It is fair to say that the London Stadium is regarded as one of the worst grounds in the country. Despite having a capacity of 62,500, little atmosphere can be created due to the distance from the pitch that supporters find themselves at.
This is in stark contrast to Upton Park, which held 35,000, but held the spirit of a football stadium. The London Stadium was built for the 2012 Olympic Games, not football. The athletics track remains, but is covered up by a claret wrap. That was originally green, but was changed to the prominent colour of West Ham's home shirt to give the illusion of the stands being closer to the pitch.
West Ham fans have struggled to adapt to life at the London Stadium. The Hammers have had the success of winning the Europa Conference League since the move. However, that has also come with relegation from the Premier League.
One way for West Ham to improve the atmosphere would be by actually owning the ground. That would give the Hammers the capability to work on making it into a football stadium. Talk of West Ham owning the ground has recently been sparked by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
City AM quoted comments from Khan responding to a letter to Labour assembly member Bassam Mahfouz. Khan said "As you rightly note, we have had to make the best of a challenging contractual position inherited from the previous Mayor (Boris Johnson).
"I have always been clear that we would consider any credible proposal for the stadium, provided it offers value for taxpayers, protects the public interest and preserves the wider economic, social and sporting benefits the venue delivers for London."
It would be a tricky deal for West Ham to buy the London Stadium
He also added "public speculation regarding the future ownership structure of West Ham United and whether this may lead to interest in revisiting the contractual arrangements that apply to the stadium.
"Clearly, the ownership of the club is a matter for the club’s shareholders. We are committed to maintaining a constructive relationship with the club’s ownership and leadership, and the stadium team has welcomed recent improvements in that regard."
West Ham only rents the London Stadium, paying just over £2 million a year. However, the ground is believed to be costing taxpayers £19 million a year. The Hammers have a 99-year lease on the London Stadium from 2016, when they moved to the ground.
The Hammers owning the London Stadium appears to suit all parties, except maybe UK Athletics. They are also tenants of the ground and have been for a year before West Ham have. UK Athletics has a 50-year lease on the ground. They host a round of the World Athletics Diamond League each year. However, other venues have hosted the meet since 2015, including Gateshead International Stadium and the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
The London Stadium was also used as a venue for the 2017 World Championships in Athletics. That led to West Ham having to play their first three games of the 2017/18 season away from home. There was also a bid for London to host the 2029 Championships. However, that was ultimately awarded to Nairobi. Other events that have taken place at the London Stadium include concerts, Baseball, Rugby and motorsport.
West Ham owning the London Stadium appears far off right now. There was talk of Amanda Staveley being interested in the club buying it if her consortium became investors. However, Staveley's bid for shares in West Ham fell through, with Daniel Kretinsky set to become the majority shareholder. However, we do not know what Kretinsky's ambitions are, as he rarely speaks or makes any announcements publicly.
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