BREAKING NEWS: Top clubs consider overseas games

[T.S]

I'm stunned. This really does make me sad. I know football is a sport and about 22 men on a pitch, but it also used to be about the supporters. Can you imagine the white hot cauldron of noise when Sunderland take on Wigan reserves in a relegation 6 pointer in Dubai?

The supporters are just being further and further alienated. More and more is being done to cater for people who do not live and breathe Arsenal (or any other Premier League club, for that matter) and less and less is being done to cater for true supporters like ourselves. I know there are going to be a few die hards in the crowd (like RaM, I suppose), but on the whole, it's going to be lifeless and boring.

I'm not so much against the idea as I am against the direction in which our game is clearly heading. I remember coming home from my first Arsenal game (a home defeat to Wimbledon), crying my eyes out only for my mum to tell me "it's only a game." I went ballistic. To me, football was always more than just a game. It was a way of like, and all that other cliché crap. But now, the sad reality is that within a few years, that is all football will be - just another game.

[Wayno]

Babes on Bondi beach practicing the famous back four offside trap I consider Arsenal going overseas as quite an attractive proposition and a good chance to use my staff travel

[Red Gunner]

I'm stunned. This really does make me sad. I know football is a sport and about 22 men on a pitch, but it also used to be about the supporters. Can you imagine the white hot cauldron of noise when Sunderland take on Wigan reserves in a relegation 6 pointer in Dubai?

The supporters are just being further and further alienated. More and more is being done to cater for people who do not live and breathe Arsenal (or any other Premier League club, for that matter) and less and less is being done to cater for true supporters like ourselves. I know there are going to be a few die hards in the crowd (like RaM, I suppose), but on the whole, it's going to be lifeless and boring.

I'm not so much against the idea as I am against the direction in which our game is clearly heading. I remember coming home from my first Arsenal game (a home defeat to Wimbledon), crying my eyes out only for my mum to tell me "it's only a game." I went ballistic. To me, football was always more than just a game. It was a way of like, and all that other cliché crap. But now, the sad reality is that within a few years, that is all football will be - just another game.

Great post, tonysaunders. I always thought to myself that football will be nothing without us, fans. It seems that I was wrong as authorities are happy to turn it into a circus as long as they get cash.

[charliegeorgewhocanhitem]

I'm stunned. This really does make me sad. I know football is a sport and about 22 men on a pitch, but it also used to be about the supporters. Can you imagine the white hot cauldron of noise when Sunderland take on Wigan reserves in a relegation 6 pointer in Dubai?

The supporters are just being further and further alienated. More and more is being done to cater for people who do not live and breathe Arsenal (or any other Premier League club, for that matter) and less and less is being done to cater for true supporters like ourselves. I know there are going to be a few die hards in the crowd (like RaM, I suppose), but on the whole, it's going to be lifeless and boring.

I'm not so much against the idea as I am against the direction in which our game is clearly heading. I remember coming home from my first Arsenal game (a home defeat to Wimbledon), crying my eyes out only for my mum to tell me "it's only a game." I went ballistic. To me, football was always more than just a game. It was a way of like, and all that other cliché crap. But now, the sad reality is that within a few years, that is all football will be - just another game.

Totally agree mate. This idea is a total pile of bollocks, it's everything to do with money and nothing whatsoever to do with the sport itself or the genuine fans that follow it. They're saying that there will be a 39th game. If so who decides who you have to play in the "39th game"? We could be going for the title neck and neck with the mancs or chelsea and could end up having to play Liverpool for instance while our rivals played wigan. A team fighting relegation could have to face a third game of the season against us, the mancs, chelsea etc while their relegation rivals played a mid table team. Please tell me that I've been asleep for two months and this is really april 1st and this is all some big joke or wind up. The greedy fuckers who run the clubs and the premiership will have an almighty fall one day in the future and I can't say I'll be all that sorry when it happens.

[northbankdamien]

I'm stunned. This really does make me sad. I know football is a sport and about 22 men on a pitch, but it also used to be about the supporters. Can you imagine the white hot cauldron of noise when Sunderland take on Wigan reserves in a relegation 6 pointer in Dubai?

The supporters are just being further and further alienated. More and more is being done to cater for people who do not live and breathe Arsenal (or any other Premier League club, for that matter) and less and less is being done to cater for true supporters like ourselves. I know there are going to be a few die hards in the crowd (like RaM, I suppose), but on the whole, it's going to be lifeless and boring.

I'm not so much against the idea as I am against the direction in which our game is clearly heading. I remember coming home from my first Arsenal game (a home defeat to Wimbledon), crying my eyes out only for my mum to tell me "it's only a game." I went ballistic. To me, football was always more than just a game. It was a way of like, and all that other cliché crap. But now, the sad reality is that within a few years, that is all football will be - just another game.

great post apart from the 'not so much agaist the idea' part.

[T.S]

I think you misunderstood the point. I am against the idea, but I'm more against the direction the game is heading...

[augie]

Even in an era where money is everything I still cannot believe the downright brazeness of the clubs as they seek to milk the cash cow even more As somebody else pointed out there is a world of difference in bringing an american football match to countries outside the US cos it isnt a global sport yet but football is a global sport that is played and watched by billions worldwide as it is. Like TS I think this idea just deflates me as it weakens the viewpoint of the game we love by selling the last of our principles - it is a fcuking disgrace

On top of that it will bring extra revenue in for clubs to bring in more quality while we sit on our thumbs waiting for the next 15 year old prodigy to roll off the conveyor belt

[QuartzGooner]

to answer Gooner Jim's points on my posts:'

Yes, the new stadium was mainly about revenue. But even with 60,000 people and high prices, we still face competition on live gate revenue from Man Utd who have 76,000, and Liverpool will soon have a new large stadium. We cannot afford to rest on our laurels.

So called REAL foreign fans who travel to London to see us play should be applauded. Yet not all can afford to do so often, or get tickets either. We should encourage them in their support.

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

(Gooner Jim said) "Have you any evidence to back that up?"

I reply: Simply what I mean is that 60,000 see each live game. Some of these are away fans. I am guessing we have at least 800,000 fans in the UK. I base that on when we won the league in 1989, the police said that around 750,000 people came to the open top bus victory parade on the Sunday. So my estimate is conservative, given that we have out of town fans, and that the sport has grown since then.



I said: ''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.''

Gooner Jim said "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."

Yes, no competitive match has been played outside the country of origin of any league team in any top European League so far (ignoring the anomalies of Berwick Rangers and Monaco games). Yet I do worry about being left behind. Gradually the European Champs league is expanding, and it is not too far fetched to think that in 10 years it might include a top team from other continents too, at the request of the tv companies.

I said: ''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.''

Gooner Jim said: Unacceptable.

I reply: It was just a suggestion. It is a weird idea to "shoe in" an extra game, there is no precedent for it. Maybe a draw such as in the Cups could be used?



I said: ''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.''

You were worried this would interfere with the transfer window. Well, we have games being played from mid August when the transfer window is open, and also during January. Transfers would still happen

Basically I have no problem with people from outside London N5 wanting to support Arsenal. There are many overseas fans, and I find the idea of one or two overseas league games per season exciting. There are many Brits abroad in the USA and Australia, it would be good for them too.

Whilst I would never expect or demand an NBA or NFL game to be played here, I was very happy to see that the NFL is doing so every season for three years at least. It's great, it allows the less financially well off amongst us to experience what we might never be able to otherwise.

[I Hate Hleb]

A PETITION HAS BEEN SET UP OVER AT VITAL ARSENAL.

ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT NOT END UP INFLUENCING THE GREEDY BASTARDHOLES THAT RUN (AND ARE RUINING) OUR GAME, THOSE OF YOU AGAINST THIS CRAZY IDEA SHOULD AT LEAST MAKE AN EFFORT TO SHOW THAT DISAPPROVAL BY SIGNING IT.

[tel]

Don't post here often but I'm so pissed off over this..........

Can we get banners organised to say something along the lines of no overseas matches/Scudamore out???

Can't see Wenger wanting this as he never takes the boys outside Europe even on pre-season.

Premier League = Premier Greed and the last time I looked I supported a team not a product or a brand.

[FrenchGun]

Now comon.. Do you really believe this is going to happen? All coaches and board of every single team in PL mumbles every year about the national teams friendly fixtures. So I don't see anyone accepting that silly rule. It sounds a bit like a new hit by Platini and his crew!
Haaaaaaaaa.... Must admit that we french were the ones who took this lad out of our hat. Houdini! Er... not so proud of that trick after all...

[RaM]

I really don't think this is a good idea. It is doing far more than cheapening the concept of English football, it is violating, mutilating, destroying...what ever else you want to say.

I'd love to see a premier league game in Sydney, but I accept it will never happen, nor will I want it to. If I see Arsenal play a competitive fixture I want it to have been after travelling to Ashburton Grove myself.

[REB]

i just cant see it working,, the travel and the disruption of clubs half way thru a season could have serious imput on the top and bottom of league,,and where would they play,, far east and america i presume,, most of arsenals fans would still be in scandinavia and ireland and cant see them poping to oslo or dublin,, pure greed again in english football and with all the yanks and there franchise football then maybe the day is coming sooner rather then later
get a grip premier league before ye destroy the game we love

[TheOne2Smooth]

if Arsenal played in America would we all have to get pink cats?

[T.S]

Eh?