Thousands of empty seats at the Emirates - Is this a warning?

[RichSpur58]

says 60k on BBC. The plastics must have gone home early.

 

[ThorntonSpur]

what i find is i can get one ticket but harder to get two together after the 1000 priority have gone.

often see whl with single empty seats at matches

 

[jurgenthegreat]

every year there is on or 2 games in august that are not full capacity and people start the doom and gloom, apart from the fact its the scum and their fairweather fans its also august and people go on holidays etc

 

[Rocksuperstar]

In the US, Baseball was THE game. It was their national past-time and attracted crowds of 100k+ for some of the biggest ties. With the popularity came the sponsors and the owners, all pouring more and more money into the game, filling the teams with high payed professionals, building monumentally big new stadiums and funding aces of merchandising.

At some point in the 90's, the bubble burst and all of a sudden these clubs that were drawing mammoth crowds now found their arenas half empty. As the crowds waned, so did the money and, inside maybe five years, the entire industry just fell apart. What didn't help was that there was a boom in the price of real-estate, meaning the land that these bohemoth stadiums, generating next to no money, were sitting on land that was worth bajillions so, as soon as the losses started mounting up, and with no other way to attract crowds left, the money men abandoned the game once and for all, sold up the land, built arenas nearby that were similar in size to the ones knocked down to make way for the motherships in the first place, and sold the land to the highest bidder.

Now, baseball is back to a sort of club level again - still drawing big crowds, but not the all-encompassing, multi-million dollar money pit it used to be, less than 15 years ago, is gone in favor of stripping it back down to the sports element, rather than the entertainment element.

In one way i think that it's helped the real fans get back in touch with their game, but it was painful to get through for them, not easy at all.

The more money that comes into football in this country the more we're edging toward critical mass. If it carries on the way it is then eventually clubs like Citeh will end up opening their own banks and controlling more than just a football club - the distribution of money is becoming more and more skewed and can only lead to eventual implosion, unless something happens to lure back those of us who can't afford to tag along (and rid the stands of the fair-weather pussies who can't sit and watch a match in the fucking rain).

 

[ohh Teddy Teddy]

It looked empty because everyone took cover because it was pissing down with rain. Then once L'Pool went in the lead, they just thought, fuck this, and left

We could easy fill 50k each week IMO if priced properly. We would fill 60k against the likes of Chelsea/Arsenal/Man Utd/Liverpool aswell.

 

[camaj]

I think ticket sales are a reflection of the confidence of fans rather than anything else. Arsenal underperformed yet again and fans must be wondering what the point is. Same with us, last season we looked pretty uninspiring at times, especially after christmas.

Money might be a problem but it has been for years, that would make a differnce this season compared to last season or before that. I reject the idea that it costs £100 though, when I was a member it used to cost me £30 including travel for many games. If you go to a catagory A game it's going to cost maybe double that. If money is tight don't bother with a program and eat before you go to the game.

The other factor is so many of our early games are on tv. I think we're on TV for 3 of the next 4 games, so people are going to watch it on sky. Tonights game is on TV it's a long trip, most fans have work tomorrow if they're in the country

 

[Riandor]

In the US, Baseball was THE game. It was their national past-time and attracted crowds of 100k+ for some of the biggest ties. With the popularity came the sponsors and the owners, all pouring more and more money into the game, filling the teams with high payed professionals, building monumentally big new stadiums and funding aces of merchandising.

At some point in the 90's, the bubble burst and all of a sudden these clubs that were drawing mammoth crowds now found their arenas half empty. As the crowds waned, so did the money and, inside maybe five years, the entire industry just fell apart. What didn't help was that there was a boom in the price of real-estate, meaning the land that these bohemoth stadiums, generating next to no money, were sitting on land that was worth bajillions so, as soon as the losses started mounting up, and with no other way to attract crowds left, the money men abandoned the game once and for all, sold up the land, built arenas nearby that were similar in size to the ones knocked down to make way for the motherships in the first place, and sold the land to the highest bidder.

Now, baseball is back to a sort of club level again - still drawing big crowds, but not the all-encompassing, multi-million dollar money pit it used to be, less than 15 years ago, is gone in favor of stripping it back down to the sports element, rather than the entertainment element.

In one way i think that it's helped the real fans get back in touch with their game, but it was painful to get through for them, not easy at all.

The more money that comes into football in this country the more we're edging toward critical mass. If it carries on the way it is then eventually clubs like Citeh will end up opening their own banks and controlling more than just a football club - the distribution of money is becoming more and more skewed and can only lead to eventual implosion, unless something happens to lure back those of us who can't afford to tag along (and rid the stands of the fair-weather pussies who can't sit and watch a match in the fucking rain).

Yeah absolutely this...

I love spurs to bits, but the ridiculous cost of going to matches makes a man trying to pay a mortgage and raise a young family simply have to live with the TV.

I much prefer going to WHL, but l have too many financial considerations. I am finding it tough to stay in tune with the game as sensible and safe club stewardship is ruined by multi-billionaires buying themselves the league.

I could even see Man Utd slipping to 3rd this year if Chelsea click.

4th is between Arsenal, Liverpool and us and out of those three Liverpool are massively overspending as well.

The issue with wage caps is that it still favours the rich, lets face it, Man City look to have gotten round the Financial Fair play rules already so what good would a wage cap do?

I thihnk we are going to see a monumental implosion at some point, but how soon depends on too many factors for me to make a learned guess.

R.

 

[Adam456]

Though I didn't see the game (was on the beach in Spain) it sounds like it was the rain and then the scoreline in this case.

That said (and as said many a time), I totally agree that it's overpriced and there are plenty of teams that can't fill their grounds. I think regular fans are slowly being priced out of the game and without them it really will become souless crap.

I said a long time ago that we should have electronic season tickets so that the clubs can make a massive slice of their cash from their games being available 24/7 across the world. They can then drop prices back down to, say, £10/£20 depending on location

....but I think that ship has sailed because we know the extra cash would go straight on wages

The financial fair play idea was good in principle - the downward pressure on wages caused by the potential for losing even more money when banned form Europe sounds perfect. However, unless there's some decision being made as we speak that I'm not privy to it looks like UEFA have fallen spectacularly at the first hurdle by allowing Citeh to pluck a figure of £400m out of the sky. It's 10 years of stadium name, shirt sponsor, training ground = £40m per season. Of course, it remains to be seen if they can even make a profit after that but that doesn't make it fair at all

This article gives a few good comparisons:

http://www.football365.com/news/21554/7031678/Unfair-To-Compare-Man-City-To-Arsenal

Gooners shirt and stadium deal is worth £15m per season. Even if you allow that values have gone up a bit it's had to argue that Citeh's deal should be worth almost 3 times the scum's - given the relative success, supporter base, worldwide exposure, appearance in the CL etc. etc.

For an overseas comparison it says that the deal recently done for the stadium (only) of the NY Jets and Giants was worth $17m (about £12m) per year.

Although as an economist the idea of intervening in free markets is always bitter, I think perhaps the time has come that we need a salary and ticket price cap....

 

[llamafarmer]

I'm starting to fall out of love with football tbh, so I can understand if a lot of others are too. The new money of clubs like City and Chelsea. The ridiculous profligacy of the players in the face of financial problems effecting the very people that pay their wages. Diving and feigning injury. Abusing referees. Ticket prices. Corruption in FIFA.....

 

[The Apprentice]

It was definitely because of the rain. It absolutely bucketed it down and the front rows are open to the elements.

Go look at the highlights from the first half.

 

[Samson]

Though I didn't see the game (was on the beach in Spain) it sounds like it was the rain and then the scoreline in this case.

That said (and as said many a time), I totally agree that it's overpriced and there are plenty of teams that can't fill their grounds. I think regular fans are slowly being priced out of the game and without them it really will become souless crap.

I said a long time ago that we should have electronic season tickets so that the clubs can make a massive slice of their cash from their games being available 24/7 across the world. They can then drop prices back down to, say, £10/£20 depending on location

....but I think that ship has sailed because we know the extra cash would go straight on wages

The financial fair play idea was good in principle - the downward pressure on wages caused by the potential for losing even more money when banned form Europe sounds perfect. However, unless there's some decision being made as we speak that I'm not privy to it looks like UEFA have fallen spectacularly at the first hurdle by allowing Citeh to pluck a figure of £400m out of the sky. It's 10 years of stadium name, shirt sponsor, training ground = £40m per season. Of course, it remains to be seen if they can even make a profit after that but that doesn't make it fair at all

This article gives a few good comparisons:

http://www.football365.com/news/21554/7031678/Unfair-To-Compare-Man-City-To-Arsenal

Gooners shirt and stadium deal is worth £15m per season. Even if you allow that values have gone up a bit it's had to argue that Citeh's deal should be worth almost 3 times the scum's - given the relative success, supporter base, worldwide exposure, appearance in the CL etc. etc.

For an overseas comparison it says that the deal recently done for the stadium (only) of the NY Jets and Giants was worth $17m (about £12m) per year.

Although as an economist the idea of intervening in free markets is always bitter, I think perhaps the time has come that we need a salary and ticket price cap....

I thought UEFA would make the decisions in 3 seasons' time? For FFP purposes, they can adjust that down then. If they don't, Arsenal and Spurs will be calling their lawyers.

 

[adiepf]

rubbish.

he is right

edit:not you, omar, the ground was full at the start...they moved because of the rain

 

[$hoguN]

Didn't Arsenal raise their prices around 8%?? That is an absolute liberty even before you add in the fact they have sold some of their best players. That doesn't show the bubble has burst for the PL just that Arsenal are taking the piss and people realise that

 

[KingKay]

You lost me at northern slum, shame really because otherwise I think you make a decent point. -1

 

[Kushal]

At least we all agree that they've got fair-weather fans then! :lol:

 

[Winchy85]

I can't see anything other than a full house for every game at WHL for the foreseeable future.

If the first game at White Hart Lane this season is a sell out I will eat my testicles.

 

[dav3j]

If the first game at White Hart Lane this season is a sell out I will eat my testicles.

The Hearts game or the City game? City is sold out, Hearts is down to limited availability.

 

[thekneaf]

The Hearts game or the City game? City is sold out, Hearts is down to limited availability.

The Hearts game is proof of our fan base. You need to be a real fan to want to pay £35 for that game.

 

[Dougal]

If the first game at White Hart Lane this season is a sell out I will eat my testicles.

It's a 'free' game as part of the season ticket package. Boiled or roasted?

 

[dav3j]

Boiled or roasted?

Eek

:rofl: