BREAKING NEWS: Top clubs consider overseas games

[QuartzGooner]

It is a good idea to play these games overseas.

It increases revenue, that will be very useful in strengthening the squad.

Of course Wenger brings in bargains and turns them into world class players, but Wenger will not always be at the club, and his replacement hopefully will do the same, but might not be able to do so, even with the same scouts.

There are millions of Arsenal fans overseas, give them a chance to see a live competitive match, it is not going to reduce my chances of seeing a game because this will be an extra fixture.

Currently less than 10% of British Arsenal fans see live games anyway, so how can people complain?

If we do not take part in the growth of the game, we will get left behind, just as how if we had not moved from Highbury we would be left behind too.

A simple way to produce the new fixture is for the top club to play the bottom club, the second placed club to play the second bottom club and so on.

Play the games in the middle of the season, say second week of January after the FA Cup third round. That way the games will be competitive, rather than end of season games where three points might mean little to either team.

[QuartzGooner]

Khalid..I have no idea where you were born, but it says here you currently live in Harrow.

So if you are concerned about people watching their local team, why not support Harrow Borough or Wealdstone instead of Arsenal?

The answer is that you want to watch the best football . Which is the Premier league.

Same goes for overseas fans. They may well watch local teams and support them, but they know that outside of the top European Leagues, and Brazil and Argentina, they are not watching the best players and teams, so support a top European team too.

Fans of Basketball here watch British teams, but they have a much greater interest in the NBA.

[charliev]

I cannot see how it is workable fairly. There would be teams that have to play the 'top four' three times whereas others wouldn't. Lunacy of the highest order [/quote]

Would be a better idea to have these sort of games pre-season, like the PL Asia Trophy. I don't think it would be possible to do it fairly during the season either.

[GoonerJim]

''It is a good idea to play these games overseas.

It increases revenue, that will be very useful in strengthening the squad.''

Wasnt that the whole reason we moved to a new stadium??


''Of course Wenger brings in bargains and turns them into world class players, but Wenger will not always be at the club, and his replacement hopefully will do the same, but might not be able to do so, even with the same scouts. ''

Again thats why we moved to a new stadium.

T''here are millions of Arsenal fans overseas, give them a chance to see a live competitive match, it is not going to reduce my chances of seeing a game because this will be an extra fixture.''

If these 'fans' want to see Arsenal play they should bloody well buy a plane ticket and come over here - like most REAL foreign fans do.

''Currently less than 10% of British Arsenal fans see live games anyway, so how can people complain?''

Have you any evidence to back that up?

''If we do not take part in the growth of the game, we will get left behind, just as how if we had not moved from Highbury we would be left behind too.''

Real Madrid and Barca have never had to play their league games in another country - so i wouldnt be too worried about being left behind.

''A simple way to produce the new fixture is for the top club to play the bottom club, the second placed club to play the second bottom club and so on.''

Unacceptable.

''Play the games in the middle of the season, say second week of January after the FA Cup third round. That way the games will be competitive, rather than end of season games where three points might mean little to either team.''

And what about the transfer window etc??

[GoonerJim]

Khalid..I have no idea where you were born, but it says here you currently live in Harrow.

''So if you are concerned about people watching their local team, why not support Harrow Borough or Wealdstone instead of Arsenal?''

How do you know he wasnt born in Islington??

''The answer is that you want to watch the best football . Which is the Premier league.''

So?? I want to see a shuttle launch one day - they arent going to come over here and launch one!

''Same goes for overseas fans. They may well watch local teams and support them, but they know that outside of the top European Leagues, and Brazil and Argentina, they are not watching the best players and teams, so support a top European team too.''

If these 'fans' want to see their own leagues improve they have to support them - end of.

''Fans of Basketball here watch British teams, but they have a much greater interest in the NBA.''

And if they decide they want to watch a NBA game what do they do?? they get off their arses buy a plane ticket and go to america to watch it - They dont expect the NBA tocome over here.

[Gunner152]

it will not be the PL that are dictating this it will be SKY. i am an avid Egg chaser in the summer time and my club Castleford Tiger sare in Super League. you may of heard of Harlequins RL.

Well anyway, we as a psort came up with this concept two years ago. we have a millenium magic weekend. this where a full round of fixures is played over two days at Cardiff's Millenium Stadium (3 games Sat, 3 games Sun)

it has proven a big success for SKY, the fans get a day out and seem to enjoy it.

it just seems that there is too much at stake in Football and Football in general see any changes as alien - liek goal line technology.

but i have to agree taking the games abroad seems crazy. why not exhibition games at either the begining or end of season which do not count towards the league.

[Red Gunner]

Khalid..I have no idea where you were born, but it says here you currently live in Harrow.

So if you are concerned about people watching their local team, why not support Harrow Borough or Wealdstone instead of Arsenal?

The answer is that you want to watch the best football . Which is the Premier league.

Same goes for overseas fans. They may well watch local teams and support them, but they know that outside of the top European Leagues, and Brazil and Argentina, they are not watching the best players and teams, so support a top European team too.

Fans of Basketball here watch British teams, but they have a much greater interest in the NBA.

I wasn't born in England at all but I've lived in Harrow since I was 11. If I wasn't ever in England than I wouldn't have probably supported Arsenal and if I did, I wouldn't demand games on my door-step. That's tough on the Arsenal fans that don't live in England and wanna see Arsenal but that's life. The only reason clubs might play abroad is so they suck money out of other people. They couldn't care less about proper fans. This sums it up well:

Say it's a title decider (which the PL would wet themselves over), all kick offs would have to be at the same time so nothing could jeopardise the outcome (i.e. fixing). So Man Utd play in Asia at 1am, Arsenal play at 3am at Perth (Australia), Chelsea play at 6am in Los Angeles and Liverpool play at 10am in New York. All this would be on at Sunday 3pm GMT UK time.

It will be a farce; you just couldn’t have it at any other time. Money talks, eh?

Greedy, avaricious bastards!!!

[thatgooner]

This is a completely ridiculous idea.
Why do we constantly have to be like america?
Next The game will pause for tellevision adverts!!

Premier League, F*ck right off you bunch of greedy C*nts. Abolish the league altogether i say!!

[U.F.G Anfield '89]

why not just have added time multiball while we're at it.

i can just see it now "Team manchester v the middlesboro red and white sox" they'll want to play the games in quaters instead of halves next, and have half time shows, and they'll get rid of goal keepers, because americans change the channel unless someone scores some points every 5 seconds, that's right we'll have points too, not goals, points, 2 points for a goal, 3 if you score from outside the penalty area, you win the match if you hit a target at the back of the stadium.

what a load of american *****.

[northbankdamien]

how about we play tottenham in Palestine ??

hahahahahaha

I really doubt this will happen

[26may1989]

It's a good idea - let's not get precious about money, the Premier League (fuelled by our Sky TV subs) is driven by money, this would only be an extension of that. Face it, football is both a sport and a business, and commercially this sort of proposal makes a lot of sense. Just as the PL led the way in the early 1990s and stole a march on Italian, Spanish and German football, this is an example of the PL wanting to get there first. Would we have had Wenger and everything we've enjoyed for the last 10 years without the PL and Sky? Doubt it.

There's no point just having friendlies abroad, that's what there's plenty of already. This proposal is about taking proper, competitive English football, with real points at stake, out into the wider world. That could work commercially and it would give fans in other countries a chance to enjoy English football up close. RaM (if you're reading), what would you think of rocking up to the Sydney Olympic Park to watch an Arsenal league match??

The big problem is how to do it without distorting the competition. Personally, I really wouldn't want an international round of matches to be at the end of the season - the deciding games of the season at both ends of the table need to be in England. But why not in January or February, with plenty of the venues being warmer and sunnier than the UK? But how to make sure it's fair in terms of who you have to play for your extra fixture, that would be the tough bit. I know they're talking about seeding as a way of levelling the playing field but I can't really think how this could be done in a sufficiently fair way.

Be interesting to see what they come up with though.

[Red Gunner]

Maybe, they should play FA Cup semi-finals abroad because that's an official game of importance, also Carling Cup final could be played abroad. What makes me laugh is players saying that they are suffering from "fatigue" and all that crap.

So, how do you feel about playing abroad, won't you get tired from flights and time difference?

No, I am happy and excited about playing in front of our fans that are based abroad

By which he means, I am receiving extra-cash into my bank account, I don't give a shit where I have to play and when as long as the money is rolling in.

[Red Gunner]

It's been confirmed by Arsenal now

The globalisation of sport is both an opportunity and a challenge; one that needs addressing in a responsible way. We are a better competition for being a cosmopolitan league and have benefited from our increased international reach.

Globalisation, are you sure? I think you mean Americanization! Football is popular around the globe as it is, only an idiot would deny that.

http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?this ... l+Round%27

[N17 Gooner]

This is a complete and utter joke. The league more interested in personal profit and gratification than the ordinary fan in this country.

[stats]

This is a load of ballacks

i just hope one day sky just pull out there deal on the football & the players will be back on the £1k per week, it'll ruin the game & ideas like this will just be a laughing matter & whoever says that this is a good idea is a yank or a wally