West Ham Chairman, David Gold confirmed yesterday that the club has applied for permission to increase the Olympic Stadium capacity to 60,000 to meet demand.
Last night he further confirmed a 60,000 capacity is not the end and there are further possibilities to increase further to meet demand.
The rebuilt stadium currently has 66,510 seats in football mode and if the sightlines are good enough they could be sold in the band 5 £289 season ticket category. There are further possibilities which include infilling the gaps between the lower and upper tiers if a way can be engineered to create good sightlines which could add another 3,500 to take it to 70,000.
An increase beyond 60,000 would put the Hammers ahead of Manchester City, and the recently expanded Etihad Stadium which now holds 55,000 fans, we would also surpass Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium which has just over 60,000 seats. Even Spurs’ new stadium is only designed to hold 61,000 while Chelsea’s redeveloped Stamford Bridge will boast 60,000.
Should capacity increase to 66,000 or 70,000 in the future, the only club in England left with a greater capacity will be Manchester United, whose Old Trafford stadium can hold 76,000 spectators.
Yes Sean, aim high that’s what I say.
We could reduce ticket prices significantly then and make even more supporters happy
Thousands of happy hammers every where, what a time to be alive 🙂
Now we are talking,
And we will fill it 95% of the time,
Ive been saying this for the past 3 months now. We have an enormous waiting list for season tickets so why should we play 5th fiddle to Arsenal, Cheski, Spuds and Man City. Even if we pay the costs ourselves and shut up the groaners who say we are free loading the tax payer. Let’s make a formal application and do it – and quickly. Every extra 1000 we get in will proportionately improve the atmosphere. Not only am I beginning to dream big with the team, I am doing likewise for our club. We really can be right up there with the biggest and I believe we have to be because the European Super League continues to raise its head so let’s be prepared!!! COYI
would we need to review the sightlines for the 66k seats that already exist? i thought some of these seats were outside of the FIFA recommended distance, but any decision to sell the seats resided with the club.
i went right to the top behind the goal at the Barbarians rugby friendly in August last year -it’s a long way to the other end of the pitch but, for £289 for 19 matches I could probably put up with it.
filling the gaps appears to be a challenge behind the goals and in the west stand though. maybe the corners of the lower tier could be filled – they were the most ‘obvious’ gaps I could see when I went.