For obvious reasons I haven’t taken much notice of this

‘Cup final’ in which we find ourselves, but as I understand it:

1. It’s being played in Azerbaijan, about as far from the home of both finalists as you can get and still be in, ahem, Europe.
2. Flights are extremely limited and expensive.
3. There is some question about the Azerbaijani’s welcome for one of our players because politics.
4. Each club is being issued 6,000 tickets in a stadium which holds 68,000

If these reports are accurate, would it not be reasonable to expect both The Arsenal and Chelsea to advise UEFA to poke their tinpot final up their bottoms?

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Originally Posted by Sir C

‘Cup final’ in which we find ourselves, but as I understand it:

1. It’s being played in Azerbaijan, about as far from the home of both finalists as you can get and still be in, ahem, Europe.
2. Flights are extremely limited and expensive.
3. There is some question about the Azerbaijani’s welcome for one of our players because politics.
4. Each club is being issued 6,000 tickets in a stadium which holds 68,000

If these reports are accurate, would it not be reasonable to expect both The Arsenal and Chelsea to advise UEFA to poke their tinpot final up there bottoms?

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Why would we do that when IF we win we make about £50m extra ....and since when do clubs give a **** about their fans?

Right. And anyway, everyone agreed to this years ago.

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Originally Posted by Pokster

Why would we do that when IF we win we make about £50m extra ....and since when do clubs give a **** about their fans?

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Originally Posted by Pokster

Why would we do that when IF we win we make about £50m extra ....and since when do clubs give a **** about their fans?

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Perhaps some things ought to be considered more important than money.

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Originally Posted by Sir C

Perhaps some things ought to be considered more important than money.

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We are talking about football clubs, who seem to have 1 intention only, and that is to get as much money as possible no matter what it takes

Yes. Odd though that people only ever have that particular insight when it's football, don't they. I mean, nobody ever says it about the Festival, do they. Or Bowmore. And I've never heard of anybody mentioning it to the Amex people or the Lincoln Motor Company.

Indeed, mine own wife and daughters have found a delightful little cafe somewhere about, who, in their infinite sense of goodwill and generosity of spirit, will let you have an espresso for just €15. Yet your wise words there simply didn't seem to occur to anyone who was present.

As I say, very odd.

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Originally Posted by Sir C

Perhaps some things ought to be considered more important than money.

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:nod: #WengerOut

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Originally Posted by Pokster

We are talking about football clubs, who seem to have 1 intention only, and that is to get as much money as possible no matter what it takes

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Originally Posted by redgunamo

Yes. Odd though that people only ever have that particular insight when it's football, don't they. I mean, nobody ever says it about the Festival, do they. Or Bowmore. And I've never heard of anybody mentioning it to the Amex people or the Lincoln Motor Company.

Indeed, mine own wife and daughters have found a delightful little cafe somewhere about, who, in their infinite sense of goodwill and generosity of spirit, will let you have an espresso for just €15. Yet your wise words there simply didn't seem to occur to anyone who was present.

As I say, very odd.

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I have no problem with pricing the product at the market rate but this seems to me to be deliberately excluding the supporters of the competing clubs, which will surely prove counter-productive when the TV audience is disappointed by the lack of atmosphere on display, and ceases to cough quite so enthusastically for the product?

And holidn ithe final in a country which cannot guarantee the safety of one of our players because of his nationality is just mind-boggling.

I’ve just learned that Chelsea are playing games in the US at the moment. Not sure how long they’re out there but it seems a bit of an odd move before a final. :shrug:

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Originally Posted by 7sisters

I’ve just learned that Chelsea are playing games in the US at the moment. Not sure how long they’re out there but it seems a bit of an odd move before a final. :shrug:

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One of their players has picked up a bad injury, apparently. It wasn't one I'd heard of though.

Oh, that's all irrelevant nowadays, I'm afraid. The game has so many alternative revenue streams that no-one cares about the atmosphere at the ground. Even if they just fill the place up with global sportswear, hotel chain and airline marketing company junketeers on a sort of busman's holiday, that'll do.

Maybe the developments passed us by but the fact is that hardly anybody actually watches football matches on television anymore, yet interest in and information about, even involvement in said games has apparently never been higher.

You can sit down in front of your Panasonic TV in your Nike socks and follow it on Twitter at the same time and bet on the outcome on your iphone while checking for decent car insurance deals on your Sony laptop and sipping a Heineken or a Pepsi, paying for your pizza delivery with your Mastercard, watching a movie on Netflix. The fact is, you are contributing to Mesut Özil's wages whether you can actually be bothered to watch him aimlessly, pointlessly stroll about the pitch or not. Football is merely the honey pot that attracts all the money.

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Originally Posted by Sir C

I have no problem with pricing the product at the market rate but this seems to me to be deliberately excluding the supporters of the competing clubs, which will surely prove counter-productive when the TV audience is disappointed by the lack of atmosphere on display, and ceases to cough quite so enthusastically for the product?

And holidn ithe final in a country which cannot guarantee the safety of one of our players because of his nationality is just mind-boggling.

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Hmm, so there is some reaction from the club, at least.

Statement from Arsenal Football Club:

“Everyone at Arsenal is delighted to have reached the Uefa Europa League final and we are all very much looking forward to the match against Chelsea on Wednesday, May 29.

"However, we are bitterly disappointed by the fact that due to transport limitations Uefa can only make a maximum of 6,000 tickets available to Arsenal for a stadium with a capacity of well over 60,000. Time will tell if it is even possible for 6,000 Arsenal fans to attend the match, given how extreme the travel challenges are.

"We have 45,000 season-ticket holders and for so many fans to miss out due to Uefa selecting a final venue with such limited transport provision is quite simply not right. The reality is that whoever reached the final would not be able to meet demand from their supporters.

"We have received many complaints from our fans about this and we fully share their concerns.

"On behalf of our fans, we would like to understand the criteria by which venues are selected for finals, and also how supporter requirements are taken into account as part of this.

"Moving forward we would urge Uefa to ensure that supporter logistics and requirements are a key part of any future decisions for final venues as what has happened this season is unacceptable, and cannot be repeated. We would be happy to join any future discussions to avoid this situation happening again."

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Originally Posted by Sir C

One of their players has picked up a bad injury, apparently. It wasn't one I'd heard of though.

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You've not heard of current England international, Ruben Loftus-Cheek?

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Originally Posted by Sir C

Hmm, so there is some reaction from the club, at least.

Statement from Arsenal Football Club:

“Everyone at Arsenal is delighted to have reached the Uefa Europa League final and we are all very much looking forward to the match against Chelsea on Wednesday, May 29.

"However, we are bitterly disappointed by the fact that due to transport limitations Uefa can only make a maximum of 6,000 tickets available to Arsenal for a stadium with a capacity of well over 60,000. Time will tell if it is even possible for 6,000 Arsenal fans to attend the match, given how extreme the travel challenges are.

"We have 45,000 season-ticket holders and for so many fans to miss out due to Uefa selecting a final venue with such limited transport provision is quite simply not right. The reality is that whoever reached the final would not be able to meet demand from their supporters.

"We have received many complaints from our fans about this and we fully share their concerns.

"On behalf of our fans, we would like to understand the criteria by which venues are selected for finals, and also how supporter requirements are taken into account as part of this.

"Moving forward we would urge Uefa to ensure that supporter logistics and requirements are a key part of any future decisions for final venues as what has happened this season is unacceptable, and cannot be repeated. We would be happy to join any future discussions to avoid this situation happening again."

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We always lose in Russia*, btw.


*I know it's not actually Russia, but it is really.

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Originally Posted by IUFG

You've not heard of current England international, Ruben Loftus-Cheek?

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Oh hang on. I've heard of him. Largely because of his tremendously unlikely name.

That's very nice but one is forced to wonder why everyone didn't express those same concerns a couple of years ago when the venue was chosen :rubchin: #UEFA #MoneyLaundering

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Originally Posted by Sir C

Hmm, so there is some reaction from the club, at least.

Statement from Arsenal Football Club:

“Everyone at Arsenal is delighted to have reached the Uefa Europa League final and we are all very much looking forward to the match against Chelsea on Wednesday, May 29.

"However, we are bitterly disappointed by the fact that due to transport limitations Uefa can only make a maximum of 6,000 tickets available to Arsenal for a stadium with a capacity of well over 60,000. Time will tell if it is even possible for 6,000 Arsenal fans to attend the match, given how extreme the travel challenges are.

"We have 45,000 season-ticket holders and for so many fans to miss out due to Uefa selecting a final venue with such limited transport provision is quite simply not right. The reality is that whoever reached the final would not be able to meet demand from their supporters.

"We have received many complaints from our fans about this and we fully share their concerns.

"On behalf of our fans, we would like to understand the criteria by which venues are selected for finals, and also how supporter requirements are taken into account as part of this.

"Moving forward we would urge Uefa to ensure that supporter logistics and requirements are a key part of any future decisions for final venues as what has happened this season is unacceptable, and cannot be repeated. We would be happy to join any future discussions to avoid this situation happening again."

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