WHU DO get naming rights income, they told The Select Committee they don't
West Ham taking over a taxpayer funded stadium in itself isn't a great issue, but the events surrounding it are and the deal that was struck is certainly not in the best interests of the taxpayer so one has to ask why.
Karren Brady went before a House of Lords Select Committee and the information she gave them appears to be at odds to the information she gave to West Ham United fans in a question and answer sessions posted on their official website.
Surely answers to a House of Lords Select Committee should correspond with answers she gave to the club's official site because the differences suggest either a misleading of the House of Lords Select Committee or the misleading of West Ham United fans, neither of which would conform to her stated desire to bring the integrity back to West Ham both on and off the field.
The West Han United Vice-Chairman gave evidence to The Select Committee on Olympic and Paralympic Legacy on 24 July 2013 yet when you compare her remarks with the WHU official website and David Gold statements in March, April and 22 July 2013, significant and startling differences appear that cast new light on answers given to that Committee.
Karren Brady went before a House of Lords Select Committee and the information she gave them appears to be at odds to the information she gave to West Ham United fans in a question and answer sessions posted on their official website.
Surely answers to a House of Lords Select Committee should correspond with answers she gave to the club's official site because the differences suggest either a misleading of the House of Lords Select Committee or the misleading of West Ham United fans, neither of which would conform to her stated desire to bring the integrity back to West Ham both on and off the field.
The West Han United Vice-Chairman gave evidence to The Select Committee on Olympic and Paralympic Legacy on 24 July 2013 yet when you compare her remarks with the WHU official website and David Gold statements in March, April and 22 July 2013, significant and startling differences appear that cast new light on answers given to that Committee.
Olympic Stadium Q+A dated March 2013
Question - Can you tell me more about the deal between West Ham United and the LLDC?
Karren Brady Answer - An upfront capital contribution of £15m which along with a share of Naming rights income will assist with the cost of the overall transformation works.
WHUFC.com Statement on Olympic Stadium decision dated March 2013
Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said: “Anyone who thinks we got a free ride, we most certainly haven’t. We want to pay our way and accept that we have to pay our way and the two owners of West Ham have been very clear on that. We will put in a lump-sum and pay a rent that will cover most of the running costs and then we will share naming rights and other revenues.”
Olympic Stadium Master Q+A dated April 2013
Question - Will the move affect the Club in a negative way commercially?
Karren Brady Answer - The full terms of the agreement cannot be disclosed at this stage. We retain full commercial control of our business. Catering and naming rights revenue is shared. The Club has no current naming rights partner at the Boleyn Ground.
David Gold said in two tweets that West Ham do get a share of the naming rights income.
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That's all pretty clear West Ham receive an income from the naming rights from the Olympic Stadium, confirmed by their co-owner David Gold. Why then did Karren Brady tell the Select Committee that all revenue goes to the LLDC for naming rights just 2 days later?
The statements of March and April also appear to state the opposite to her testimony.
The statements of March and April also appear to state the opposite to her testimony.
Lord Bates: You mentioned the naming rights of the stadium. Could you just say a little bit
about how that will work and how the bidding process will work? If you are able to say so,
how much do you think you will get for the naming rights of the stadium?
Karren Brady: The naming rights are not West Ham’s to sell; they are the LLDC’s to sell.
The LLDC will operate that process. It will probably appoint somebody to sell them for it,
and it will determine the value and the amount of money that they take for them.
Lord Bates: That will all go to the LLDC.
Karren Brady: Yes.
This is an extract of her opening address: 'we would put the culture and integrity back into West Ham, both on and off the pitch.'
West Ham United tell their fans they are getting money from naming rights but appear to withhold that information from a House of Lords Select Committee when asked point blank about it. Why did Karren Brady not tell them West Ham would be getting an income if, as David Gold says, they would have refused any deal that didn't include an income from naming rights?
West Ham United tell their fans they are getting money from naming rights but appear to withhold that information from a House of Lords Select Committee when asked point blank about it. Why did Karren Brady not tell them West Ham would be getting an income if, as David Gold says, they would have refused any deal that didn't include an income from naming rights?
I must point out here that I have had email correspondence back and forth with West Ham United on this and other elements of her testimony that I'll raise over the coming days. West Ham refuse to furnish me with any written answers, offering only the option of verbal answers, which unless recorded would retain deniability.
Why so secretive if everything is all above board and enhances the integrity Karren Brady told the House of Lords Select Committee that she is bringing back to West Ham both on and off the pitch?
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