Arsenal are hoping that some fans will be able to attend the club’s game against Sheffield United on 3 October.
Supporters have not been allowed to watch the team at the Emirates in person since the 1-0 win against West Ham United on 7 March. In the days after that victory, Mikel Arteta tested positive for Covid-19 and football in England was suspended.
As lockdown restrictions ease, clubs are obviously keen to get fans back onto the terraces quickly, however, there’s a keen awareness of the need for strict safety protocols to be in place.
It’s likely that the capacity of the Emirates will be severely reduced into 2021 which in turn will inevitably lead to ticketing disappointment for the usual match goers. An update on how the process is managed will be made public in due course.
In a statement sent to season ticket holders, Arsenal say:
“We are continuing to work hard with the Premier League and UK Government on plans to bring fans back to stadiums, initially with reduced capacities.
“We are disappointed that our home fixture against West Ham United on Saturday 19 September will be played behind closed doors, but based on current Government guidelines, we hope to be able to welcome supporters back to Emirates Stadium for the Sheffield United game scheduled for Saturday 3 October.
“We will share full information regarding fan attendance at reduced capacity matches by Wednesday 2 September.”
That we’re edging closer to having supporters in stadia is certainly positive but we’ll have to see how the next few weeks play out.
Covid-19 has been a stubborn bastard so far and it’s not going to change it’s ways just because we’re impatient to throw a few wanker signs in Mike Dean’s direction.
The last paragraph, i thought was part of the official letter :-), not checked my emails for hours
I had a few phone calls from Arsenal about paying for tickets for one of the boxes last year as im on the season ticket waiting list. I would hazard a guess that plenty of these seats are always available, even before covid started. Maybe they will use these and some deserving season ticket holders can have them at no extra cost?
Let us never forget how our managers bravery in contracting Covid 19 purposely so football would be postponed helped save thousands of life’s.
(I’m aware he didn’t purposely contract it)
Bet we still announce a full house at every game though ?
Ho, ho. The now legendary(?) announcements at The Emirates about “attendance” are based on tickets sold of course, not actual bums on seats because the club pays tax on the tickets.
Does anyone now how many ST holders there are? I’ve been looking at the plans Cambridge Utd (round the corner from me) have, and they seem very sensible in terms of forming bubbles and operating at reduced capacity, but it works out you can only have around 25% of capacity. Totally appreciate the Abbey is different to New Highbury and all that….
One of the ticketing groups I’m in one of the admins reckons 45k. I thought closer to 30k but there we go. Either way, far more than the capacity we’ll be permitted. I wonder whether they’ll run it on a rota basis or those with credits get priority. Don’t envy whoever’s organising it, that’s for sure!
I thought it was in the 30,000s, but according to the Standard, it’s around 46,000 so your ticketing group is spot on. I doubt that the reduced capacity will be much more than 25,000 or so, depending upon social distancing etc. That’s quite a bit more than half the match day income gone. If it lasts, they’ll almost certainly have to be more cuts.
There will probably be a lot of fans who won’t feel comfortable going to matches and there is talk that the stadium may be able to take more fan because it’s a modern stadium with plenty of space in concourses. Maybe most season ticket holders who wanted to would get to the game. As a red member who picks up tickets on the exchange I’m not expecting to get to any games this calendar year, hopefully if things go well I’ll get a ticket after the New Year, and Europa League games aren’t as popular so maybe then.
Those on waiting list who want to invest in buying a debenture or two now could jump the ST queue before they issue renewal information.
That does cut out most on the list but some have £1000-1500 to invest for 8 years.
It’s good news, but there will be a far from capacity crowds so the financial hit to the club will be very large and on-going. It’s imperative we try and offload the unwanted players asap (easier said than done, of course, as we’re finding out).
Tickets should be sold at a subsidised price to fans who live locally (inside a distance that doesn’t require use of picnic transport).
Getting to and from the games is the overlooked danger. In the stadium people can be controlled easily.
Plus it’d be a boon for the community and create a great bond.
Also I’d actually get to afford to attend more than a pre-season game!
Nobody should use hampers to get to the game imo.
Im all for picnic transport. I shall be arriving at the ground on my motorised pickled onion.
I think I’m on the point of spotting the flaw in this argument….
Don’t count any chickens just yet.
That’s what the cocks up the road do.
The only fans Harry Maguire is going to see any time soon are Manure fans in his Greek prison.
I laughed my head off when I read about this.
He is so strong and got a lot of money…
I haven’t received any emails fro Arsenal about my season ticket….
Nor me.
Nor me either
One more and we can start a boy band….
I got one before lockdown lol. Does that count?
I got a welfare phone call from the club during lockdown (mind you, he left email address for reply that didn’t work!)
Me neither. Maybe it’s got something to do with my not purchasing one ever before.
I’m sure official attendance will still be around 60,000…..
If 60,000 tickets are sold, then yes. We all have a laugh at the announcements at The Emirates if the figure given over the speakers is clearly not confirmed by “bums on seats” in the stadium. The explanation is simple: the attendance, in this context, is the official number of tickets sold for the match. It’s that figure that the club pays tax on. If you pay for a ticket but don’t turn up, it’s still counted because it’s income received by the club. All clubs announce “attendances” this way, not just Arsenal.