Tottenham Hotspurs hopes of ground-sharing the Olympic Stadium with the Irons are thin – at best!
Fresh fears that the north Londoners could look to get involved in such a plan emerged today when it became clear they were going to have to leave white Hart Lane for a season whilst their new ground was built.
Stories that Spurs might ground share with West Ham in the Olympic Stadium for one season seem wide of the mark. The same argument that existed for Leyton Orient and Barry Hearn applies to Spurs and Levy.
However, when West Ham Vice Chairman Karren Brady was asked about ground sharing before the House of Lords select committee last year she appeared to rule it out.
She said: “There is no precedent for ground-sharing. There is an understanding that every football club has to have supremacy of fixtures to be able to fulfill its obligation to its league. Having two football clubs that have that priority would be difficult.”
While West Ham signed up to a teaming agreement as part of its bid the fact remains it has anchor concessionaire winter rights and priority at the OS. UK Athletics enjoy the summer anchor tenant rights and priority.
When the stadium operator is announced that anyone including Spurs could in theory book the Stadium in the same way you book a village hall, it’s another level again to guarantee full Premier League fixture list for a second Premier League club.
Much more likely is for Spurs to ground share with the England football team at Wembley in North London although Levy might not be keen on paying the FA’s high rent.
One option put forward online was for Spurs to rotate between multiple stadiums with Wembley, the Olympic Stadium and Stadium MK within the mix among others. This would leave Spurs as nomads with no permanent home stadium for one season.
I am told this s would be difficult as Premier League rules say changes of stadium during a season must be agreed in writing.
Good summary Sean. It should be noted that in the specification for the stadium operator it obliges them to work with West Ham to, among other things, ensure that the stadium has the “look and feel” of West Ham’s home just how that would sit for a season with a high profile team like Spurs is interesting. At the recent Bondholder migration meetings it has been strongly suggested that their will be a claret & blue wrap to the stadium. Almost wish Spurs did share to see the look on their supporters when they see those colours every other week!
What’s that saying again? “He who laughs last………..” Spuds homeless? Priceless!!!!
After all the ****e they put us through over the OS move you would have thought the last club they would ask for a favour would be us! Just goes to show what a complete lack of morals not to mention sense of shame levy has.
And to think that if they had minded their own business when we were trying to buy the OS after the games we might have looked favourably on them renting the Boleyn or paying us to share the OS. Not a chance in hell now though!
But I hope they think about this long and often when they are paying off a huge chunk of the debt at Wembley when the FA sting them for rent!
Oh the delicious irony! COYI!
Interesting subject isnt it… God I hope they dont go for the OS cuz if they do I can see them getting it for 1 season, it would be different for a full time ground share but 1 season I think the LLDC would take it and there is nothing we could do to stop it. The thought for us being in the away end while the rest of the stadium is full of spuds (even for a single fixture) is to much for me to take.. maybe the thought of possible crowd trouble will stop this before it start but im worried