Giving Orient fans a voice
Leyton Orient Fans' Trust
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Reaction to Olympic Stadium news
3/27/2013

Last week saw the long-expected announcement of a deal struck between the London Legacy Development Corporation and West Ham United for a tenancy at the Olympic Stadium. What financial details have been released so far show that public money is going to be used to plug the gap between the LLDC's budget and what West Ham are prepared to offer, for making the stadium suitable in West Ham's view.
 
Judging by the reaction to the reports on various news outlets, it is clearly not only Leyton Orient supporters who are questioning both the legality and the ethics of West Ham contributing just £15m to the upfront conversion costs – a derisory amount considering the billions of pounds the Premier League will receive in its next TV rights deal.
 
As for the potential effect on Leyton Orient, the debate hasn't moved on any further. While LOFT continues to support club chairman Barry Hearn in his efforts, both in court and with the Premier League over the clear breach of its rules, we simply don't know what effect West Ham playing less than two miles away from Brisbane Road will have long-term on Orient. There are arguments (and doom-laden predictions) that the club's support will dwindle over time, equally there are arguments that the club has an opportunity to market itself as a true alternative to Premier League largesse; real east London football in a real east London football stadium, watching the action up close and personal not from a distance in an athletics stadium.
 
Whatever the club plans to do for the future, LOFT will continue to play its part in making sure that O's fans' voices are heard.



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