So here goes, the Emirates Stadium has totally changed the dynamic of Arsenal Football Club, we used to be a working class football team, with a reputation for doing things "the right way". We were quite a tight bunch of supporters, who if truth be told, were never the most raucous. Moving to the Emirates has changed our club forever. We are now the most expensive club in Europe to follow, maybe even the world. Our "fan profile" has changed from an eclectic mix of people, Black, White, Yellow and every ethnic group in between to "designer stubble clad" trendies who don't know too much about the history of our club, but like to tell their friends that they spent the afternoon at the Emirates. At the Swansea game the couple sitting next to me left at half-time to go shopping in the West End, which prompts me to ask should we have stayed at Highbury. Of course a huge point is that the Emirates has attracted an American businessman who will use the profits from the club to improve his corporate profitability, would he have been as interested if we were still at Highbury?
The Emirates sells really nice fries. And you get a good view from every seat, which is good for fans, especially those with chips.
Move from a 38k stadium to a 60k stadium that can be expanded with world class facilities, etc... Said stadium is also the international home of Brazil. What do you think?
Well those with basic comprehension would be able to tell that it was a sarcastic way of saying "of ****ing course"
What owner(s)/large shareholders care(s) if the fanbase is working class or not? As long as they get the money in each year they are happy. The move to the Emirates wasn't done to make the poorer fans happy, it was to increase revenue for the brand. The poorer fans, more vociferous they may be, fall by the wayside but that's of little consequence. In fact, it's preferable to attract a richer clientele because it increases the matchday revenue. You can't afford to be sentimental when there's money to be made - capitalism 101.
On the money with this post. Football was one of the last few treats the working class used to be able to afford and enjoy, those days are long gone Boxer....
Having never been to the Emirates (I live in the States), I feel uncomfortable commenting on it, but, well, here we go. In the long run, the game is going to become increasingly expensive. We have already witnessed this phenomena in Chelsea, Man City, and of course, in Arsenal season ticket prices. Football is a global game, and as a result, capitalism will guide the invisible hand toward ever increasing consumer consumption. For that is what we are: consumers, and Arsenal is our product. Blah, blah, blah. Arsenal, simply put, makes these men rich: http://www.arsenal.com/the-club/corporate-info/the-arsenal-board Sorry for the rant, the Emirates is good for the club, full stop. Small stadium=small club.
My solution. Rip out the seats at each end of the lower tier and replace them with safe standing terracing. Club increases capacity, thereby being able to offer cheaper tickets to those who want to stand. Fans get to choose to stand and sing with like minded fans, thereby improving the atmosphere.
Of course it is. The reality is unless we get a sugar daddy there is no way we could have competed with the bigger revenues of the club pre Abramovich let alone in the SUPER RICH modern version of football. Yeah you can make the complaint that the working class and poorer fans are getting reemed over but that is an indictment of the way football is going in general in terms of finances rather than a scathing attack by ARSENAL PLC on the fans. It is the modern reality of the footballing world and to be honest the reality of life in general. You could however make the argument we should be doing a lot better for the prices we charge and the revenue we generate but less moaning about the fact we generate profit. Are you saying you would prefer it if we bought even cheaper players, dropped out of CL and fought for mid position and have lower ticket prices ( only way they would be ever lowered). No situation is ideal but accept the reality of the situation we are in and complain/change the things you can like demanding better from your team especially based on costs (because only one is going to change). On a side note will people STOP mentioning are shareholders/owners pocketing the profits. Since we became a PLC no one has ever taken profits out of the club because the only way they can is to pay dividends to themselves which Arsenal have never done. You could make the argument that shareholders value has risen increasing their paper wealth but thats all it is (besides Kronke overpaid for his shares so any potential gain over the years is moot anyway)
You still haven't explained why, the club had no debts when we were at Highbury, it was run by Arsenal people, especially when Dennis Hill-wood was at the helm. And if you are alluding to the wealth the Emirates will create how is that benefitting the average gooner. Have you ever been to the Emirates, or Highbury for that matter. The difference in atmosphere is pronounced, and not for the better.
Sorry for jumping in on a question posed for somebody else, but surely the move was designed to double our capacity ? I agree that it's not all rosy though, although Emirates is a great stadium, I think the club made a mistake in splitting up all the fans who sat on the North Bank and Clock End. Nowdays you're just as likely to be sitting next to - West End Shoppers - as you are a die hard fan who wants to sing. Introduce safe standing I tells ya
Sorry but that is the biggest load of bollocks I ever heard. You are basically saying that the club is run for the benefit of the board, that the fans are meaningless and that all that matters is money. I somehow get the impression that you have never actually been to either venues, if I am wrong I apologise.
I wouldn't disagree Piskie and actually I am not saying that the Emirates is a total disaster, what I do know, and this view is shared by gooner friends, is that watching Arsenal at Highbury was hugely more enjoyable than at the Emirates. Perhaps some other fans feel the opposite is true, I would like them to explain why. I suspect that quite a few "fans" have never actually been to either though they still feel qualified to rubbish the suggestion we might have been better off staying at Highbury.
Well, also being somebody who's been to both, I would agree. Highbury was more enjoyable. But I'm not sure you can distill it down to simply being a change of venue. I like the Emirates, I think it's a great stadium, but our fan base has changed radically from my experience of the top siders and middle dwellers. At Emirates it just seems a bit disjointed. Sometimes you get two songs being sung at the same time in different parts of the same end and it just feels a bit half hearted at times. As I mentioned I think it comes down to the fact that the club split up the fans who all sat - and before that stood - together and generated the atmosphere. I know we created Red Action zone, but where is it ? tucked away in one corner at the other end from the away fans. I know I keep banging on about it, and probably to the annoyance of some, but I truly believe that we need to introduce an area of terracing where people who want to stand and sing together can.
Do you always buy things at Harrods or Selfridges? No? Why then do you complain that it is too expensive to support a Premier league club? You can always support Millwall or Barnet - good clubs, tighter fan base and much cheaper. This is the market just like any other. You pay a premium price for a premium product. Even if it ****. If it is too expensive or if you are for whatever reason concerned that does not belong to your class you can always downgrade. There are lots of great Championship clubs. And Arsenal would be soon one of them if it followed that "little working class club" ideal. Tough and I do not like it too, but this is the reality.
Well if you look at it logically, it seems easy to say that the Highbury gave a better experience to fewer fans. If you were one of the lucky ones, who were members at Highbury, then obviously you would like to go back. If you are not a student of economics you would say that the price at The Emirates should be lower, because the experience isn't as good, but economists know that price is set by supply and demand, not by the real, or relative worth of the good or service. From my point of view, I think the move to The Emirates has contributed to the feeling that Arsenal are a "Big Club", which although it increases expectation, it does mean that we are in a better situation than we were in before the move. I think it is really good, that a "Bad" season for us, is one where we "only" qualify for the CL. If you look at our peers from the 80s and 90s, Liverpool, Spurs, Everton, Newcastle etc. would all say qualifying for the CL would be a "Good Season". I don't think that financially we would be in this position without The Emirates.
