This isn't a Wenger bashing article (there are enough of those around at the moment) of even one being critical of the club, because the financial landscape of football has changed hugely over the last 15 years, and I think most people agreed at the time the stadium move was probably necessary.
But looking back, entirely in retrospect, was it necessary for us to make the stadium move? As gate revenue continues to fall as a proportion of club turnover (despite rising ticket prices), with Arsenal's being around a third of our income, and sponsorship and TV money rocketing as untapped markets are exploited, from a financial perspective stadium capacity is becoming less important.
Given our reticence as a club to spend significant amounts of money preferring to hoard cash, given the lucrative TV deal that comes into effect next season would it have mattered if we'd stayed at our iconic home? Or are there other, non-financial reasons that justified the move (e.g. simply being able to have more fans attend matches)?
For similar reasons, it also looks as though our move came at the wrong time, with other clubs such as our North London rivals being much more easily able to finance a new stadium following the influx of financial capital into the game.
Was the stadium move necessary?
posted on 30/4/16
What's done is done.
posted on 30/4/16
I've been considering making an article like this myself.
With the revenue generated simply by being a PL team, you'd probably have to say we built ours a few years too early.
Spurs seem to be taking advantage of it, same with Chelsea. West ham have got themselves a ridiculously good deal without even using much of the new money. Anfield set for expansion.
It was also a bit of a waste of Wenger's career. I appreciate what he did massively though.
posted on 30/4/16
It was well worth getting the site so close to Highbury and having it forever, they can redevelop Emirates as much as they like in the future, they have the space.
posted on 30/4/16
One thing people may not take into account is appearances and the effect that can have.
By moving into a new bigger stadium you were cementing your place as a big club in the minds of fans and (more importantly) players.
Not that you weren't big previously but even bigger, it gives off the appearance of a big club going places.
posted on 30/4/16
Yes.
posted on 30/4/16
hindsight 101, who would of know masses of money would take over football now, back when during the development things were steady.
Now football has become a business first, then a football second
posted on 30/4/16
comment by Hollywood Passer (U13400)
posted 1 minute ago
Now football has become a business first, then a football second
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do you think maybe we contributed to that a little bit?
posted on 30/4/16
Was the stadium move necessary?
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What are you on about?
We filled Wembley for our Champions League matches because Highbury was too small to host them.
posted on 30/4/16
But we did go back to Highbury for CL cause it was nice.
posted on 30/4/16
Yes it was necessary. But the timing was wrong. Hindsight is a wonderful thing