West Ham United is a club in transition. Since moving out of its much-loved Boleyn Ground at Upton Park into London’s former Olympic Stadium, the club now finds itself as the Europe’s eighth most-attended side. We went along to the London Stadium to have a look for ourselves.
For fans of the old Victoriana of traditional football grounds, the loss of West Ham’s old Boleyn Ground is momentous. The idea of utilising the rebranded ‘London Stadium’ is sound enough, so long as it delivers on its ambition to propel West Ham to the forefront of European football.
At the time of writing, West Ham were struggling and some fans were in open revolt. But given time, West Ham could be very successful with the right investment. The best talent should be attracted to play in such an impressive venue in London, so it could just be teething trouble.
The atmosphere at the London Stadium
I went along to the London Stadium for an FA Cup third round replay when tickets were offered for just £10, so the atmosphere was somewhat subdued on a freezing cold January night. The majority of the noise came from the visiting Shrewsbury Town fans, but on a typical Premier League match, you can expect a near full-house nudging 60,000.
I am sure lots of people will compare atmospheres at the intimate, close-knit Boleyn Ground and the expansive London Stadium, where there is quite some distance between the fans and the field of play. Personally, I don’t like a ground where I can’t hear the ball being kicked or the players and coaching staff shouting. A key element of the game is lost for me.
To be fair, I was midway up on a corner section, but there’s plenty West Ham could do to encourage an atmosphere. Just look at other stadiums with an athletic track legacy, like the Stadio Olimpico in Roma, or the Olympiastadion in Berlin, which have awesome curve and tribunes.
How to visit West Ham at the London Stadium
Tickets for West Ham tickets can be purchased from the club’s online ticket office. The price varies according to the category of match, determined by the calibre of the opponents, and where you sit.
The London Stadium is very easily accessible via Stratford station, via the London Underground or overground train from Liverpool Street in the City of London.