Once again the prevalence of empty seats at Arsenal home games is a hot topic, and again Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is in denial about the problem. Attendance has been decreasing as the Gunners have long been out of the race for a top four finish, and we never really had a league title race this season as Manchester City sizzled out of the gate. No other side was competitive enough to warrant using the ComeOn voucher code to back them to win the title over City.
Arsenal are currently in sixth place, and still in danger of losing their position to Burnley and finding themselves, potentially, out of Europe all together next season. Almost one third of seats at the Emirates have been in empty for recent league games, but the last time Wenger discussed dwindling attendance, he blamed it on Easter Sunday.
That might explain that specific home game, but what about the overall trend at the Emirates stadium? Wenger, at his press conference today, fails to recognize a problem(s).
“It’s not a big concern because our crowd is very solid at the moment,” the Frenchman responded, alluding to a high renewal rate among season ticket holders for next season and the fact that every game has been sold out this season.
“We have played on some special days, we don’t go for the league [title]. I believe we have a very faithful crowd, very faithful fans, who will always be there and support the club. When you look at the renewal numbers for next season, they are absolutely outstanding.”
Wenger continued on, essentially doubling and tripling down on his stance. The long time, but certainly embattled Gunners boss claims the only issue with the club right now is where they currently sit in the table.
“We are sold out in every single game so I don’t know where the problem is at the moment. If you feel like next season it will not be the case, then we’ll have to face it, but I believe that, if you look at our numbers and how much people want to renew tickets for next season, I don’t believe that we have a major problem.”
“We have a major problem at the moment because we’re not in a position to win the league. That’s our biggest problem. The biggest problem is not the number of fans who are behind the team.”
Wenger seems oblivious, by design almost certainly, to the issues that arise when tickets are sold, but people don’t show up. It’s not a good situation for clubs to sell tickets, and still have diminishing attendance. Yes, the gate revenue is there, but all the potential opportunities for concession and merchandise sales is lost.
Not to mention the really bad look of empty seats at the home venue during television broadcasts. These are issues that Wenger obviously doesn’t want to address, because doing so goes against his own self-interest.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Sound Cloud, LinkedIn and YouTube.