West Ham set for major opening day embarrassment against Aston Villa and it will stand out like a sore thumb

Especially for West Ham and Aston Villa who have been among the busiest in Europe in the summer window.

There have been Nearly 20 signings made between the Hammers and Aston Villa.

West Ham have a new boss in Julen Lopetegui and he could be handing out a raft of debuts.

The same goes for his fellow Basque Unai Emery as he brings his Champions League Aston Villa to the London Stadium.

West Ham fans often belt out their brilliant chant about being massive everywhere they go.

Regardless of how the Irons are doing on the pitch, one thing is for certain the club’s loyal fanbase takes some beating off it.

West Ham set for major embarrassment against Villa

Packing out their 62,500 capacity home ground every other week and away grounds over land and sea too.

Anticipation should be high for the first game of any new season.

But West Ham are set for major opening day embarrassment against Aston Villa and it will stand out like a sore thumb at the London Stadium.

The clash between the Hammers and Villa has been selected for TV in the first Saturday 5.30pm slot of the new Premier League campaign.

But West Ham fans appear to be taking a stand and voting with their feet as excitement is replaced by apathy when Aston Villa come to east London.

In the middle of last month Hammers News warned the London Stadium could be half empty for West Ham vs Villa.

And while the situation will not be that extreme, the game will not be selling out as things stand.

Thousands of expensive seats remain unsold

Hammers fans have already been up in arms over the ticketing situation at their club.

Supporters groups such as Hammers United launched a petition after season ticket prices rose above the rate of inflation.

Tensions reached boiling point between West Ham fans and the owners after it emerged new concessions are now restricted to bands five and six.

That means children will now charged full adult price for a new season ticket because there are no more concessions seated together.

Then, as a result of Aston Villa being classed as a Category A game, prices have been set at ridiculously expensive levels, topping out at an eye-watering £105.

As good as Aston Villa were last season, many have taken issue with the decision to give the match Category A status. Villa fans among them.

The cheapest seat – in Band Six – will be £45 for members and £50 on general sale.

As is always the case at this time of year, millions of British people are abroad on summer holidays.

Empty seats on opening day will stick out like a sore thumb

But with West Ham’s ticket trader system, supporters can list their ticket for sale to recoup some club cash and ensure the seat isn’t left empty.

Just 24 hours out from Lopetegui’s first match, though, West Ham’s ticketing policies are coming back to haunt them.

This game would usually be sold out long before. Especially as it is the first match of the season.

But there are empty seats in almost every single section of the London Stadium.

Over 2,500 seats remain unsold with dozens empty in each section.

The rash of unsold seats across the ground amount to between £125-200k in ticket revenue for the club.

Not a massive amount in the grand scheme of things in the mega rich Premier League.

But the visuals won’t be great for the owners on TV with those bright white London Stadium seats sticking out like a sore thumb against all the claret and blue.

This has nothing to do with the fact West Ham are playing Aston Villa.

It will be a regular sight no matter the opposition if the Hammers do not change their pricing and ticket policies.

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