John
01-21-2011, 05:01 PM
Two rival London football clubs hoping to take over the Olympic stadium after 2012 have presented their formal bids.
West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are both vying for residency at the state-of-the-art venue.
However, their proposals are very different and have divided football and sporting fans alike.
West Ham plans to keep the athletics track and run the stadium as a multi-sport, multi-event venue.
But Spurs propose to demolish most of the £500m stadium and build a new one, more suited to football.
The West Ham bid, backed by local Newham Council, is widely seen as most in keeping with the promise of leaving a lasting local and athletics legacy from the Games.
The Spurs proposal, which they are submitting in conjunction with the American entertainment giant AEG, is seen as the most financially sustainable of the two plans.
While Spurs say they would contribute to athletics by redeveloping Crystal Palace, UK Athletics are not impressed.
UK Athletics chief Ed Warner told Sky News: "Every four years Britain looks for track and field athletes to succeed in the Union Jack vest, to lift the nation.
"If we don't have an Olympic stadium after a Games here in London, where will the inspiration be to the next generation of athletes?
"£500m is a huge amount of money just to throw away."
But many in football believe having an athletic track between the fans and the pitch will be detrimental to fans' enjoyment of the game.
Former Premier League boss Rick Parry said: "I don't think mixing athletics and football works.
"With athletics, the viewing distances are definitely compromised, the comfort is compromised and it's not a great solution. It does impact on the atmosphere.
"If the comfort isn't right for spectators, they vote with their feet and that has an impact on future revenues."
But there is also strong opposition from within the Spurs' fan base to a move from north London to the East.
"There's one thing that makes Tottenham Hotspur, Tottenham Hotspur, to me," Tim Framp of supporters' group We Are N17 said.
"That's the fact that it's from Tottenham - football's rooted in the location where the club comes from."
Mr Framp added: "I can't really see myself going to football matches or having the same passion about Tottenham ever again, if they move."
Source - Yahoo.
West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are both vying for residency at the state-of-the-art venue.
However, their proposals are very different and have divided football and sporting fans alike.
West Ham plans to keep the athletics track and run the stadium as a multi-sport, multi-event venue.
But Spurs propose to demolish most of the £500m stadium and build a new one, more suited to football.
The West Ham bid, backed by local Newham Council, is widely seen as most in keeping with the promise of leaving a lasting local and athletics legacy from the Games.
The Spurs proposal, which they are submitting in conjunction with the American entertainment giant AEG, is seen as the most financially sustainable of the two plans.
While Spurs say they would contribute to athletics by redeveloping Crystal Palace, UK Athletics are not impressed.
UK Athletics chief Ed Warner told Sky News: "Every four years Britain looks for track and field athletes to succeed in the Union Jack vest, to lift the nation.
"If we don't have an Olympic stadium after a Games here in London, where will the inspiration be to the next generation of athletes?
"£500m is a huge amount of money just to throw away."
But many in football believe having an athletic track between the fans and the pitch will be detrimental to fans' enjoyment of the game.
Former Premier League boss Rick Parry said: "I don't think mixing athletics and football works.
"With athletics, the viewing distances are definitely compromised, the comfort is compromised and it's not a great solution. It does impact on the atmosphere.
"If the comfort isn't right for spectators, they vote with their feet and that has an impact on future revenues."
But there is also strong opposition from within the Spurs' fan base to a move from north London to the East.
"There's one thing that makes Tottenham Hotspur, Tottenham Hotspur, to me," Tim Framp of supporters' group We Are N17 said.
"That's the fact that it's from Tottenham - football's rooted in the location where the club comes from."
Mr Framp added: "I can't really see myself going to football matches or having the same passion about Tottenham ever again, if they move."
Source - Yahoo.