Just read this on the englandfans forum,quite intresting
I have been a season ticket holder at West Ham for 13 years. I helped them get the deal with Jobserve and have also acted as a commercial consultant for them on a number of major projects. I also know a number of key individuals at the club, one of whom is "leaving" this week after serving the club for 25 years so I do have a bit more of an insight than the average fan. The board have little or no regard for the fans - they know that next season they will get 24,000 fans renewing their season ticket - and that another 1,000 will be chomping at the bit to get one. Look at the Membership scheme - this used to be £10 for a season - now it is £30 just to have the chance to buy a ticket. Due to this only 3-4 games per season actually reach general sale - so with 8,000 fans buying tickets this way they do not have to care about the fans. Ticket prices have risen ridiculously over the past few seasons - my ticket has risen on average per annum by 8.2% in 5 seasons - despite the fact 2 of those were in the Championship.
This is not about the fans - its about the money. These guys have put in hundreds of millions and expect a return for their investment. They will look at any way they can to do this. For instance, why are West Ham the 3rd most expensive team to watch in the Premiership behind Chelsea and Spurs? Because we pay the money season after season. Last season after the debacle at Reading they made the "gesture" of offering free travel to the Aston Villa away game - yet why not simply refund those fans who travelled to Reading to watch the game - again because they knew most fans do not travel by coach and so it would cost them less. Why did the club dump their gambling partner Pinnacle last year? Because the new provider pays more money. Why have they teamed up with a Spanish property developer? Money. Why is the kit only available through the club shop or website? because they do not want it sold via Soccer Sports and the like who will undercut the club by 50%.
The club have a commercial plan that is dependent on them reaching the top 6 this season. Mark my words, failure to hit these objectives will result in the dismissal of Curblishley. They showed no mercy over Pardew - he was seen as someone who could cause trouble over the Tevez affair as he said from day one that he had no hand in the matter and it was potentially going to bit the club on the bum if they did get relegated.
Do not get me wrong - I am claret and blue throughout but at the end of the day if the 5 members of the board who have become "fans" in the past year see the opportunity to rent the ground at, say £1m per game (30,000 seats at an average price of £50 excluding a cut from programmes, merchandise and refreshments sold at the stadium) then that would be the equiviliant of a season in the Champions League Group Stages. I have no doubt that if both clubs (not fans) think this is a goer then a deal will be done.
Spurs could ground-share with West Ham!
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sicknote
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voted yes
and as neighbouring london clubs we should be honourable enough to look past rivalry
and at board level they will do, the only blott on the landscape between the two clubs would involve lasagna, which if spurs don't bring it to the table then i'm sure the clubs can agree, the FA would look upon our club favourably for allowing spurs to stay close to their home
rivalry doesn't come into this at all for me aqnd won't do for the club
and if we ever needed the same what kind of reaction would we get from other london clubs if we show no good grace here
and as neighbouring london clubs we should be honourable enough to look past rivalry
and at board level they will do, the only blott on the landscape between the two clubs would involve lasagna, which if spurs don't bring it to the table then i'm sure the clubs can agree, the FA would look upon our club favourably for allowing spurs to stay close to their home
rivalry doesn't come into this at all for me aqnd won't do for the club
and if we ever needed the same what kind of reaction would we get from other london clubs if we show no good grace here
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AJ
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I wonder how the Spurs fans feel about this?
I mean imagine if our board had approached Spurs and asked to use their round while we moved to our new one?
What would our reactions be then?
I would fathom that Spurs fans dont want this to happen as much as we dont want it to happen
Though if you take a step back and analyse it it really would be a win situation for us the amount of taunting we could give, the money and the fact Spurs away would be mobbed with West Ham fans, plus a chance to stand in the away end where I used to stand as a kid on the north bank
I mean imagine if our board had approached Spurs and asked to use their round while we moved to our new one?
What would our reactions be then?
I would fathom that Spurs fans dont want this to happen as much as we dont want it to happen
Though if you take a step back and analyse it it really would be a win situation for us the amount of taunting we could give, the money and the fact Spurs away would be mobbed with West Ham fans, plus a chance to stand in the away end where I used to stand as a kid on the north bank
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Adam 'The Smudge'
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Harveys_HammersLH
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BSB1
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Wow. Businessmen in it for the money shock.Mark Noble wrote:Just read this on the englandfans forum,quite intresting
I have been a season ticket holder at West Ham for 13 years. I helped them get the deal with Jobserve and have also acted as a commercial consultant for them on a number of major projects. I also know a number of key individuals at the club, one of whom is "leaving" this week after serving the club for 25 years so I do have a bit more of an insight than the average fan. The board have little or no regard for the fans - they know that next season they will get 24,000 fans renewing their season ticket - and that another 1,000 will be chomping at the bit to get one. Look at the Membership scheme - this used to be £10 for a season - now it is £30 just to have the chance to buy a ticket. Due to this only 3-4 games per season actually reach general sale - so with 8,000 fans buying tickets this way they do not have to care about the fans. Ticket prices have risen ridiculously over the past few seasons - my ticket has risen on average per annum by 8.2% in 5 seasons - despite the fact 2 of those were in the Championship.
This is not about the fans - its about the money. These guys have put in hundreds of millions and expect a return for their investment. They will look at any way they can to do this. For instance, why are West Ham the 3rd most expensive team to watch in the Premiership behind Chelsea and Sp*rs? Because we pay the money season after season. Last season after the debacle at Reading they made the "gesture" of offering free travel to the Aston Villa away game - yet why not simply refund those fans who travelled to Reading to watch the game - again because they knew most fans do not travel by coach and so it would cost them less. Why did the club dump their gambling partner Pinnacle last year? Because the new provider pays more money. Why have they teamed up with a Spanish property developer? Money. Why is the kit only available through the club shop or website? because they do not want it sold via Soccer Sports and the like who will undercut the club by 50%.
The club have a commercial plan that is dependent on them reaching the top 6 this season. Mark my words, failure to hit these objectives will result in the dismissal of Curblishley. They showed no mercy over Pardew - he was seen as someone who could cause trouble over the Tevez affair as he said from day one that he had no hand in the matter and it was potentially going to bit the club on the bum if they did get relegated.
Do not get me wrong - I am claret and blue throughout but at the end of the day if the 5 members of the board who have become "fans" in the past year see the opportunity to rent the ground at, say £1m per game (30,000 seats at an average price of £50 excluding a cut from programmes, merchandise and refreshments sold at the stadium) then that would be the equiviliant of a season in the Champions League Group Stages. I have no doubt that if both clubs (not fans) think this is a goer then a deal will be done.
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thamesmeadhammer
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Why can't they piss off and play over the Marshes ??
Eggy.........Don't let them use our place no matter how much they are willing to shell out.
It's called PRIDE and I don't want them twtas using our place.......
Like letting the Ku Klax Klan have a float at the Notting hill.......They're be RIOTS !
Eggy.........Don't let them use our place no matter how much they are willing to shell out.
It's called PRIDE and I don't want them twtas using our place.......
Like letting the Ku Klax Klan have a float at the Notting hill.......They're be RIOTS !
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upton o'good
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I voted yes.
I just think we shd sting them for shedloads - and that is in the best interests of the club - esp with an expensive new stadium to build.
Quite why in other bitter local rivals manage to share stadia but we cant is beyond me.
p.s. what would make it better would be that they would spend two years homeless and then move to a redeveeloped 52k venue with lousy transport links, we would be at our home and then moving to a 60k brand new stadium in a great location.
I just think we shd sting them for shedloads - and that is in the best interests of the club - esp with an expensive new stadium to build.
Quite why in other bitter local rivals manage to share stadia but we cant is beyond me.
p.s. what would make it better would be that they would spend two years homeless and then move to a redeveeloped 52k venue with lousy transport links, we would be at our home and then moving to a 60k brand new stadium in a great location.
Last edited by upton o'good on Fri Nov 09, 2007 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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StiffUpper
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Voted unsure.
My every instinct goes against them using our ground and more importantly our area.
Seems so wrong. I expect there'd be a lot of trouble as well.
On the other hand if we were to make a lot of money from them and rub their fans noses in it by having to use our ground then that would be a good thing.
My every instinct goes against them using our ground and more importantly our area.
Seems so wrong. I expect there'd be a lot of trouble as well.
On the other hand if we were to make a lot of money from them and rub their fans noses in it by having to use our ground then that would be a good thing.
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hammerjohn
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upton o'good
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WHID to deserve this?
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At least it will give us a retort to their Darren Bent song...
They wanna come and play at west ham but we said no, no, no!
I actually find singing the Darren bent song to Spurs fan's illicits real anger, especially in my mocking tone. I hope I can get it going at the Sp*ds game but knowing those around me it's unlikely. More noise at a wake!
They wanna come and play at west ham but we said no, no, no!
I actually find singing the Darren bent song to Spurs fan's illicits real anger, especially in my mocking tone. I hope I can get it going at the Sp*ds game but knowing those around me it's unlikely. More noise at a wake!
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Georgee Paris
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Agreed, I think we should do it, it would be absolutely ****ing hilarious, and humbling for them, with their delusions of grandeur, to be renting from us supposed 'p*****'.Ben wrote:i think it would be much more embarrasing for them than us.
i wouldnt like to have to play our games at a rivals ground.
sure we would be doing them a favour but raking in money for doing very little..
only issue would be can the pitch hack it having a game every week?
