West Ham’s hopes of setting up a big screen at the London Stadium for fans to watch their Europa Conference League Final clash with Fiorentina have been dashed due to Major League Baseball.
The final, which takes place in Prague on the 7th of June, is West Ham’s first major cup final since 2006 and their first European final since 1976. As a result, the club wanted to put on a screening for fans at their home stadium.
Unfortunately, the final clashes with preparations for the Major League Baseball (MLB) double header that is set to take place at the stadium at the end of June.
The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs are set to play two games at the stadium on the 24th-25th of June with preparations for it planned to start at the start of June, before the Europa Conference League Final.
Reacting on social media, West Ham fans not travelling to Prague are unhappy to miss out on watching the final in their home ground, calling the decision a “joke”.
Please sign the petition if you think West Ham United should organise live screening of Europa Conference League final in London Stadium or in a fanzone. Thanks ⚒https://t.co/9Mq6khPsox
— Mo Rahman (@mo3030) May 23, 2023
Where can West Ham fans watch the UECL final in London?
The matter is complicated by the fact that Grammy award-winning artist, Burna Boy, is playing a concert at the stadium on June 3rd. That means that MLB officials will only have three weeks to make the stadium baseball-ready, something that took several weeks the last time the sport came to London.
Another complication is the fact that West Ham don’t have ownership of the London Stadium, meaning that they aren’t able to be more flexible. The club pays an annual rental fee to the London Legacy Development Corporation which dictates what events are hosted at the former Olympic Stadium.
As a result, the club have been looking for alternative venues in London to host a screening but according to the Evening Standard, those plans have also been shelved.
A party in Prague: Fan Park being set up for ticketless fans
One thing that West Ham officials are actively organising is a fan park in Prague for those travelling without tickets. The club has been given an allocation of just shy of 5000 tickets for the showpiece event which has left many disappointed.
The game is being played at the Eden Arena which is the home stadium of Slavia Prague. The stadium has a capacity of only 19,370 which has left many bewildered by UEFA’s decision to award it a major European final.
With thousands of fans planning on going to Prague ticketless to soak up the atmosphere, the club are in the process of setting up a big screen in the city so they can enjoy the match together, too.