During my summer holiday in 2024 I had a conversation with a Wolverhampton Wanderers fan who suggested that West Ham were just a mid table team like Wolves. I took the comment in, but it stood out to me because, during the pursuit of Jhon Duran many Aston Villa fans claimed a move to the Hammers would be a step down.
This made me put my loyalty aside for the moment and take a closer look: Can West Ham be seriously considered as a “Big Club”?
West Ham could certainly be described as a club with a lot of potential – a solid Premier League team. However when compared to clubs such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, they are sadly not at the same level.
Finances – West Ham are 8th in the Premier League largely due to investment from Daniel Kretinsky, the stadium deal, and Premier League status. But if we look strictly at the wealth of their owners for 2024/25 West Ham fall behind, Newcastle Utd, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Fulham and then Aston Villa.
While there are some interesting names above West Ham, they are ahead of Liverpool and Tottenham. Still this data only gives part of the picture due to PSR rules. Looking back at 2022/2023 the Hammer ranked seventh in terms of match day, broadcast and commercial/sponsorship, and according to the latest Deloitte report are the 17th richest club in the world.
David Sullivan who is the majority shareholder is the 150th richest person in the country, with a net worth of £1.168bn – up £50m on last year.
Attendances: West Ham, based on ticket sales are second behind Manchester United in the Premier League with an average of 62,371 despite issues over concessions this is an amazing achievement and suggests West Ham do have a loyal following.
So regardless of the fact that the club don’t own their stadium, which helps a lot with overall finances, on paper West Ham are a very profitable club.
In terms of finances, to allay any fears, football finance expert, Kieran MacGuire has made it clear that the Hammers are financially sound with no immediate risk of breaching the Premier Leagues PSR.
Despite some rival fans calling them the “pikey boys” the reality is clear. With the second highest attendances based on ticket sales, the eighth wealthiest owners in the league, and being the 17th wealthiest club in the world, the facts speak for themselves. Perhaps the phrase “West Ham are massive” might just be more than a terrace chant!
Number one Club for me supported 68 years never die I’m forever blowing bubbles come on you Iorns.
Sullivan is the 150th richest person in the UK?
What a thoroughly loathsome obnoxious piece of parasitic vermin he is.
If there is any Karma in the world he would suffer a mega business/economic brain fart, akin to Trading Places. This would require the sale of all assets including West Ham leaving him just enough to not qualify for Pensioners Winter Heating or Pension Credit.
Eddie Murphy’s & Dan Ackroyd’s number anyone?
Wow, Clacton Road, is that really the person you are?
Agreed. Only need to look into ‘Sacha Wall’ to know Clacton is spot on.
We’re never truly be a big club because we’re not run like one
So with all that money flying about and being the 17th wealthiest club in the world why are we not competing at a higher level? The amount on money doesn’t correlate to what happens on the pitch so unless I’m mistaken it can only be proper management decisions.
‘But if we look strictly at the wealth of their owners for 2024/25’
So if we can interest Elon Musk into buying into our club, West Ham will be truly be the biggest club ever? Better still, become the plaything of the United States government.
We can but dream of supporting the wealthiest team ever. How cool would that be?
West Ham are massivest !!
Rather poor than fascist
The only relevant finances is revenue as that’s what fixes spending on players. Last time I looked we have the seventh largest revenue.
If all teams were run equally efficiently then we should be seventh most successful, that we’re not is a measure of our poor decisions.
All that praise doesn’t really relate to the ham fisted way they are acting in this transfer season.
Get 3 players they need, x1 defence / mid / striker and dismiss selling Guilherme.
Performance is portraying a tin pot outfit.
Very little broadcast on TV which means they are being tight lipped or not going to buy what’s needed.
Can understand striker being most prominent but other positions are equally important.
With Moyes gone should be ahead of the game but still a load of dithering.
Sorry, I’m a huge West Ham fan but how the hell is any of that relevant to the point?
Unless there was a new rule change where clubs can gain extra points for good attendance or having wealthy owners then how is ANY of that a counter to saying “West Ham [are] just a mid table team like Wolves”..?
The last 5 seasons based on league finishes has West Ham’s average final position at 10.4 and Wolves at 11.4. THOSE are the things which determine a “mid table team” not finances or attendance figures.
Anyone can massage the figures to make a club look good or bad. If you take the last four seasons West Ham’s average league finish is 9th.
A couple of month’s ago I heard another Wolves fan on TalkSport claim that his club and West Ham are the same size, which was shot down by the programme’s presenters. The Aston Villa faithful are always finding a reason to pop at the Mighty Hammers – even if at one time they were a bigger outfit….. Obviously, they now see us as a threat, possibly because our average league attendances are 20,000 more per game.
If winning the English championship is used to measure a clubs size then Sunderland are bigger than Newcastle, because they’ve won two more. But they’re clearly not. So past trophies can’t be counted. None of it matters – it’s the future that counts, starting now.
Currently, there are signs that things are improving within the club. In another four years we could be talking about and average of 6th or 7th, if Graham Potter and his mate are given a chance by David Sullivan and our fans.
Who cares what our rivals are calling us? We give them enough stick, so I suppose it’s even. The London Stadium has been called ‘The Taxpayer’s Stadium’ which is another dig…… but frankly, it’s not West Ham’s issue. It’s jealousy from people whose clubs would’ve jumped at the chance to play in a home venue like that had one been built two miles from their current ground.
West Ham fans should not be ever concerned about the clubs finances, because it’s none of our business – and besides there’s nothing we can do about them
Yet we haggled over £4million extra over Duran in the summer….
Wolves owners Fosun currently have assets valued in the region of 130 billion dollars.
All very well having 130 billion, but you still have to spend within the rules and regs.