Category: Sports piece

The changing face of Leyton Orient: Are ticket prices symbolic of a shift in the clubs identity?

Orient’s fixture against Peterborough on Tuesday night had one of the lowest attendances of recent years

There’s something unmistakably nostalgic about a matchday at Leyton Orient. In East London, this club has long been a cornerstone for its community. But in recent times, some fans feel that sense of belonging has been tested, with a new commercial approach being pushed by the owners.

Leyton Orient fans are now paying up to £37 per match—a price that places them among the most expensive in League One. While the club has had a mixed start to their 24/25 campaign, performances have been promising. Off the pitch, concerns are growing about what rising ticket prices might mean for the future.

“I understand prices are going to go up given the circumstances at the minute, but £32-35 is a bit much for League One,” Rob, a season ticket holder, lamented, standing outside the Gaughan Group Stadium before Tuesday nights fixture against Peterborough.

For many, it’s not just the price itself that’s an issue, but the new categorisation of games—each fixture now labeled as AA, A, or B, determining how much fans will have to shell out. For this Saturday’s upcoming game against Wrexham classified as an AA fixture, non-concession adult tickets range between £33-37, leaving some to question the fairness of it all.

It is worth noting – Saturdays fixture is a sell out at Brisbane Road.

Darren, a devoted fan since 1986, makes a long trip from Bedfordshire to attend games. The categorisation, he said, feels like another symptom of a larger issue filtering into the lower leagues: “I know it’s been in the Premiership for some time, but now it’s coming down into the lower leagues it feels a little bit different and wrong… Dealing with the cost of living crisis and things like that as well.”

This “Premier League” approach to pricing has left some fans wondering if their club is moving away from its roots that have long been grounded in being accessible and community driven.

Tom Davies, the vice chair of Leyton Orient Fans’ Trust (LOFT), described a growing unease among supporters: “The concern as an Orient fan is we’ve traditionally sold ourselves as a club that’s accessible and cheaper than West Ham, Spurs, and Arsenal, which are obviously the clubs surrounding us. If we start to go down the same path that Premier League clubs are going down, we’re kind of losing some of our goodwill and accessibility.”

The club’s new strategy, for better or worse, is all about commercialisation, a trend sweeping through football, and one that some in the fanbase are embracing.

“There are younger fans, who’ve known nothing but success over the past few years, who hear these ideas advanced about the likes of a new stadium and Championship football, and ‘we can do what Brentford did,’” said Aynsley Taylor, editor of the fan-produced magazine Orientear. “They think, yeah, I want that, I want more of that.”

Yet for some long-standing fans, the changes can feel disheartening, as the club moves from the close-knit atmosphere of yesteryears to something more corporate. “The club is changing and is going through a transition,” he added, “and it is possible that it will become a less intimate, personal, communitarian sort of place.”

The move towards higher ticket prices doesn’t affect season ticket holders quite so much, but for casual supporters in the community there are concerns about affordability. The areas of Leyton and Walthamstow have changed significantly in recent years, experiencing gentrification, but Davies notes that there are still many who find it hard to afford these new prices.

He said: “I know Leyton and Walthamstow have gentrified a bit in recent years, but they’re still quite poor areas in lots of pockets and the prices make Orient less of an accessible community attraction.”

As prices go up, there’s a fear that attendances could start to drop. Tuesday night’s game against Peterborough saw a turnout of 6,416 – below the season average of 7,419. For Taylor, this is cause for concern. “By recent standards, that’s one of the lowest of the past two or three years, and I think that’s setting a few alarm bells ringing at the club, and it should do.”

Ticket in the South Stand for Orient’s category A fixture on Tuesday night

While the board’s direction isn’t a mistake, it’s a reflection of a broader industry shift. Clubs, especially those eyeing higher leagues and financial sustainability, are increasingly pushing toward commercialisation. 

Taylor points towards this: “It’s an industry-wide issue at the moment. The regulator is coming, and we don’t know exactly how long, but it is coming. And clubs are starting to realise that there is going to be change.”

He adds that there’s a rush among football club chairmen to secure as much financial gain as possible before the regulator comes in: “My supposition is that there’s a bit of a mad trolley dash going on right now before that happens.”

For Davies, much of this comes down to the influence of U.S.-style business models, which he believes are influencing the current philosophy at Leyton Orient under chairman Nigel Travis. “The owner is a local lad but his business career has been based in the U.S. and I think what we’ve seen with U.S. owners is they think football is undervalued and have a quite rapacious view of it all.”

Davies added, “Travis comes a little bit from that culture where they think if some people are prepared to spend money, then we’re going to charge it.”

Taylor reflected that this relentless commercial focus is visible across the whole club “Everything about the club this season has been in your face. Sell, sell, sell. Marketing. Sell this, sponsor that. And it’s just relentless, it’s tiring.”

But despite the frustrations, Leyton Orient remains a beloved institution. And as Taylor reflected on what drew him to the club in the first place, he captures what many fans fear might slip away: “It triggered something deep within my subconscious about what football is about. It’s not about big, sterile, impersonal, massive crowds and everybody’s just a commodity and it’s expensive and glamorous and TV and all the rest of it. In a part of London which has gone through a lot of change over the past few decades, it was like this one thing which provided stability in a very transient area.”

Leyton Orient face a delicate balancing act – the pursuit of financial gains in a competitive football league at the potential cost of losing what sets it apart from its larger, wealthier neighbours.

Whilst many fans are not hugely impacted by high ticket prices, especially the loyal season ticket holders who in fairness do get good value – many of the fans I spoke to feel that the issue is more symbolic of wider changes at the club and a changing approach to the pursuit of progress in difficult circumstances. The question remains, how much further can they push before the connection is lost?

Cheltenham Festival shake up: Are handicaps the solution?

‘Cross-country chase’ by Carine06 is licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

The Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle of the National Hunt season, but for years, fans have called for changes to keep it fresh and competitive. It’s clear that the festival has needed a shake-up for some time. Attendance figures have been in steady decline over the last two renewals, with many pointing to the exorbitant costs of accommodation and travel as a deterrent.

Beyond logistics, there are issues with the racing itself. Since the event expanded to 28 races in 2016, last year’s festival saw the lowest average field sizes on record – down 15%. For punters, this has dampened betting opportunities, with most races dominated by short-priced favourites, forcing many to rely on longshot multiples in hopes of turning a profit.

In response, the Jockey Club has announced changes aimed at addressing these concerns. Notably, the Cross Country Chase and Turners Novice Chase will be converted into handicaps in an effort to boost field sizes and competitiveness.

The decision to handicap the Turners Novice Chase has some merit. Despite providing memorable moments, like Galopin Des Champs’ infamous final fence blunder in 2022, that year’s race featured just four runners. Many top novice chasers bypass the Turners in favor of the Arkle Chase or the Brown Advisory Chase. By making the Turners a handicap, it may become a more attractive option for trainers. However, this raises the question: shouldn’t Cheltenham be all about the best facing the best?

The changes to the Cross Country Chase, on the other hand, feel like a misstep. This unique 3m 6f race over unconventional obstacles has been a fan-favorite, with iconic showdowns like Tiger Roll vs Delta Work. The event already attracts large fields and offers great value for punters, so turning it into a handicap seems unnecessary – like throwing the baby out with the bath water. By doing so, Cheltenham risks losing the charm and competitive spirit that make the Cross Country Chase such a highlight of the week. 

The debate over increasing competitiveness through handicaps has some rationale, but there’s a cost. Forcing races like the Cross Country Chase into a handicap format risks stripping them of their unique appeal.

The real question is whether the festival needs fewer races to recapture its magic. Cheltenham is the crown jewel of National Hunt racing, and we want to see the best horses going head-to-head. Reducing the schedule could force trainers’ hands and ensure more competitive fields in the races that matter most. This idea, long proposed by many racing fans, might now gain further traction.

Ultimately, Cheltenham must find a balance between competitiveness and preserving the essence of what makes it special. Whether these changes will strike that balance remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the festival is in need of reform. The question is whether these are the right ones.

Jhon Durán: Hungry like the wolf

Nothing says confidence like staking a claim to start at number 9 ahead of one of last season’s standout Premier League strikers, Ollie Watkins. But for Jhon Durán, the stats suggest he has every reason to back himself.

After his goal against Everton this weekend, the 20-year-old Colombian became the first player ever to score three match-winning goals as a substitute in the same season. He also boasts the second-best strike rate in the league, behind only Erling Haaland, with a goal every 86 minutes. According to his agent, 40 different clubs were chasing his signature this summer and we are starting to see why.

When Villa signed Durán from MLS side Chicago Fire for £18 million in January 2023, few had heard of him. In fact, some eyebrows were raised at such a hefty fee for a player with limited senior experience.

Nevertheless, Durán has steadily proved his worth. Despite spending much of last season in the shadow of Watkins, Durán netted 8 times—enough to attract interest from West Ham this summer, although that move never materialised. Needless to say, after his prolific start to this campaign, he’s certainly hot property now. As the old cliché goes, Durán is giving Unai Emery the kind of selection headache managers dream of, with two top-quality strikers to choose from.

At 1.85m, Durán has the physicality to lead the line in the Premier League. His goals range from towering headers, like the one against Leicester earlier in the month, to clinical close-range finishes. His long-range strike against Everton is already a contender for Goal of the Season. Durán clearly has an eye for goal, and with his confident, almost swaggering body language on the pitch, Villa look to have unearthed a real gem.

With a packed schedule, including Champions League fixtures starting with Young Boys this evening, Durán will surely get opportunities to lead the line for Villa. He may need to be patient, but there’s no doubt there’s plenty more to come from the Colombian youngster.

Another year, another terrible start for Everton – Dyche has a lot to answer for

‘Sean Dyche 2’ by Ronnie Macdonald is licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

For Everton fans, question marks are already being raised over Sean Dyche’s shortcomings at this early stage, and it’s understandable. Winless, no points, and perhaps most worryingly, 13 goals conceded. A sword that doesn’t cut is just a piece of metal is a saying that comes to mind when a Dyche team starts leaking goals. While calls for Dyche to be given his marching orders are surely premature, some of his decisions are maddening.

In the 2023-24 season, it took Everton until their 5th game to pick up a win. It must be said, they have faced stiffer tests this time around, with tough fixtures against Brighton, Spurs, and Villa – always challenging opponents for Everton in their current state. This time last year, Evertonians were rolling their eyes, thinking, Here we go again. 12 months later, it’s the same story.

Misery and misfortune are here today for Evertonians, but I’m confident they’ll be gone tomorrow. After their awful start last year, they went on to pick up impressive form, winning four games on the bounce in December. That run helped them climb resiliently up the table after their points deduction, serving as proof that this group of players can perform at this level.

A big part of that positive form was the individual performances of Jarrad Branthwaite, who was outstanding for Everton last season. Composed, quick, and aggressive, his partnership with James Tarkowski flew well under the radar. His injury is hurting Everton badly at present, and it will continue to do so. Compare his presence with the jittery, panicked, and frankly hopeless performances of Michael Keane, then Everton’s form begins to make sense. Since August 2022, Everton have won only three Premier League games in which Keane has started. This is where the real frustrations lie.

Everton signed a £17 million centre-half from Lyon this summer. The 23-year-old Jake O’Brien has bags of potential and featured prominently for a strong Lyon side in the 2023/24 campaign. He’s the ideal player for Dyche, and Toffees fans must be screaming inside, questioning why he hasn’t been given a chance ahead of Keane. If you do what you’ve always done, you get what you’ve always got – Michael Keane is not going to change, so surely the new signing is worth a go?

Dyche might cite protecting the player and preparing O’Brien for Premier League football, but that’s a nonsense excuse. Granted, we don’t see performances in training, but in these circumstances, the excuse for not starting players must be beyond frustrating. If O’Brien isn’t better than Keane, then why on earth did they buy him? Not to mention, leaving the new signing on the bench only adds pressure on him to perform when he eventually does get a run in the team.

New signing Iliman Ndiaye has already demonstrated that players need the freedom to play. He started Everton’s first two matches on the bench, but after a good performance against Doncaster in the cup, he’s arguably been the only shining light for the team. If only Dyche would learn a lesson from this.

Ultimately, as frustrating as it is, this kind of pragmatism is what Everton will hope Dyche can instil into the team to save them from another relegation scrap. However, modernising his attitude towards embedding new players could be a good way to show Evertonians that he is prepared to change his ways and take the risks necessary to help the team.