Arsenal have outlined plans to improve supporter engagement by launching an Arsenal Advisory Board (AAB) which is designed to give punters a greater say in how the club is run.
Made up of club officials and elected representatives from various supporter groups (see more below), it will meet twice a season to discuss a range of issues including the preservation of Arsenal’s culture and traditions, the expansion of the fanbase, the future direction of the game at home and abroad, community work, diversity and inclusion, the growth of Arsenal Women and the development of revenue to maximise investment in players.
The AAB’s terms of reference explain that it exists, “to provide a forum for representatives from the Club’s supporters’ groups and fanbase to meet with senior representatives from the Club and discuss relevant issues relating to the Club or football generally.”
The decision to found the AAB comes off the back of significant protests against the club’s ownership following their role in the shambolic European Super League project.
Arsenal were one of 12 clubs that signed up to the proposal in April only to renege on their commitment within 72 hours when it became apparent that there was no support for such a cack-handed reorganisation of the European game.
Wary of the reaction, three of the six English clubs involved have already hatched plans to try and quell supporter disquiet.
In May, Chelsea announced that there will be a supporter presence at the Club’s board meetings. Sp*rs confirmed they would appoint a supporter to their board as a non-executive member and Liverpool, much like Arsenal, have launched a Supporters Board.
In a statement released this evening, the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust described the AAB plan as “very underwhelming” explaining that they “fail to match even the proposal made by other Premier League clubs.”
Stan and Josh Kroenke said: “We are 100 per cent committed to Arsenal for the long term and we want our fans to feel even closer to the club they love. The steps that are being taken here will ensure their voice is more central to the club’s decision making moving forward.”
Given fan voices have been largely ignored in recent years that’s not exactly promising much.
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Which supporters groups will have elected officials on the AAB?
- The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust (AST)
- The Arsenal Independent Supporters’ Association (AISA)
- Gay Gooners
- Domestic and International Supporters’ Clubs
- Arsenal Disabled Supporters’ Association
- A Fans’ Forum representative for 18-24-year-old fans
Who will represent the club on the AAB?
- Josh Kroenke (ownership)
- Tim Lewis (board member)
- Vinai Venkatesham (Chief Executive)
- Mark Gonnella (Media, Communications & Community Affairs Director)
- Mark Brindle (Supporter Liaison Officer)
How often will the AAB meet?
Twice a season.
How will this differ to the existing Fans’ Forum committee?
The Fans’ Forum will continue to exist and will meet twice a year to discuss “more operational matters” including ticket pricing, membership pricing, safe standing, ticket touting and matchday attendance matters.
Fans: “Stan and Josh, can you both Fuck off?”
Josh: “No”
Stan: [silence]
The proposed AAB of supporter groups is noticeably missing REDaction Gooners and the Black Scarf Movement. Two organisations with strong participation in Arsenal protests over the years. I’m sure I’ve missed some others too. I can imagine the executive board don’t want them within 500 feet of any meetings. On a somewhat related note. I read that the NFL commissioner, Kroenke and a group of NFL team owners are being asked to disclosed their finances. Apparently, it has been alleged that there are some financial irregularities within the NFL involving the relocation of the Rams to Los Angeles. Whether it’s… Read more »
Concerning to see that there’s no representation for fans of the women’s team on the board, given that Edu and Vinai are allegedly making decisions for them. I think the fortunes of the women’s team are looking up after a tough few seasons, but I do wonder if the club are aware it would take a relative pittance to turn them into world beaters once again.
Sometimes I wonder if the club is aware.
It sounds like they are. They allegedly made a commitment to spend on the women’s team. I also understand that the books will be kept separately in future so it should be easy to confirm levels of investment and where the money is going.
Oh, I just meant is the club “aware”…at all; of anything; cognisant?,
This is the first time in almost 30 years that I am not really excited or looking forward to the new season. Nothing will change until we get a proper manager like Chelsea did, and extra funds from the owners. It seems like portion of our fan base are ok with finishing 8th or giving Arteta 5 more years to learn his trade. We can’t keep falling behind and having the likes of Aston Villa fk with our players and bid for ESR. We should demand more. We should be in the top 4 and fighting for trophies every year.… Read more »
So Aston Villa made a bid for ESR and that in your eyes is the fault of Arteta. As he is not for sale and will be signing a new contract, please tell me your problem. I cannot imagine a single supporter who is satisfied with finishing 8th. Neither Nketia or Willian are key players, so why are you talking about them as it’s obvious Arteta wants them to leave. Let’s see what happens with the signings we make before writing off the next season and let’s see if Arteta can continue to improve other players as he has done… Read more »
What f***ing signings !
Four weeks until the start of the new season and all this incompetent sack of crap has signed is a back up for left back – the most unimportant area of the field.
For all the protests. For all the promises I have seen NOTHING to suggest anything will happen that will make next season anything except a complete a utter disaster.
I am not excited for next season. Who, with a fully functioning and reasoning brain could find reason to look forward to next season ?
Left back the most unimportant area of the field until Tiereny is injured and we realise how important left back is? Okay.
Not even Jesus could turn Willian into Overmars.
“Jesus Saves, but Charlie George gets the rebound.”
Oh man, I loved the early 1970’s. Whatever happened to comedic graffiti….
Whatever happened to comedic graffiti….
Facist neoliberals
The Jesus from Man City?
He accidentally turned him into Barney Gumble instead
‘We should be in the top 4 and fighting for trophies every year’.
For 22 years we were.
We told the guy who put us there to fuck off.
This.
Not this again – 🙄 Wenger’s ‘personality cult’ followers, really need to accept that for all the great things he did in his first 12 to 15 years, we were clearly in decline by the time he left. Every Manager has his entrances and his exits. And Wenger had outstayed his welcome and was treading water – at best. This was not wholly his fault, as he was getting little support from those around him. But the time came to move on and indeed should have happened four or five years earlier. We have declined still further since he left.… Read more »
In decline but qualifying for Europe.
With Arteta we are in decline and drifting away from being competitive.
Arteta is the lowest standard this club could have recruited, even if it tried to do worse.
But he will be gone by Christmas and Arsenal will be looking for another new manager and the whole process of poor managerial recruitment will continue, just to save a bit of money..
Honestly.
Aside from the club about to go financially bankrupt I don’t see a worse scenario than a club that has absolutely no direction and with limited resources that are always wasted…
I think the (slim) majority will admit the change has been for the worse despite the clear decline of late-Wenger years. AND there is no hiding behind Wenger now. The club knows its real place in the world. I’m yet to see Mikel/Edu/Vinai/Josh show any signs they know shit about anything or have the influence that Wenger and before him Dein had. The inevitable transition could have been better handled. The contracts could have been better handled – giving Wenger some less stress and more freedom. We still don’t have a plan years after he’s gone proves how pointless this… Read more »
As a fan, if you can’t get excited just before a new season, then you never will. Just enjoy the dream before it is destroyed in November.
*September. Just kidding we are gonna win the league!!!
Willian will be the player of the year
Hello, is that Lip Service?
I’d like to order one Top Four Place, some Exciting Football with plenty of Goals and a side order of Honesty and Integrity.
Lose the fries and Willian.
By the looks Willian may have eaten your fries and a side-platter of cheeseburgers
👍🤣
Be excited…
gay gooners lmao
What’s the joke?
aarnavp is…
What is the % of fans they represent? Genuine question.
Who cares? Genuine question.
It’s a significant number
This comment surprised me because most of the BTL on diversity here is pretty thoughtful, and the childish jokes are normally funny. So. Celebrating that.
Generally, people who aren’t afraid of homosexuality don’t make jokes about homosexuality. They just get on with their lives.
What’s so funny?
@arseblog why do you let this happen? I thought you’re monitoring messages that appear here? This is your platform.
Not every message is moderated.
People’s first comment has to be moderated, after that they are free to comment.
Also, some people don’t show their colours for a while. We can then take steps to deal with that, as we have in this case.
Also this needs to be here so that the board can respond to the idiot
Well I can’t speak for him/her – but for myself I find it curious, not for it’s own sake but because it’s so typical of the modern worlds obsession with subdividing people by demographics – and doing so to the point where some sort of ‘segregation’ looms. I have always taken ‘supporting Arsenal’ – as just that. I have no idea whether my fellow fan is ‘gay’ or ‘straight’ or who they vote for ; or whether they vote at all ; or what they think about this political issue or that political issue ; or what newspaper they read… Read more »
Um, I think it’s fair to assume that Gay Gooners are there to be specifically the voice of the gay community and focus on some issues which affect them that others might miss.
I don’t necessarily agree with what you’ve written, but I can at least see where you’re coming from.
But the inclusion of a group whose job it is to speak for a minority often overlooked in football has nothing to do with your broad societal critique.
It’s exactly the who should be there, my only misgiving is that more voices aren’t represented.
No offense really, but.. 🙂
But Theodeoro down there has got the point, hasn’t he? Are they more gooners than us or what is actually the point of pointing out their sexuality?
And guys, once again, no offense. I mean, two of my gunners gay friends themselves think this is a little bit redundant.
Eh, my english is not so good, sorry, i am just a racist, minority abusing Czech bastard 😉
When you consider how minorities are treated by the majority – historically, the representation matters a lot – even if symbolically.
Not enough
Do you as an Arsenal fan often think about how gay Arsenal fans might feel about certain things or how their match going experience may be improved?
No? Well, they do.
And that’s why they’re there.
Can’t wait to hear their take on the Rwanda sponsorship.
Aah, i didn’t realize that on our home stadium, when you walked in as a gay, you are immediately facing any discrimination because you are gay. Or am i missing something? And the point about feelings..c’mon guys, really? This is, in my opinion, one of the main reasons why this civiliziation is so fucked nowadays. And why we do not try to improve the match experience for small people? Tall people? Grey people? Why we can not, for fuck sake, improve the experience for ALL people? Or, at least, for MOST of them? And of course, the Rwanda bullshit is… Read more »
The way to improve the experience for all people is to listen to all people, including gay people.
I haven’t said anything about discrimination, that wasn’t my point.
For someone bitching about feelings being the downfall of this civilization (I’ll assume this makes sense to you), you seem to feel quite strongly about this.
As a SarcasmB0t, you do not seem to see the sarcasm actually, do you?
So why are you not trying to improve my experience? If a would be gay, would you? Would they? Does it change anything, or is it neccessary to point this out? Why not bald people? Why not lamas?
And why are you offending my feelings? Make me hurt.
Kudos to arseblog for ensuring we have something to read everyday including this underwhelming report
Be excited to see how this underwhelming board works in Amazon Prime All or Nothing Series
Honestly that’s still the best piece of news since the day we were linked with Ozil.
Well whooptie shit.
Why do we need a fan’s rep on the board when we have Tim Lewis?
^ sarcasm
Until we can rid ourselves of the Kroenke’s I think we will be stuck in this swamp of despair. This latest advisory board shows that Stan will agree to all, and, then give nothing, he will wait out the complaints in his usual silence.
Concerned to see ArseVegans and GunnerCatOwners are not represented.
Not surprised though, the Kroenke bastards are trophy hunters.
I wish they’d start trying to hunt down the fucking EPL and the ECL.
“Very Underwhelming” seems like a fitting epitaph for the Kroenkes generally.
What a load of absolute cock
Every now and then I remember The European Super League and my heart sinks
Lip service
What the hell is “Gay Gooners”? I dont understand why anyone would mix their sexual identity with their supportership. If you are an Arsenal supporter you are an Arsenal supporter no matter what your sexuality is.
If you can have the Belgian Gooners flag, the veterans for Arsenal then why not gay gooners???
Yeah, flag. But we are talking about special club, dude. See the diferrence? Cuz i didn’t notice any Belgium Gooners or Veterans Support club at this bulshit.
Can someone please suggest using the old Art Deco logo? Current one looks like a child, proficient in graphic design, was the architect
Underwhelming seems par for the course.