So we may lose athletics use of the Olympic stadium

[Occasional Hope]

UK Athletics in talks to quit London Stadium and open door for West Ham transformation (telegraph.co.uk)

[RunUnlimited]

UK Athletics in talks to quit London Stadium and open door for West Ham transformation (telegraph.co.uk)

What a sad, sorry state of affairs that is.

A LOT of the blame should be laid at the door of the bumbling idiot currently squatting in No 10 Downing Street. When he was major, his legendary lack of attention and detail, allowed him to negotiate away the athletics usage of the Olympic Stadium, and gave a route in for West Ham to make a bid for it, when they should have been told to stuff it and build a replacement stadium for Upton Park.

By the time Khan became mayor, the die had seemingly been already cast about the future of a venue which, lest we forget, had been built on the *promise* that it would be retained as a world class, multi-sports stadium with an emphasis on athletics.

Some "legacy".... a decade after the London 2012 Games and 5 years after the very successful 2017 World Athletics Championships, we're just going to fritter it away to a football club for a fraction of the price it was built for.

Thank the heavens that Alexander Stadium got renovated for the Commonwealths (and that the long-ignored Crystal Palace stadium complex seems to be getting a much needed face lift too).

[Ursus]

I can’t access the full article.

Obviously a lot of considerations but purely from a spectating pov it’d be no loss. Fine for a couple of globals with big crowds but way too big / empty for anything else. Give me a packed Palace any day. Much more authentic.

[treadwater1]

The legal agreement struck between UKA and the stadium operators was water-tight and guaranteed access for a certain window each summer. So I wonder whether there has been some pressure exerted from certain groups, West Ham have wanted this from day 1 that’s for certain.

I remember a few years ago the government produced a list of all the major sporting events they were planning to bid for over the next 20 years and the athletics world championships was on there with Birmingham listed as the likely host city rather than London, so the writing has been on the wall.

Its not been perfect I acknowledge that, but once the stadiums gone it’s gone, there will be no future world championships in London by the looks of it. I doubt that West Ham will adapt the stadium in such a way it could be converted into an athletics stadium for a short period as Hampden was for the commonwealths. The original architects (and the LOC for giving them that design brief) should hang their heads in shame, this all could have been avoided if the stadium was design as the Stade de France was. BTW it was Johnson who was mayor of London when he made the decision to put in the cheapest seating available when the stadium was converted post 2012 and hence the £1 million cost to move the seating each summer

[Ladyloz]

The legal agreement struck between UKA and the stadium operators was water-tight and guaranteed access for a certain window each summer. So I wonder whether there has been some pressure exerted from certain groups, West Ham have wanted this from day 1 that’s for certain.

I remember a few years ago the government produced a list of all the major sporting events they were planning to bid for over the next 20 years and the athletics world championships was on there with Birmingham listed as the likely host city rather than London, so the writing has been on the wall.

Its not been perfect I acknowledge that, but once the stadiums gone it’s gone, there will be no future world championships in London by the looks of it. I doubt that West Ham will adapt the stadium in such a way it could be converted into an athletics stadium for a short period as Hampden was for the commonwealths. The original architects (and the LOC for giving them that design brief) should hang their heads in shame, this all could have been avoided if the stadium was design as the Stade de France was. BTW it was Johnson who was mayor of London when he made the decision to put in the cheapest seating available when the stadium was converted post 2012 and hence the £1 million cost to move the seating each summer

Isn't the post Commonwealth Games Capacity for Alexander Stadium something like 18,000. That's not big enough for the World Championships or European Championships (I suppose at a push it could host the lesser Europeans which are held in Olympics Year as they hold much less appeal to the more casual sports fans) Europeans is the only major champs never hosted by Britain and I'd much prefer if we ever were to host it that it be the Europeans 'proper' as it were.

I can't access the article but it would be good if as part of the negotiations they could have some kind of option for the Stadium to host major Champs (perhaps once a decade). Let's hope whoever is leading the negotiations from an athletics perspective drives a hard financial bargain also. As you say the contract is watertight, so they do hold some strong cards.

[carterhatch]

I have said on other threads that there was almost an inevitable 'managed withdrawl' process to remove athletics from the 'Olympic' stadium, once the reality of the cost of conversion for a couple of weeks each year was acknowledged by interested parties.

As a Games Maker from London 2012, I would like to think that there is an 'water tight' agreement to use the stadium should we host another Olympics or World Athletics, however unlikely in my life time.

What I do want to see out of this 'legacy' is for the funding to be made immediately available for Crystal Palace Stadium to be restored as a centre for international athleitcs in London.

[RunUnlimited]

I have said on other threads that there was almost an inevitable 'managed withdrawl' process to remove athletics from the 'Olympic' stadium, once the reality of the cost of conversion for a couple of weeks each year was acknowledged by interested parties.

As a Games Maker from London 2012, I would like to think that there is an 'water tight' agreement to use the stadium should we host another Olympics or World Athletics, however unlikely in my life time.

What I do want to see out of this 'legacy' is for the funding to be made immediately available for Crystal Palace Stadium to be restored as a centre for international athletics in London.

I'm in complete agreement with the part that I bolded there Carterhatch. If London is going to ultimately lose the Olympic Stadium to football, then renovating the Crystal Palace Stadium would be the top priority as part of the negotiations.... Perhaps with a proviso that includes upping the capacity from it's current 16,500, to say, 25,500, and having the ability to increase that to 45-50,000 with temp seating for potential major championships.

[Paps]

Isn't the post Commonwealth Games Capacity for Alexander Stadium something like 18,000. That's not big enough for the World Championships or European Championships (I suppose at a push it could host the lesser Europeans which are held in Olympics Year as they hold much less appeal to the more casual sports fans) Europeans is the only major champs never hosted by Britain and I'd much prefer if we ever were to host it that it be the Europeans 'proper' as it were.

I can't access the article but it would be good if as part of the negotiations they could have some kind of option for the Stadium to host major Champs (perhaps once a decade). Let's hope whoever is leading the negotiations from an athletics perspective drives a hard financial bargain also. As you say the contract is watertight, so they do hold some strong cards.

Anywhere that is big enough to host the World Champs will feel empty for any other athletics event. Far better that, in the event Birmingham does win it in the future, additional temporary seating is reinstalled.

Given that some will build an entire new facility for a World Champs, I’m sure there will be budget to extend the seating if needs be.

[philipo]

Isn't the post Commonwealth Games Capacity for Alexander Stadium something like 18,000. That's not big enough for the World Championships or European Championships (I suppose at a push it could host the lesser Europeans which are held in Olympics Year as they hold much less appeal to the more casual sports fans) Europeans is the only major champs never hosted by Britain and I'd much prefer if we ever were to host it that it be the Europeans 'proper' as it were.

I can't access the article but it would be good if as part of the negotiations they could have some kind of option for the Stadium to host major Champs (perhaps once a decade). Let's hope whoever is leading the negotiations from an athletics perspective drives a hard financial bargain also. As you say the contract is watertight, so they do hold some strong cards.

Incorrect as to capacity rules by WA The seat capacity of the Stadium for this years WC in Eugene is 12,600 so I am reliably informed. A temporary increase is discussed inconclusive by posters on t and f Forum varying from 7000 or ,18,000 which I dont believe.The Alexander Stadium will have a capacity after the CG of 18,000 and can be increased to 30 K for major champs. There is no reason why Birmingham cannot be suitable for a WC.
The London Olympics Stadium is a bit too large for all but the globals,imo, but West Ham spent years slagging off the Stadium as being useless for football, but now it's all different. Hypocrites, crooked and money mad, just as you might expect of,Soccer in this country

[LuckySpikes]

Isn't the post Commonwealth Games Capacity for Alexander Stadium something like 18,000. That's not big enough for the World Championships or European Championships (I suppose at a push it could host the lesser Europeans which are held in Olympics Year as they hold much less appeal to the more casual sports fans) Europeans is the only major champs never hosted by Britain and I'd much prefer if we ever were to host it that it be the Europeans 'proper' as it were.

I can't access the article but it would be good if as part of the negotiations they could have some kind of option for the Stadium to host major Champs (perhaps once a decade). Let's hope whoever is leading the negotiations from an athletics perspective drives a hard financial bargain also. As you say the contract is watertight, so they do hold some strong cards.

I read somwhere a while back that UKA were bidding for the 2026 European Champs with Gateshead as the proposed venue,

[Ladyloz]

Again it's nowhere big.enough unless they're going to put a load of temporary seating.in. Needs to be a capacity of at least 40,000 I feel.

[stirling]

UKA are very silent/ closed on all this, but would be helpful to know what their plans are.

All major athletics events are in Birmingham, Manchester, Gateshead, which serves the midlands and the North. If they do quit the London Olympic stadium, then what are the plans for London & the south of England?

Would they consider supporting Crystal Palace again? If not, why?

I've been posting about this on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cpsportscentre

[Chafford1]

I read somwhere a while back that UKA were bidding for the 2026 European Champs with Gateshead as the proposed venue,

The Government rejected funding for the North East bid. The latest news is that Birmingham are considering a bid for the 2026 European Championships. The bidding process for the 2026 ECs has just stated a few days ago

Agree with all here that Cystal Palace should be renovated and used again for Intrrnational competition. I have fond memories attending meetings at CP in the late 70s.

[treadwater1]

I noticed that European athletics have already given the 2026 Euros to Paris after the cancellation of the 2020 edition. So it’s unlikely 2026 would go to Birmingham unless they opted for a 2018 system, where the athletics took place in one country and the other events in another

[treadwater1]

Isn't the post Commonwealth Games Capacity for Alexander Stadium something like 18,000. That's not big enough for the World Championships or European Championships (I suppose at a push it could host the lesser Europeans which are held in Olympics Year as they hold much less appeal to the more casual sports fans) Europeans is the only major champs never hosted by Britain and I'd much prefer if we ever were to host it that it be the Europeans 'proper' as it were.

I can't access the article but it would be good if as part of the negotiations they could have some kind of option for the Stadium to host major Champs (perhaps once a decade). Let's hope whoever is leading the negotiations from an athletics perspective drives a hard financial bargain also. As you say the contract is watertight, so they do hold some strong cards.

In an ideal world that would be the best outcome, but it’s tricky, Hampden worked so for the commonwealths because I think at one stage in its history it had an athletics track, which gave the stands at the ends their curved shape. It would be harder to do in a modern rectangular arrangement

[Ladyloz]

Guess it depends on how much West Ham are prepared to pay to reconfigure the Stadium further - I certainly don't see any more Public money being available.

My hunch is that under the current owners probably not that much. Of course they could always be bought a la Newcastle / Man City where money would be no object. At least no Russian Oligarch buy outs for the forseeable.

[Laps]

Inevitable from day one. Hopefully UK Athletics are capable of negotiating cleverly and using the money wisely.

[Chafford1]

Inevitable from day one. Hopefully UK Athletics are capable of negotiating cleverly and using the money wisely.

£10- £15m according to the Telegraph. UKA should ask for more.

[carterhatch]

I cant read the torygraph article... so what is that sum? West Ham would spend that amount on a left back for their reserves, its almost petty cash for them... I agree UKA need their wits about them and demand more - I hope Jack Buckner [soon to be new CEO] is involved somehow. At a minimum UKA must get the funds to ensure Crystal Palace is as good as the renovated Alexander Stadium.

[Ladyloz]

If they do a deal at that price they're monumentally stupid. It isn't just a case of buying them out of the contract which I believe is something like £100K a year for 1 Month's use of the Stadium. But UKA are giving up future additional revenue from the larger capacity that the Olympic Stadium provides. Even selling 35-40,000 tickets (which is only two thirds capacity of the stadium) is more than double the paying customers they could get in Birmingham.

The much maligned Jo Coates negotiated a 7 figure sum just last year when they agreed not to host the Diamond League last summer. That was obviously a one off short term deal and not a.permanent long term one.