So ! "We" would appear to be voting with our feet

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:04 pm

By "We" I mean Arsenal supporters of whatever hue - who may be inclined to go to the games at the Emirates.

Tuesdays attendence was 'shrinking' and as one indication of that, I walked out of Finsbury Park Station as usual, and down St. Thomas Road and right, to the ground. I must have been accosted by at least five or six touts offering tickets and that is the first 'accost' of any note since we moved home.

At another level, Champions League tickets against Olympiakos are on 'General Sale' - I have not witnessed that before in all our times playing CL Football.

Apparently Spurs is far from a 'sell out' and Silver Members can pick up tickets - at will and Red Members ar due a look in shortly. Presumably - for security reasons a general sale is unlikely there !

In the face of this, the Club has with hamfisted ineptitude, raised the price of a pint of Kronenbourg to Â£4.00 from Â£3.60 - and it was Â£3.40 last season -

So there is every encouragement to arrive late and not stay on after the game regardless of the 'fact' they are supposed to be encouraging us to do the reverse.

As a sort of 'icing on the cake' Gazidis tells some tossy Football Forumn in Switzerland or Dubai or wherever, that "transfer purchases are for Arsenal an act of last resort" -

because even if others - Real, City Chelsea, Man U. Spurs - or whoever, do buy players we - uniquely - have a better approach.

Yep ! We are the first fighting army, to march into battle, in modern history, eschewing ammunition as it's beneath our dignity to become involved in that sort of thing. But we are still going to win ! At least according to Gazidis, we are

Meanwhile, the supporters continue to desert in droves, lowering the revenue base still further, at a time when even when we all turned up and paid the highest ticket prices in world football, it still wasn't - or would not be - enough !

So - Where do we go from here ? Other than down the pan ???............

Post by **REB** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:10 pm

good post rob

the arsenal going public has been going since last season since the novelty of the new stadium has worn off,

the main problem at arsenal is the board are more interested in making arsenal a brand and making money off that then making arsenal a football team that can win leagues and cups

the sooner danny boy and his cronies get out the sooner we get a football club that can challenge back.

mrgnu1958 · Post by **mrgnu1958** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:15 pm

im voting with me wallet.
ITS EMPTY!

digger · Post by **digger** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:28 pm

mrgnu1958 wrote:im voting with me wallet.
ITS EMPTY!

Same here. I'm not going to bankrupt myself for a club who don't appear to be busting a gut to win honours, or even seem to care in normal league games. I still go fairly often, but the cheapest ticket I can get for the Spurs game is about Â£60 at the moment... that would mean sitting in the upper tier (which i really hate) to watch a game that Spurs will be really pumped up for while we try to pass it into the net without really trying.....

Bergkamp-Genius · Post by **Bergkamp-Genius** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:29 pm

Yes good post Rob :wink..

Reb.. getting rid of the board isn't going to help if the manager is allowed to continue HIS policies.. and they are his policies... they may benefit and suit the board and they love Wenger for that.. but a change of policy is more likely to come about with a new strong ambitious manager than new yes men on the board..

donaldo · Post by **donaldo** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:49 pm

digger wrote:
mrgnu1958 wrote:im voting with me wallet.
ITS EMPTY!
Same here. I'm not going to bankrupt myself for a club who don't appear to be busting a gut to win honours, or even seem to care in normal league games. I still go fairly often, but the cheapest ticket I can get for the Spurs game is about Â£60 at the moment... that would mean sitting in the upper tier (which i really hate) to watch a game that Spurs will be really pumped up for while we try to pass it into the net without really trying.....

Agree Digger

This will the first Spuds home game i will have missed for 25 years.But i refuse to pay over 60 quid for a ticket.I shall be watching it in a boozer with a pint in my hand.

Post by **REB** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:52 pm

Bergkamp-Genius wrote:Yes good post Rob :wink..

Reb.. getting rid of the board isn't going to help if the manager is allowed to continue HIS policies.. and they are his policies... they may benefit and suit the board and they love Wenger for that.. but a change of policy is more likely to come about with a new strong ambitious manager than new yes men on the board..

then maybe its time for a complete change, manager as well.

Bergkamp-Genius · Post by **Bergkamp-Genius** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:10 pm

REBEL GOONER wrote:
Bergkamp-Genius wrote:Yes good post Rob :wink..

Reb.. getting rid of the board isn't going to help if the manager is allowed to continue HIS policies.. and they are his policies... they may benefit and suit the board and they love Wenger for that.. but a change of policy is more likely to come about with a new strong ambitious manager than new yes men on the board..
then maybe its time for a complete change, manager as well.

I can see only two ways to change.. a new Abramovich type ambitious dictator/owner to make sure that the manager and staff understand that fourth is not success and any policy that promotes that as such is not acceptable...Or a Mourinho.. Hiddink..Cappello type manager that comes in and lays down the law to the board and who's aim is to win things and not just to impress people with their youth policy or economic theories on football..

TFI Arsenal · Post by **TFI Arsenal** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:13 pm

great post rob. when you put it like that even an optimist like myself starts to worry. however there's no need for rebel to suggest the removal le boss. all i can imagine is something like the absurdities of charlton or newcastle, changing the manager every three seconds chasing instant success and collapsing.

i'd quite happily spend my wages on going to THOF if i had a job. AND if some of those fucking day trippers would sing rather than take each others pictures.

RNTGOONER · Post by **RNTGOONER** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:16 pm

i noticed there was no Q for beers at half time or is that standard for cc games

only been prem CL or FA cup before[/u]

no. 1 is Perry Groves.... · Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:36 pm

good thread this and made me think;

The fact is that Arsenal fans pay top dollar for tickets, certainly comparable to Chelsea, Man U, Spurs etc if not more.

But Arsenal do not invest nearly as much money as the other clubs in the squad i.e actually buying players.

Therefore if Arsenal choose to continue with their policy of not paying top dollar for established players and building a squad via youth policy then you must figure their expenditure on salaries/transfers is lower etc and should our ticket prices not reflect this lack of investment and be lower in comparison to other top clubs??

BournemouthRED · Post by **BournemouthRED** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:40 pm

havent noticed anymore touts since the move, still the same old faces since highbury.

but tis a good post, i cant afford to go as much these days. problem is it just isnt value for money

Post by **flash gunner** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:14 am

REBEL GOONER wrote:
Bergkamp-Genius wrote:Yes good post Rob :wink..

Reb.. getting rid of the board isn't going to help if the manager is allowed to continue HIS policies.. and they are his policies... they may benefit and suit the board and they love Wenger for that.. but a change of policy is more likely to come about with a new strong ambitious manager than new yes men on the board..
then maybe its time for a complete change, manager as well.

You might be right mate

richpye · Post by **richpye** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:41 am

Good post.

I saw an article once about the Texas Rangers Baseball Club. When he was suffering from some lower attendances due to the performance on the field he did the exact opposite of what you have described in your post.

As an example burgers were reduced in price to 99 cents, beer was halved in price etc.

The result was a massive increase in sales of these items and a massive increase in attendances. (The year in question, the Rangers didn't make the playoffs but played in front of sell-out crowds every game). Atmosphere increased and people came as much for the night out off the field as what was happening on it.

The owner of the club, was, I believe Mr Tom Hicks.

Anyway, the point being, I don't think people are necessarily voting with their feet at protest of the on-field product. I think they are more likely thinking :

Cost of Tickets, Cost of Programme, Cost of Beer, Cost of Food etc. etc. and are just making sacrifices due to the state of the economy and the perceived enjoyment from that outlay.
(Would I rather go to a football match by myself or take the whole family for a curry at a decent restaurant?) - Worryingly people are choosing the curry.

Jumpers For Goalposts · Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:56 am

Excellent post Rob.

This has been going on for several years at Arsenal as during my time on the Fans Forum (2005-2007) Keith Edelman admitted on many occasions that he was desperate to get a whole new "audience" in watching the lads.

He wanted the make up of the crowd to be very different from the old days at Highbury and in his design, the new stadium was all about increasing revenue and attracting families.

Nothing wrong with that but to do it, he priced / forced the hard-core supporters out. And to make it worse, the increased cash-flow is being used to reward players that have achieved nothing rather than being spent on top quality players.

My old mates (home and away Gooners like me) don't bother anymore - they have found a couple of nice pubs with foreign satellites and they have a much better time in there for a fraction of the price.

A frequent comment amongst us is "no f**king way am I paying Â£100 to watch shit like Eboue, Bendtner, Song & co".