Olympic Stadium must go to Orient ...

[severnside gull]

I really don't understand what the fuss is about from a Leyton Orient perspective. Do they seriously think that it will impact on their current support levels? Who is going to suddenly decide to support Hammers instead of O's for the sake of a couple of miles? What happens on the pitch is what will influence most people and the general level of Orient support, even in the long term, isn't going to move very much from its current (pretty low) base unless and until they start to move up the leagues and develop a reputation for playing attractive football..............................come on Salde you can do it

 

[tainan]

Now while I agree itis open to interpreation. According to this BBC Sport - Leyton Orient want 2012 Olympic Stadium decision delayed (and if I read it correctly) West Ham are currently 2.4 miles from the Stadium while Orient are 2.1 so West Ham are only moving .3 miles. But they are currently some 4 miles from Orient so getting much closer but a strong argument could be made that the difference is of no real consequence.

If West Ham are currently 2.4 miles from the stadium, then they'll be moving 2.4 miles, not 0.3.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

I was talking to an Orient fan last night and he reckons the 4000 hard core supporters would look pretty stupid in a stadium of that size.

Hardcore, dont make me laugh. 4000, I would bet that over half of that amount only go to watch Orient because West Ham/Arsenal/Tottenham are away or its the expense of Preimershite football or there banned from west Ham.

 

[Rookie]

If West Ham are currently 2.4 miles from the stadium, then they'll be moving 2.4 miles, not 0.3.

yep noticed that once I had written it got no idea why I actually put that in.

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

I really don't understand what the fuss is about from a Leyton Orient perspective. Do they seriously think that it will impact on their current support levels? Who is going to suddenly decide to support Hammers instead of O's for the sake of a couple of miles? What happens on the pitch is what will influence most people and the general level of Orient support, even in the long term, isn't going to move very much from its current (pretty low) base unless and until they start to move up the leagues and develop a reputation for playing attractive football..............................come on Salde you can do it

The size of the stadium is likely to mean a lot of tickets available which West Ham will more than likely have to sell off cheap. Therefore your casual fan has the option of League 1 football in a run down stadium, or Premiership football in new stadium. Of course, should West Ham get relegated and Orient promoted it may not be as much of an issue

 

[Rookie]

One option is of course for Orient and West Ham to play on alternate Saturdays so allowing people who wish to watch both to do so.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

I bet the Premier League are crossing their fingers that West Ham get relegated this season so that they can pass the buck on to the FA.

 

[Rookie]

I really don't understand what the fuss is about from a Leyton Orient perspective. Do they seriously think that it will impact on their current support levels? Who is going to suddenly decide to support Hammers instead of O's for the sake of a couple of miles? What happens on the pitch is what will influence most people and the general level of Orient support, even in the long term, isn't going to move very much from its current (pretty low) base unless and until they start to move up the leagues and develop a reputation for playing attractive football..............................come on Salde you can do it

Hearn was going on about West Ham offering family tickets which will be 1 paying adult can get in 2 kids or something similar. Whether that is actual fact or just an idea I have no idea.

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

One option is of course for Orient and West Ham to play on alternate Saturdays so allowing people who wish to watch both to do so.

Would your average fan be able to afford/want to go to a game EVERY saturday though? When will the big Tesco shop get done?!

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

One option is of course for Orient and West Ham to play on alternate Saturdays so allowing people who wish to watch both to do so.

But that won't happen if West Ham are still in the Premier League as television money talks.

 

[sten_super]

I really don't understand what the fuss is about from a Leyton Orient perspective. Do they seriously think that it will impact on their current support levels? Who is going to suddenly decide to support Hammers instead of O's for the sake of a couple of miles? What happens on the pitch is what will influence most people and the general level of Orient support, even in the long term, isn't going to move very much from its current (pretty low) base unless and until they start to move up the leagues and develop a reputation for playing attractive football..............................come on Salde you can do it

I think the real issue for Orient is not that West Ham are moving, but that they are moving to a ground which is far too big for them. There's an expectation that there will be cheap seats for all, free tickets for local schools, etc. As I posted in a similar thread yesterday, give a 16 year old the choice between paying £15 for a ticket to see League One football at the crappy Matchroom stadium and paying £10 to see (potentially) Premiership football at the Olympic stadium and which do you think they'll go for?

The current Orient supporters won't suddenly start supporting West Ham, but the next generation of fans might.

Having said all that, it's clearly bollocks from Hearn. All he's doing is making a play for the hockey stadium.

 

[Gritt23]

One option is of course for Orient and West Ham to play on alternate Saturdays so allowing people who wish to watch both to do so.

If they do that, then why not a ground-share?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I want to sympathise with Orient...but...it is Barry Hearn...so...

 

[Pavilionaire]

I have some sympathy with Orient here. The Olympic Stadium legacy was always going to involve a football club, so realistically that was always going to be Spurs or West Ham which, in turn, was always going to impact upon Orient. Provisions could have been made at the outset.

If Orient get the Hockey Stadium in Hackney then that will be closer to Spurs and Arsenal, although I don't think that will make any difference.

For the sake of football in general I hope Orient get the hockey stadium and this issue is nipped in the bud before the Olympic build-up starts. At the end of the day the EPL WILL be displacing a small club, setting a dangerous and terrible precedent.

 

[Spiros]

I want to sympathise with Orient...but...it is Barry Hearn...so...

Quite. I find it difficult to sympathise with a man who so clearly wanted US chucked out of the league a few years ago when we were in our own difficulties

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Orient only have to grow their fanbase by 8,000 and they'll fill their 9,000 stadium!

 

[Razi]

I'm pretty sure that the issue here isn't that Hearn wants the Olympic Stadium for Orient - it's that it'll move West Ham very close to their own catchment area, and WH are planning on offering thousands of cut-price/free tickets in order to fill up the stadium. Therefore, as Sten_Super correctly mentions above, a lot of Orient fans will just opt for the cheaper ticket to watch Premiership football - potentially putting Orient out of business. A lot of people here are seemingly jumping on the WRONG bandwagon without really being aware of what the real issue is for Orient.

 

[Knotty]

Quite. I find it difficult to sympathise with a man who so clearly wanted US chucked out of the league a few years ago when we were in our own difficulties

That was after the 4-4 draw when a couple of our idiot fans went on the pitch to 'discuss things' with Ray Wilkins!

Hearn is on record as saying we should be thrown out of the league so, like you, I have no sympathy with him now.

 

[beorhthelm]

I think the real issue for Orient is not that West Ham are moving, but that they are moving to a ground which is far too big for them. There's an expectation that there will be cheap seats for all, free tickets for local schools, etc.

yes, expectation. its possibility, not an absolute fact. and even if they do give out loads of free tickets to kids, why would they necessarily stray far north of their existing heartlands? Seems to me this aspect is just speculation.

on Rookie's point, i think they probably already do play at home alternative weekends, grounds close together usually do.

 

[Razi]

yes, expectation. its possibility, not an absolute fact. and even if they do give out loads of free tickets to kids, why would they necessarily stray far north of their existing heartlands? Seems to me this aspect is just speculation.

It's part of the proposal put forward, and as quoted by Karren Brady:
"We have been around capacity for several years and smashed season ticket records in recent seasons. Our database is huge, over 700,000, and tens of thousands of fans tell us they would come to the Olympic Stadium for cheaper tickets we could offer. We have 17,000 on our season-ticket waiting list. Our proposals also include free tickets for schools and community groups. People say football is too expensive this is a chance to do something about that."