The £54.6m figure that will send a shiver down David Sullivan’s spine
David Sullivan is facing a litany of financial consequences should West Ham be relegated from the Premier League this season.
West Ham supporters are furious with Sullivan’s reign in E20, and performances on the pitch this season have led to more unrest.
Sullivan is hugely unpopular, and the mood amongst supporters is at an all-time low as the Hammers sit 18th in the Premier League table.
West Ham beat Newcastle 2-1 at the London Stadium on Sunday to ease fears over their Premier League status, yet there is still a long way to go before their fate will be decided.
West Ham are now favourites to be relegated, and should this happen, Sullivan will once again be absorbed in financial issues when it comes to the TV rights.
West Ham set for huge TV rights hit should they be relegated
Sullivan has overseen periods of success at West Ham, with the 2023 Europa Conference League win undoubtedly being the highlight.
A report by The Athletic has revealed that West Ham’s current domestic TV money distribution of £114million is projected to drop to £54.6m should they be relegated.
It’s a non-negotiable for the Hammers to avoid relegation, and frankly, the fact that they are in this position in the first place speaks volumes to Sullivan’s incompetence.
- Sullivan joined West Ham in 2010 alongside Karren Brady
- He sanctioned the move from the Boleyn Ground to the London Stadium in 2016, with supporters not keen on leaving Upton Park
- He is no longer wanted at the club due to the team’s decline in recent seasons, with West Ham currently sat 18th in the Premier League
West Ham’s present annual rent of £4million at the London Stadium will be halved should they drop into the Championship.
The London Stadium has been at the centre of problems around the club, and if West Ham were to be relegated, the ground would become even more soulless than it currently is.
Nuno Espirito Santo has a huge task on his hands if he is to steer the side away from relegation, and it’s important that Sullivan invests in the squad in the January transfer window.
Protests were staged after the Newcastle match, and it’s clear that Sullivan is more concerned about the financial implications of relegation than what it would mean for the supporters.
Relegation is a disaster on multiple fronts for West Ham
Nuno is faced with an impossible task to try and bridge the disconnect between Sullivan and the supporters, and it will take a huge upturn in form for any sort of progress to be made.
Southampton, who finished bottom of the league last season, received £109.2m in parachute payments last season, and should West Ham drop to the Championship, there’s no doubt that they would return to the top flight straight away.
However, players would need to be sold to cover the financial losses, and with a wage budget that was reported at £161m a year in 2023-24, the squad would be completely decimated.
Most importantly, the TV rights and stadium payments must come second for Sullivan, with his priority focused on appeasing the fans whilst they remain in the Premier League.
However, based on Sullivan’s reputation and track record, there’s no reason why West Ham fans should believe he has the club’s best interests at heart.
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