Ninety-nine years ago today, Highbury first opened its doors for a competitive match. History tells us that they were probably left hanging at an angle with work continuing throughout the season to finish the stadium. The move itself saw resistance from those in Plumstead diminish whilst the ne’er-do-wells of Islington were not pleased with the thought of riff-raff invading their parish every fortnight. If Arsenal announced a decision to leave the borough now, Hue and Cry might well reform to capitalise on their band name becoming a national catchphrase such would be the bandying of those words to describe the reaction.
It seems a long time ago that we moved to Ashburton Grove, will the club adopt the stadium’s correct name when the rights are renegotiated à la Newcastle, tagging the sponsors name onto the stadium name or subsuming the ground’s identity?
It’s a tricky decision, particularly if the naming rights change hands every decade or so; when will home be home? Unless Arsenal continue with Emirates as sponsors – and I have no information as to whether they will or will not – there is a danger that the stadium which they are trying to make more ‘homely’ will remain a soulless lump of concrete, plastic, wood and leather with some nice Arsenal wallpaper. The club can be proud of its construction and the method of funding whilst remaining at the top of the division but will it be a home if it never has a name?
The problem is that the naming rights is a market which is not unique to Arsenal in England but until others such as United or Liverpool tread that path, we are never sure if true value is being achieved. Manchester City’s subsumption of the naming rights of Eastlands into a monolithic regeneration contract has muddied the waters. Designed as a way of injecting cash into the club to offset losses, the Etihad Campus notion enables the club and its sponsors to attach any value to the naming rights which they so choose. So long as it is reasonable in comparison to other European deals, City can dismiss any attempt by the authorities to tie their valuation into that which Emirates and Arsenal placed upon Ashburton Grove.
A simple assertion that Arsenal sold the value of their brand below its true worth is difficult to argue with; Arsenal needed the cash to complete the stadium construction and heavily front-loaded that the Nike deals to ensure funds were available. Needs must, or needs musted.
For supporters this is grist to the mill; we understand the club needs commercial revenues to survive, as time progresses our money through the turnstiles will become less relevant. Broadcasting deals show no sign of diminishing in value and as the number of commercial deals increases, matchday revenues will become less important to the survival. There will be a point where break-even is achieved through these sources. If you like, this will be time when our money really does fund transfers, when the strict application of that maxim will be the truth.
As we move towards that era, tinkering around the stadium will become even more of a sideshow than it already is. Don’t get me wrong, some of the Arsenalisation is good; statues, motifs, murals which celebrate the club’s glorious history are welcomed but it does not make a home, a home. An updated observation from The Staple Singers might be that it takes more than a hammer and nails to make a house a home; plywood, oak, leather and mdf is not the entire solution either. I’m sure Pops Staples could have made it scan better than I.
As time passes, I accept that The Emirates is home but I find myself returning to the initial feeling I had; Ashburton Grove is home, not a sponsors name. I never laughed at people who called the stadium by that name but I wondered if there was an element of well, anal-retention in it. As you wonder about the upcoming deals, ideals start to re-surface about a sport which has lost its heart and soul.
Arsenal cannot escape from the naming rights issue, they are still finding their feet in football’s new commercial age. This is the first time that they have renegotiated the major deals in the new ground, in this increasingly rampant monetarised time. The financial strength is not there to be able to determine that £15m-£20m per season can be foregone as there are other areas to make up this shortfall. To be honest, I doubt that time will come in my lifetime, if ever.
I cannot get my Arsenal back, I don’t want the 1970s or 1980s Arsenal back either. Like all of history, our past contains lessons from good times and bad, which we must learn to progress to be a better future. I would like some of football’s soul to return though. An ideal for living, indeed.
’til Tomorrow.
Theo is an important player for us. His pace forces teams to sit back and allows us to dictate in midfield. He can finish, his crossing while erratic never seemed to me the worst in the team and as we saw last season against Chelksi and the tinies, Theo can tear teams to shreds which push up against us. I also think his directness makes him different to any other player we’ve had in the last 7 years or so.
Consistency is what young Theo lacks and he is getting there. He has improved a lot in defending and crossing
The truth about Theo is somewhere in the middle. He has significant ability and potential but is yet to fully realise it. Footballwise he is not worth the 100k he is rumoured to want but maybe the share of his market profile is worth more than club are offering. 2+2=100k!
Both his supporters and detractors would be happy if he signed I gather. The sooner the better.
Last?
I agree with Ole Gunner. He’s one of a kind. I also think he’s a big match player. Not always consistent, but the whole of Barca were shit scared of him, if I remember correctly. When has anyone ever been scared of Arshavin as such? Chamakh? You don’t think with a firing Giroud we could do with the speed and strength of Podolski and Theo on the wings? He needs good players around him, just as Robin was, and he’ll be firing. A lot depends on Giroud now, I think he could come good. Theo is important, he deserves wages around 100k. Regardless he’s been here long enough, he should get a pay raise. Think of it as an increment. Rather than the flat rate of 50k for everyone who can kick a ball to 70ks of you’re the star players. What you’re better now? Take 130k and call it a day. Nah!
Cesc is crying a bit too much. He should have known he wouldn’t just walk into the Barcelona team like that. I think our transfer policy pissed him off a bit, when it came to keeping a strong squad. And who wouldn’t want to play for Barcelona? In an interview Song said, it’s flattering but I am not interested. And fans read that as ‘he was sulking on the pitch, being arrogant, defensively poor, not taking instructions’. Nah!
@ Paul-N
“Arsesession, the problem is that who are you or anyone else to define what slow progress is? That is subjective and I don’t agree. Our opinions are not an authority.”
Our manager and club have spoiled us. When a player starts for Arsenal there is a certain expectation for end product. If your good enough to start then every player should be judged by an expected level of performance, regardless of age.
If someone struggles then their is a leniency curve based on their typical week end and week out end product or if the player is very young, then most usually cut some slack: Szczesny – Gibbs – Ramsey – Jenks
Yes, my opinion about his progress is my own opinion, but then again this is a blog site, but I stand by my remarks…….I was trying to be specific to why some fans didn’t appreciate the player. If I came across as slagging the player, I apologize.
Obviously, I did a poor job of conveying where the blame should be placed….his training and AW.
I respect anyone that stands up for their favorite. I just believe that more could have been done to raise his overall game…….after 6+ seasons. (imo and I stick with it)
When has anyone ever been scared of Arshavin as such?
Ha ha ,fucking ha.
There’s probably a law you could define in respect of football stadia: the fewer the fans who are familiar with the immediate area, the more they fetishise the ground itself. The Emirates/Ashburton Grove is a building, but it’s in Highbury. The previous ground was (officially) the Arsenal Stadium, but it was known to all as Highbury. Every time I alight at the Arsenal station (aka Gillespie Road), I believe I’m arriving at Highbury. Do you see a theme emerging there?
PG, agreed. I remember those discussions and essentially agree with your position. And JW is one of my favorites.
FFP update.
Love the last para.
http://www.football365.com/news/21554/8054396/Could-We-Have-Financial-Fair-Play-In-The-PL-
How about
ARMORY ?
nah
dondesta senyor BIRDKAMP ???
GK
It’s been up since 6.30am at http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/arsenal/one-of-us-speaks-now-and-then/
Pays to click on the home page icon first.
Tnx YW
NO EMAIL
GK
Hmmm, will have a look as mine has arrived safely. 8.30 GMT FWIW,
GK, join Twitter. Get notifications earlier.