Londoners should be cheering on West Ham over Tottenham as taxpayers face a £2.5m bill if the club is relegated, Sir Sadiq Khan has said.
Sitting 18th in the Premier League table with just two games left, the Hammers are staring at relegation. Just one place above the drop zone in 17th, Spurs also remain in serious danger of falling into the Championship.
The Mayor of London blamed his predecessor Boris Johnson for doing “the worst deal imaginable”, which will mean if West Ham remain in the bottom three at the end of the season City Hall will be hit with a huge bill.
He told the Standard: “What I'd say to Londoners who don't support Spurs is you should probably be cheering on West Ham.”
"The previous Mayor, Boris Johnson, did the worst deal that can be imaginable,” he added.
"As far as West Ham are concerned, as a deal of the century where he basically gave them rent free, this amazing stadium for 100 years.
"Now if West Ham are relegated, we, the taxpayers, we City Hall, could lose up to 2.5m a year.
“So what I say to Londoners who don't support Spurs is you should probably be cheering on West Ham, because the taxpayer will lose out if West Ham go down."
The Greater London Authority (GLA) picks up the bill for operating the London Stadium – and its costs would escalate if West Ham played in the Championship.
Commercial revenues from the former Olympic stadium would be expected to fall if West Ham played in the lower league, while the GLA would incur higher stewarding costs, as there would be 23 home games in the Championship compared with 19 in the Premier League.
Under the 99-year deal signed by previous mayor Mr Johnson, West Ham pays £4.4m a year in rent, leaving the GLA to pick up the bill for stewarding and other costs associated with the stadium.
This means that the London taxpayer already subsidises the running of the stadium – despite efforts to attract other uses, such as baseball and music concerts.
West Ham were on course for a vital point against Arsenal when Callum Wilson’s effort crossed the line deep into stoppage-time at the London Stadium on Sunday night, but the goal was ruled out by VAR.
The result boosted Tottenham’s chances of avoiding relegation.
Spurs play Leeds on Monday evening in a huge clash at the bottom of the table.
