While I would as well, would really playing 3 matches in 5 days really help us including a west coast - east coast trip (celtic)?
good point, i'm looking at Chelsea, they started in Seattle and then head east. that's a lot of travel in one week just to be in the USA, and then add on two trans-Atlantic flights?
Going to play devils advocate for a moment, but wouldn't it also bring tons of new Gunner fans to the fold. Arsenal just capped off an unbelievable season, why wouldn't they want to capitalize by getting tons of new fans=more revenue to continue the player growth and the strength of the club. Just a thought.
I am undecided about these overseas tours. I think it is fair to take the position that it would fatigue the players. But, most of Europes giants takes these tours, including 3 of Englands 4 champions league qualifiers. Nike is one of the biggest sponsors and I can see why there is some (at least appearance) of an obligation to come to America, just as a courteous to them. Again, other teams do. That being said, I thing the way ManU is doing their US tour is a real disgrace. I understanding sitting out your Euro2004 players. But Euro 2004 has been on the calander a hell of a lot longer than this tour and they used Players like RVN, who they knew were not coming, as advertising bait . . . that just smacks of fraud. Liverpool has a ton of internationals, and they showed up to play on the US tour, as did Chelsea's internationals. Again, ManU have a right to sit out those guys, and in fact, probably should, BUT they did not (or the tour promotion people) give this information to the public who buys those tickets. Last year, except for the LA game, you couldn't get a seat, this year you can buy good seats under cost. If you are gonna bring Arsenal to America, I would certainly support it, but don't bring the reserve team and tell the people, who may not be fans but could become fans, that this your first team. oh well . . . preseason games are just dumb chances to get players hurt in any sport
when Arsenal plays in the League Cup, they advertise on their web site that the first team players won't play, and I am pretty sure (rick breese will correct me if I am wrong) that they actually give a discount on ticket prices for those games.
It's stupid. Let ManUre and Chelsea fatigue their own players. We're in the business of winning games. You can't do that with dead players.
Quite right they do give a discount. Pre-season games with Arsenal will not show you Henry, Pires etc. The big players play about 25 mins usually with lots of substitutions. No Offence to you guys who I know love Arsenal, but it just isn't a big enough market for the club to warrent the expense and the tiredness. Mostly Arsenal's lack of maketing i'll agree, but the fan base isn't there. Chelsea would not be there without Abrohamovich, Celtic have Irish fans everywhere, Liverpool and Man U are the main International clubs in the Prem. We arn't - yet.
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?...=&sublid=&Title=Wenger+-+Why+we+chose+Austria And as if to answer all of your questions, here is why we go to Austria.
And for the fans: Great people, Great Beer (the sports cafe accross the road from Graz train station is full of Gooners every summer) Paul Filipiak the Austrian Gooner who puts us up, arranges transport, and always knows where the games are going to be long before Arsenal.com!! The club are relaxed so having a beer with Arsene is possible (especially if you get the VIP tickets for the stadium bar!! ) Great women Trips to Maribor to see Tina the photographer (if you don't know then have a look at my Maribor photo's!!)
If you live in the States, support MLS, the A-League, or whatever USL side is nearest you. The "Champions World Series" is TERRIBLE for the sport in this country!!! AW is very very wise - seemingly on all matters - and a trip over here would indeed be an absolute waste. How many new fans would you really bring aboard the bandwagon? The whole tour stinks of ManUre - they are the featured side, even in the cities they won't appear. Rangers trip a few years ago was a real marketing coup, huh? How many new Chelski or Celtic supporters have you run into this summer? If you want to see the Gunners, and you are a Yank, book a flight, as it is the only way to truly see them.
The shine will come off of these tours quickly. The NFL did the same thing in the late 80's and early 90's. Initially played to packed houses, rave reviews and genuine exictement overseas. By the 3rd time, when the novelty had worn off, the fans stopped showing up, and the trips actually became a burden. Give it a couple of more years and this will just fade away. Cheap theatrics can only last so long.
I just love seeing all these players used to European climates coming in for 100+ degree weather and sweating off 15 lbs. a game. Great way to get in shape for the new season.
It's just dumb that the promoters schedule the games in the afternoon. I watched Roma and Juve last year at Giants Stadium and thankfully it was overcast, but still in the 80s. No fun. I can't imagine what Seattle or Chicago was like earlier this week.
I think a week or two in the U.S. is doable if there are no other summer tournaments. It shouldn't be too close to to the charity shield or the season. So, no other country commitments for the players and the friendlies happen around mid july Which would give the players All of June and part of May off. They do a week in America and are back before August so they won't suffer from jet lag.
well said. Seeing Arsenal at Highbury, walking around the neighborhood before the game, visiting the pubs, is well worth the added expense of going overseas rather than seeing what would most likely be the reserves and kids playing at an American football stadium.
Problem is, there are no Summers with a long enough break any more. If the World Cup or European Championships or Copa America isn't on, then there's FIFA's ridiculous Confederations Cup. All of these tournaments will have our players playing in them. If none of them are on then countries tend to play an international or two, friendlies or qualifiers, after the season ends. This only leaves about a month between the end of one season and the beginning of pre-season training for most of our players. I heard that there was some bad feeling in the US about the side United put out the other day without many of their stars?
Yeah, even I was a bit mad. I walked all the way to the other couch to get the remote. Although, not much makes me happier than to see two of my most hated teams play out an awful 0-0 draw. Then, the team I hate more (ManUre) lost on penalties (I would have preferred not to see Alan Smith miss his). As for Arsenal, I trust Wenger in just about everything, so I'm glad our main title challengers will be tired when the new season starts.
I understand there were a lot of unhappy fans after the Bayern Munich game. I have also read today that Sir Alex will be starting Howard and the Neville Brothers to "show" the fans that they are taking the games seriously. I tried to watch the Bayern v. Man U game and it was painful to watch. Slow and boring. Keane played and ALan Smith played but most were young players. Bayern played most of the 1st teamers during the 1st half and kept Kahn in for the whole game. Not the excitement that I would have been looking for going to see a "big" team like Man U play. HOwever the promoters (not Man U)touted as see all the big players.... I would have been disappointed too. The crowd was booing by the end of the match.,... Now the Liverpool-Celtic game was another matter-Celtic got killed (again) but the crowd was totally into singing and such.
Well, I was at the Celtic v ManUre match last night, and the atmosphere was great in our end because it was filled with about 8.000 Celtic supporters. A Thierry Henry chant even rang out on the stairwell on the way out of the match!
I have no problem with Wenger's and the club's decision not to tour the U.S. and certainly understand their reasoning. The fact that I (or others) would buy tickets to the matches if they changed their mind at some point in the future is not hypocritical. The two positions are not mutually exclusive but rather, IMO, show that you support the club whatever they decide. And...I would buy those tickets with the expectation that the "stars" would not play much.
Well of course if they come here I will go to the game but that does not mean I think a US tour will benefit the team. Plus the atmosphere at match in the US vs. a match at Highbury....please, I would much rather see them in London but if they are here I will gladly go.