A viral video has shown how one simple change could completely transform the look and feel of the London Stadium — and West Ham fans would love it.
The stunning concept shows exactly how the athletics bowl could finally feel like something resembling a West Ham home ground.
The Hammers have been at the London Stadium for 10 years next summer.
But while the former Olympic Stadium has seen some fantastic and memorable nights to rival Super Saturday at the 2021 London Games, it still doesn’t feel like home for many West Ham fans.
The problem is, as things stand, the Hammers are stuck in their rented ground for the next 90 years.
It has been clear for some time the stadium issues simply must be addressed if the club is to move forward.
Home is where the heart is but West Ham sold their soul
Fans are protesting against the owners and the London Stadium move – and the broken promises that came with it – sits right at the heart of many of the issues.
Solutions are difficult and require ambitious owners who want to listen to supporters.
In reality, the stadium needs to be completely re-designed and transformed inside.
The stands need to be properly squared off and close to the pitch as well as the upper and lower tiers closer together like a traditional football stadium.
That is not beyond the will of man with examples from Spain, Russia and the US on how that can be done, Real Sociedad providing the best and most recent example of what could be done at West Ham.
Such an overhaul would not be cheap and would therefore require owners to show genuine ambition to give West Ham fans the stadium they deserve and can be proud of.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Another solution would obviously be a move to a new purpose-built ground.
With both of those scenarios only a remote possibility if West Ham are taken over by mega rich new owners, focus turns to what can be done in the short to medium term to make the London Stadium feel more like home.
Many Hammers supporters believe the club ‘sold its soul’ to play in a bowl-shaped arena not fit for football.
And it doesn’t help that visiting fans remind them of that every other week, although not in such polite terms.
A prominent West Ham fan group demanded answers from the owners over major changes they feel are needed to the Stratford arena.
But when asked over the summer whether West Ham’s owners have any plans to reconfigure the stands further in line with the wishes of fans, the response from unpopular vice-chair Karren Brady was deflating.
“The lower stands were moved closer to the pitch ahead of the 2020/21 season and there are no plans currently to further reconfigure the stands,” Brady said.
Videos show London Stadium fixes West Ham fans would love
Now videos show simple but stunning London Stadium fixes West Ham fans would love.
Until West Ham are taken over it seems there will be no significant, lasting changes to the stadium.
But the podcast Dads Our Job has released a video showing what a difference it would make changing one thing which should have been at the London Stadium from the very start.
Cast your minds back to West Ham’s beloved Upton Park and there were 35,000 beautifully deep claret and some blue seats.
Those seats told you this was West Ham’s home.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Many fans – myself included – loved them so much they paid £50 to keep them when the Boleyn was being knocked down.
The first video from Dads Our Job shows a simple change of turning the seats and solar panel membrane from predominantly white and clear to claret and blue.
As the claret washes over the ground it instantly looks and feels more like West Ham belong there and makes the stadium feel more enclosed.
Another video shows seats being installed to fill in the huge gaps at each end of the ground where the TV screen and beer garden areas are.
Claret seats, filling in gaps and iron cladding can transform London Stadium into a home fit for West Ham
Again, it instantly makes a huge difference to the look and feel of the stadium – albeit that would require permission for a new capacity increase.
The stadium is already starting to look old and cheap on the outside compared to some modern stadiums.
But a third video shows the London Stadium exterior being clad in Corten steel to replicate the Thames Ironworks heritage of West Ham like a new-age version of the castle turrets outside the Boleyn.
This looks particularly effective and impressive and instantly modernises the ground massively.
The big question of course is to David Sullivan, Daniel Kretinsky, Brady and co is – are you listening?
And do you really want to start trying to build bridges with West Ham fans?
Because this would be a good way to start.