Nice Little read

Discussion in 'Arsenal' started by Lanesra, Nov 11, 2012.

  1. TxTechGooner

    TxTechGooner we're having fun here, no?

    Feb 24, 2003
    i gather it's all about "matchday experience" for you.
    this thing is so much deeper it's not even funny.
     
  2. antifan

    antifan Member+

    Aug 14, 2004
    The Scottie
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  3. thebigman

    thebigman Member+

    May 25, 2006
    Birmingham
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    great read las! this is what sky has done to the prem
     
  4. InTheSun

    InTheSun Member+

    Oct 20, 2005
    The Andes Mountains
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ecuador
    There are many lifelong Gooners coming forward and expressing similar views now. Even the usually super optimistic are now reaching a breaking point. I will share another letter that I thought was very telling:
    http://www.arse2mouse.com/post/35477333373
     
  5. antifan

    antifan Member+

    Aug 14, 2004
    The Scottie
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My enthusiasm has definitely waned. If it's hard to get excited about a club that can't compete, it's impossible to get excited about a club that could, but refuses to even try. The RVP sale was the end for me, as i've said many times before, it was a slap in the face to the fans.

    Anyway, that said, the atmosphere at the new stadium isn't really that bad, people tend to glorify the past. My first trip to Highbury was in 2003 to see Arsenal v. Chelsea. I got a ticket in the Upper West stand with a bunch of long time season ticket holders. Almost no one sang and there was plenty of moaning about poor play from the squad. But everyone did jump up and celebrate our goals. It's the same thing now, just without the same quality in the squad.
     
    Super Llama repped this.
  6. Scally

    Scally Member+

    Aug 29, 2006
    Rep. of Ireland
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    Im with you 100% here. For the first time in 18yrs I didnt bother to watch the game live on Saturday when ive had the opportunity. Watched it Sunday morning when I had nothing else to do. Doesnt sound like much but ask any of my family and friends and they will tell you that everything must stop for me when Arsenal are on tv.
     
  7. NorthBank

    NorthBank Member+

    Arsenal; NYRB
    United States
    Mar 29, 2006
    Connecticut
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Two roughly depressing and roughly accurate pieces.

    I wonder if the top management of this club really have a clue as to how our club is perceived in recent years. And how they seem to be taking a monumental risk of losing the support that they most desparately need.

    One line from the 2nd blog which I thought was telling:
    Still... I haven't jumped off the tracks yet. Unlike Scally who did the unthinkable for him, I did manage to make time to watch our escapade with Fulham last weekend... live.

    I'm still committed. But I feel more like an Everton supporter now.

    Maybe that feeling will be complete when Wenger moves on and Moyes replaces him. :p
     
  8. The Jitty Slitter

    The Jitty Slitter Moderator
    Staff Member

    Bayern München
    Germany
    Jul 23, 2004
    Fascist Hellscape
    Club:
    FC Sankt Pauli
    Nat'l Team:
    Belgium
    I completely agree with this:


    Interestingly you can read similar letters from old school Man Utd fans who have pulled out as well.
     
  9. The Jitty Slitter

    The Jitty Slitter Moderator
    Staff Member

    Bayern München
    Germany
    Jul 23, 2004
    Fascist Hellscape
    Club:
    FC Sankt Pauli
    Nat'l Team:
    Belgium
    I find any of the big clubs are poor compared to Rugby and Cricket.

    Or even St Pauli here
     
  10. Footy Magoo

    Footy Magoo Audaces fortuna iuvat

    Mar 23, 2009
    ♫ Flugelville
    It's hard to compare fans of English football vs German football when Premier League teams have priced many supporters out of being able to attend. Teams in Germany have kept prices down so everybody can afford a ticket and the atmosphere there is outstanding. PL fans find themselves watching on TV, the internet, or in pubs.
     
  11. lamb

    lamb Member+

    Sep 3, 2004
    Larne, N.Ireland
    the atmosphere is better if you go down the leagues.
     
  12. antifan

    antifan Member+

    Aug 14, 2004
    The Scottie
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Really? Whenever i see lower league teams on TV it looks like their grounds are mostly empty.
     
  13. lamb

    lamb Member+

    Sep 3, 2004
    Larne, N.Ireland
    a good atmosphere doesn't require a full ground.
     
  14. darcgun

    darcgun Member+

    Jan 11, 2008
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    It's the type of fan we attract.

    Atmospheres are better in other PL clubs, Liverpool, United, Newcastle, etc. have good atmospheres generally. Even Spurs do. I think basically the types of fans who come to Arsenal are not traditional fans, and this was even the case in the Rioch and Arsene (at Highbury) eras. Whether it's because we're a London club, and due to its status as a major city, we somehow attract more non-traditional fans (but then this should apply to all other London clubs also and maybe even Chelsea since the Chelsea area has been an upper-class one for a long time).

    I agree with article in general though, we've essentially been mismanaged both on and off the pitch. It seems Gazidis and co. only care about profits, and Arsene is too stubborn to see he's made many errors over the past few years. Had both been on par, I think the 2008 and 2010 leagues would have been ours.
     
  15. darcgun

    darcgun Member+

    Jan 11, 2008
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Matchday experience is all part of the general football experience.

    You go to a match, sing about your favourite players, sing about how much you hate your team's rivals, berate the opposition fans, and obviously cheer your team on to win. That's simply as it is.
     
  16. TxTechGooner

    TxTechGooner we're having fun here, no?

    Feb 24, 2003
    Ya, not my at all.
    That is the obvious bit.
     
  17. The Jitty Slitter

    The Jitty Slitter Moderator
    Staff Member

    Bayern München
    Germany
    Jul 23, 2004
    Fascist Hellscape
    Club:
    FC Sankt Pauli
    Nat'l Team:
    Belgium
    Spurs is easily the worst crowd I have ever been in.
     
  18. Super Llama

    Super Llama Member+

    May 21, 2006
    Seattle
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Basically this. Arsenal supporters pay more money than any other supporters in the world, and in return we get assurances that the club "can't compete." It's therefore non-sensical to pay that much money for what everyone understands (including management) as an inferior product.

    But what is probably the most depressing theme underlying all of these complaints is the globalization of football and its creation of identikit football cultures, atmospheres and styles across the world. There is nothing unique about watching the current iteration of Arsenal. You will get very much the same (or better) overall consumer experience by following City, United, Chelsea, PSG, Ajax, Bayern, Roma, Inter, Atletico, Porto, Sporting...the list goes on, and on, and on.
     
  19. antifan

    antifan Member+

    Aug 14, 2004
    The Scottie
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    You should go to Stamford Bridge sometime and see how "upper class" their fanbase is.
     
    pookspur and The Jitty Slitter repped this.
  20. darcgun

    darcgun Member+

    Jan 11, 2008
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Well that was the point. If it's due to an excess of non-traditional fans, it should affect Chelsea more than us, since Chelsea is a trendy part of the city.

    I can't really put my finger on why our atmosphere is shit relative to other clubs.
     
  21. lamb

    lamb Member+

    Sep 3, 2004
    Larne, N.Ireland
  22. antifan

    antifan Member+

    Aug 14, 2004
    The Scottie
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    thebigman and gunner0007 repped this.
  23. deaner1971

    deaner1971 Member+

    Aug 10, 2005
    Columbus, Ohio
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This. I am not going anywhere but it has become an obligation and not a celebration.
     
  24. gogunners14

    gogunners14 Member+

    Dec 6, 2003
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    Pretty spot on with how I feel. I'll be in London for a few days at the end of March and I'm not going to a game. That would be unthinkable for me a few years ago but it's my personal statement against the club's ticket pricing policy, their decision to sell our best players year in/year out and creating an environment where it's impossible to attract top talent.

    I'm an Arsenal fan for life (jumping ship to support another club isn't an option nor will it be) but I've never been as apathetic about this club as I am this year. It's sad to see the Arsenal brand diminish so much in such a short span.
     
    red & wite army repped this.

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