A Chelsea groundshare with West Ham United could still be on the agenda after an update on a huge development.
Would West Ham have a say if one of their fiercest rivals such as Chelsea wanted to groundshare at the stadium they rent?
Well it was a question being asked earlier this year after it was reported the Blues had ‘held talks’ with the London Legacy Development Committee – who own the London Stadium – about whether they might be able to share it with the Hammers while they reconstruct Stamford Bridge.
West Ham have been anchor tenants at the former Olympic Stadium since 2016.
And – as evidenced by a ridiculous wall constructed between home and away fans by LLDC at the stadium – West Ham often have little say on key elements at their home ground.
LLDC already makes huge losses at the London Stadium and frosty relations between them and the West Ham hierarchy were reported by The Daily Mail earlier this year.
Chelsea had plans to build a new 60,000 capacity stadium at Stamford Bridge would likely cost up to £2billion and take four years to complete.
And according to the likes of The Daily Mail and The Sun back in March, that’s where West Ham’s ground could come in handy.
That idea looked to be a moot point, though, when it emerged Chelsea could instead build an all new stadium at the derelict site formerly home to Earls Court Exhibition Centre.
But a Chelsea groundshare with West Ham could still be on the agenda after an update on that huge development.
Because Chelsea face the prospect of having to revisit redeveloping Stamford Bridge and therefore be without a home ground for up to FOUR years after Todd Boehly suffered another blow.
The Athletic is reporting that Chelsea are now not in talks to purchase the former Earls Court Exhibition Centre site for a potential relocation.
That’s according to the company overseeing the multi-billion pound project.
Earls Court Development Company (ECDC) published an updated version of its masterplan for the 40-acre site in southwest London on Wednesday, which is to include the construction of 4,000 new homes, extensive retail and office space, three large cultural and performance venues and an urban park.
But no football stadium.
“We categorically deny that there are any talks taking place with Chelsea FC about a stadium relocation to the Earls Court site,” an ECDC statement read.
“After years of consultation with the local community, we have updated our masterplan proposals and today release updated plans.
“Our scheme will deliver 4,000 homes, space for 12,000 jobs, acres of public space and cultural venues, restaurants and community facilities. There is no football stadium in the Earls Court masterplan.”
That will now inevitably lead to suggestions Chelsea could approach the LLDC over sharing the London Stadium with West Ham.
Given its level of debt, pressure on reducing it and the excellent transport links at Stratford, there will be concern among West Ham fans that the LLDC might welcome any proposition from west London.
It remains to be seen whether the Hammers hierarchy would have any say or power to stop it as anchor tenants. Or indeed whether they would receive any share of the income it would generate.
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