Sir Sadiq Khan has indicated he would not be opposed to West Ham United leaving the London Stadium if a potential new owner proposed a move. The atmosphere at the venue, which hosted the 2012 Olympics, has become increasingly hostile this season. Resentment over the club’s controversial move from Upton Park to Stratford in 2016 lingers, with regular protests taking place both inside and outside the stadium.
Many fans have spoken out against majority shareholder David Sullivan and are demanding that the club be sold. However, plans for a new stadium by the current owners or a future buyer have not yet been considered, as the owners confirmed a 99-year lease for the stadium in 2013. West Ham cannot make any major changes to the structure of the London Stadium unless they own it, and no agreement has been reached to take full control of the venue.
Fans are envious of clubs like Everton and rivals Tottenham, who have recently built football-friendly stadiums.
Khan announced at Wembley Stadium that his Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) has partnered with London United, the community foundation of all 17 of London’s professional football clubs, in a major initiative to combat violence and exploitation, and told football.london he would discuss the future of the stadium once a serious offer from a new buyer is presented to West Ham.
He said: “London Stadium is a fantastic asset to our great city, not just for the football that takes place there, but also for the athletics, concerts, baseball and other things that take place at other times of the year.”
“We’ve been hearing rumors of a new West Ham owner for the last nine years since I’ve been mayor, so we’ll see if that happens. But speaking to friends who are West Ham fans, I know they’ve had a great experience at the London Stadium.”
“So if there is a new owner at West Ham, I will be happy to talk to them. We speak very well and I get along very well with the current owners and staff, but I’m always happy to talk to the people who run sporting events. In my opinion, London is the sporting capital of the world.”
“These stadiums are a great way for fans to watch the team they love. Frankly, some stadiums are not liked by all fans, whether it’s because the team is not doing well or because of the way the stadium is built. But if there is a new owner, if that’s the case, we’ll talk about it then.”
Asked if there were any contingency plans in place in case a future new owner wanted to leave the London Stadium and build a new ground elsewhere, he said: “Well, listen, at the moment we have a contract with West Ham.
“However, if West Ham have a new owner, we would be happy to speak to them and the current owners. We are always happy to speak to anyone who wants to organize an event in London.”
“The London Stadium is a luxury stadium, so even if West Ham wanted to give it up in the future, I think there would be plenty of other uses for it.”
West Ham currently sit 19th in the Premier League with four points from 27 points. Tensions reached a crescendo during a recent 2-0 home defeat to Brentford, when supporters booed the team, jeered at the owners and stormed out before the final whistle.
Fans are planning another demonstration after Sunday’s game against Newcastle, with a sit-in protest organized inside the stadium.
