Arsenal are the most expensive club to support in the world – UEFA Report

Arsenal are the most expensive club to support in the world

Fans paying the price

It would appear that Arsenal are top of the table; but not in terms of the English Premier League. According to UEFA’s European Club Footballing Landscape report, Arsenal are not just champions of Europe but are world champions when it comes down to how much they charge they fan each fan that goes through the Emirates turnstiles.

UEFA Report

Supporters are not likely to take this news well. At the time of writing, their team are languishing in 6th place in the table, 23 points behind Manchester City in the table. Not only that, but they are also one place and five points behind North London rivals Tottenham Hotspurs.

Despite this unfortunate showing, UEFA’s report states that Arsenal makes £74.09 for each and every fan that goes into the stadium, and not to put too fine a point on it, this is more than any other club on the entire planet makes from their supporters.

How the figures are compiled

The UEFA report worked its costs out by taking into account revenue from receipts at the gates as well as including money for match day tickets. Their calculations also include season tickets, club membership fees, premium tickets and cash from earned from hospitality initiatives.

An analysis of the overall high prices that Arsenal charge their fans at the Emirates showed that the club gains most of its income from gate receipts; last term’s total amounting to a whopping £102-million. Arsenals total receipts even outdo Manchester United, despite the fact that Old Trafford has a more extensive capacity. They ranked sixth with regard to how much each supporter pays; the sum being £54.31.

Where is the value for money?

Bearing in mind the fact that The Gunners haven’t won the title race since the 2003/2004 season, many supporters may think that they are not being given a fair crack of the whip – and who could blame them?

There is still a lot of unrest at Arsenal, not least the opinions about Arsene Wenger. A significant number of fans believe he should go. The fact of the matter is that there are five occasions in the past that could have brought about his sacking.

• When Arsenal lost 8-2 to Manchester United in 2011
• It’s more than 10-years since Arsenal mounted a challenge for winning the Premier League
• The many failures in the League Cup (including being beaten 5-1 by North London Rivals, Spurs in the 2008 semi-final, and being knocked out by Bradford in the quarter-finals in 2012/13.
• Being beaten 6-1 at Stamford Bridge in 2014
• Failures in the Champions League between 1998 and 2017

Never again – Whoops

Currently, there is the debacle over the departure of Sanchez. It seems to have dragged on endlessly with many fans pointing out that it could be Wenger’s worst mistake since letting Robin van Persie go to Manchester United in 2012 despite him saying at the time that such a thing would never happen again. However, it appears Sanchez has now agreed a four and a half year contract with Man Utd.

There is also the question about Jack Wilshire, who according to Ray Wilkins in a recent interview has so much to offer Arsenal. Wilkins remarks that Wenger says Wilshire should be a member of the England team and yet he hardly ever features in the Arsenal set up. There is talk about the player having to take a pay cut to remain at Arsenal, amid rumours of interest from West Ham.

Jack pay cut?

A lead balloon of massive proportions

Given all of this unrest, the news about Arsenal charging their fans more than any other football club in the world for the privilege of supporting them is likely to go down like a lead balloon of massive proportions.

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