Anniversary Games set to be shifted away from London over £3m stadium costs

The London Stadium traditionally hosts the Anniversary Games
AFP via Getty Images

The Anniversary Games in July look set to be shifted away from the London Stadium in a bid to avoid a potential £3million black hole.

The annual event is scheduled for a midweek slot on July 13 with an anticipated 20,000 spectators, but the cost of reconfiguring the stadium from football to athletics and back again for a one-off event has proved prohibitively expensive at what would be the taxpayers’ expense.

Usually the cost of the seating change is spread alongside a series of high-profile concerts but, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Anniversary Games is the only event lined up to take place at the venue either side of West Ham’s respective Premier League seasons.

Talks have begun between stadium bosses and UK Athletics (UKA) about potentially moving it, with the London Legacy Development Authority (LLDC) having offered to cover the costs of relocating to another venue.

It is believed that Gateshead or Manchester are the only two viable options to step in, although Gateshead was recently chosen to host next month’s Diamond League season opener instead of Morocco.

A spokesperson for the LLDC told Standard Sport: “Like many venues, the Covid pandemic means London Stadium will not host the usual summer events in 2021.

“For the stadium, and ultimately the taxpayer, to face costs of around £3million to prepare for just one evening of athletics rather than the full summer calendar, where the cost would be spread between several events, seems disproportionate in these extraordinary times.

“We have reached out to UKA to discuss alternative options for this summer’s event, including an offer to cover the costs of moving the event to another venue. We believe this is a sensible way forward for all concerned under the circumstances.

“It will mean the event can still be held without disrupting Team GB’s Olympic preparations and delivers best value to the taxpayer. We would want UKA to see this is the best way forward in light of the circumstances caused by the pandemic.”

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