The SIG Column – 22 January

Arsenal’s victory over Manchester United was more than just the three
points and getting one over an old rival. It also marked a major turning point
for the club’s new Emirates stadium. Drew Barrand, head of media at Sport
Industry Group, explains why…

“The traditionalist football fan has certainly had a lot to take in over
recent years. As foreign interest in top-flight English clubs grows, the
hardened fans have not only had to accept that homegrown ownership is a thing of
the past but also that, in most cases, the traditional home of their beloved
club is set to be hit by a rather large wrecking ball.

The new versus old stadium argument is basically a head versus heart issue.

On the one hand, moving to a new ground makes obvious commercial sense as it
brings with it the opportunity to significantly increase revenue from the ground
through the provision of vastly improved facilities.

English football stadia were not originally conceived to do anything more
than stage matches. But as the US has proved for well over a decade, sports
venues can be substantial money earners beyond mere ticketing. Shops, casinos,
bars, entertainment facilities can all be built into the stadium model to keep
fans there and spending money way beyond the 90 minutes of the game.

The flipside of this argument is that by moving to a new stadium, the heart
and soul of the club is ripped out. Many clubs in new grounds have struggled to
replicate the atmosphere of their historical home, leaving fans to bemoan the
loss of club spirit with some staying away all together.

Despite the impressive facilities of a new, modern stadium, the eerie silence
around the ground in comparison with the previous home can be a destructive
presence. English football is all about the passion of its fans and without that
passion clubs will decline.

This traditionalist view has certainly been held by a number of Arsenal fans
this season. Whilst the new Emirates stadium is a spectacular venue – a fact
that no football fan will deny, many Gunners have complained about its lack of
atmosphere.

But after this weekend’s events, this argument lacks punch. Arsenal’s last
gasp victory over Manchester United created the atmosphere of the old Highbury
previously missing from the Emirates. It was perhaps even more breathtaking than
those victory celebrations previously held down the road in that it was open to
more fans, in a more impressive stadium.

Sometimes, all it takes is the warm glow of a significant victory to breath
life into a venue. With that in mind, fans should not be too discouraged by
moving to a new home. Atmosphere can be instilled into new places. All it takes
is one special day. The club is surely what matters more.”