German football clubs "afford cheap tickets" because they do it the EPL side "West Ham way," according to Martin Samuel of the London DAILY MAIL. When the Allianz Arena in Munich was developed for the 2006 World Cup, the city and state incurred costs of more than £150M to "improve local infrastructure." The redevelopment of the country's Olympic Stadium came in at close to £180M -- "handy for the occupants," Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin. This, in part, is why Bundesliga tickets are "affordable." The clubs have been "subsidised as a by-product of events held for the public good." The fact that Bayern Munich did "not have to wear the cost of adding extra lanes to the A9 motorway or improving Marienplatz U-Bahn station," means it can "keep prices down." Yet whenever we hear about the "good deals available to fans in Germany, nobody mentions this." It is different in the U.K. Last week, West Ham announced it would be "selling cheaper tickets as a result of the move to the London Olympic stadium, and it was grouse season again." The club could only do it because the "taxpayer had in part subsidised their new stadium." Indeed they had, and here was the club "giving a little back." West Ham's presence at the Olympic Stadium is "legacy in action." The venue will be "used, regularly, be maintained and be part of the community." And West Ham's new ground is not "strictly paid for by the taxpayer, as is often suggested, as we had to pay for the principal cost anyway" (DAILY MAIL, 4/26).
