.

but will we have anywhere in the OS?

[WestHamIFC]

Olympic Stadium could have standing areas when West Ham move in, says co-chairman David Gold

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... -Gold.html

West Ham co-chairman David Gold has revealed he wants to introduce standing areas when the club move into the Olympic Stadium.

• By Ben Rumsby
  11:45AM BST 20 May 2013

Gold claims he is certain so-called ‘safe standing’ would eventually exist in the highest echelons of English football, despite it currently being against the law for clubs in the top two divisions not to have an all-seater ground.

Terraces were banned following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 but Gold told West Ham e-Magazine Blowing Bubbles: “Safe standing in football stadiums will happen. I promise you it will happen.”

Gold said he hoped to introduce such an area into the Olympic Stadium “shortly” after West Ham relocate there in three years’ time.

He added: “I’d be stunned if we don’t have some sort of safe-standing experiment soon.

“I think, in five years, we will see safe standing at football stadiums because, let’s face it, it’s not very expensive to install and it’s safe, very safe. In fact, it’s twice or three times safer than what we have at the moment.”

Gold claimed that was because many supporters currently defied rules aimed at ensuring they remained seated during matches.

He said: “We now don’t have the violence we once had and already what exists is unsafe standing.”
Gold also revealed his “irritation” at having to wait until 2016 to move into the Olympic Stadium.

He accused those who decided the £429 million arena should be designed with an athletics-only legacy in mind of building something that was “clearly not fit for purpose”.

It will cost around £140 million to convert the ground for West Ham’s tenancy, £15m of which will come from the club.

Gold, who hopes the stadium can help slash the Hammers’ £110m debt, said a football, rugby or cricket legacy should have been factored in from day one.

He added: “I’m irritated because, if this had been done, we could be in that stadium now.”

[Mr_Andersonn]

We've already got standing areas at the Boleyn .Back of the East Lower, Chav corner, Bobby lower..........

At Donny yesterday we had 3,300 standing - around a third of the gate .

It's not about standing - people don't want to be told where to stand .They want to move around .

Won't happen - plod will intervene .

Rail seats would be allocated in the same way that current seats are allocated. Cameras would still be able to pinpoint fans so I don't see what issue plod would have.

I believe this system is already in place in Germany.

Why do people want to move around? Once you have been allocated your seat then that is your standing area. Simple?

[Mr_Andersonn]

Of course they are looking at standing areas. Damn cheaper than trying to install decent temporary seating behind the goals and they could market it as "being down with da fans". Perhaps the penny has finally dropped for them, and they now realise the stadium is totally unsuitable for football.

Standing areas are nothing to do with the penny now dropping with the board or being down with da fans. They are a good idea and are a safer option than current seating areas where fans stand anyway.

Would they be cheaper than decent temporary seating? I am not so sure...

Looking at the distance between the pitch yesterday on the East side, it looks like the seats at the OS will be closer!

[eastsider]

Looking at the distance between the pitch yesterday on the East side, it looks like the seats at the OS will be closer!

This is what I have been saying, the East stand is a large distance from the touchline and on top of that from the stand wall to the first row of seats is another couple of yards on top!!!
Not like it used to be many years ago when if the lino made a gaffe he had to run the gauntlet and take heed of our "advice" LOL!!!!
Cannot see safe standing coming in any time soon myself though, unfortunately..... was safe in the East lower anyway especially when the capacity was cut towards the end of standing...... I still remember buying my "chicken run last stand" enamel badge on the last standing match day........

[mywhufc]

Looking at the distance between the pitch yesterday on the East side, it looks like the seats at the OS will be closer!

Possibly, but , OS. Will arch away from corner flag so middle seats will be furthest from pitch, so corner flag seat may just be nearer while the rest are not.

[eastsider]

We've already got standing areas at the Boleyn .Back of the East Lower, Chav corner, Bobby lower..........
.

but will we have anywhere in the OS?[/quote]


Up to us to make it like it is in those areas above now? As one of the back east lower standers we just do it so that is what we all need to do there......... IMO......

[Mr_Andersonn]

Possibly, but , OS. Will arch away from corner flag so middle seats will be furthest from pitch, so corner flag seat may just be nearer while the rest are not.

I take your point. Where as originally the front row of the OS would literally have been on the road behind the East Stand, it is now going to be approx the middle of the stand at its farthest point of the arc.

From the corners it will be several meters closer the pitch than the current East Stand. The new stand will be a Kop style stand and will hold approx 20,000 where as the current stand holds just 5,000.

[brownout]

The key is for those who want to stand to get seats in the same area. It works at the Boleyn, other than for cup games when a lot of season ticket holders don't come (or sit elsewhere) and many part timers buy tickets in the BML - so then we get conflict between those who want to stand and those who want to sit.

There will be plenty of part timers at OS (and maybe less season ticket holders?) so we need to try to get the club to arrange things so standers & sitters are in different areas.

[Mr_Andersonn]

The key is for those who want to stand to get seats in the same area. It works at the Boleyn, other than for cup games when a lot of season ticket holders don't come (or sit elsewhere) and many part timers buy tickets in the BML - so then we get conflict between those who want to stand and those who want to sit.

There will be plenty of part timers at OS (and maybe less season ticket holders?) so we need to try to get the club to arrange things so standers & sitters are in different areas.

Thats a decent point but the club can't be seen to advertise this. I would say fans websites, forums and match day fanzines have to advrtise this.

I don't know how you would inform day trippers though and I am sure we have plenty of them now. I met a group of dutch fanson Sunday who thought it was our last game at Upton Park before the move. And I was sat amongst about 20 or 30 Polish guys in the Bobby Moore Upper.

[brownout]

Premier League clubs can't (at present) specifically advertise stand areas, but they can use a thinly veiled disguise by calling them singing areas, as Man City & Cardiff do.

[eastsider]

Premier League clubs can't (at present) specifically advertise stand areas, but they can use a thinly veiled disguise by calling them singing areas, as Man City & Cardiff do.

This is good and as the owners seem to be for the idea of standing even though they cannot admit it lets hope they adopt this idea fully as Man City and Cardiff do!!

[Yea Why Not]

Let's face it, the only reason Gold is all for safe standing is so he can save some money on seats!