Have you noticed the heavy marketing of Arsenal TV Online recently, with the sleek Dan Roebuck and his dulcet tones. Subscribe to Arsenal Tv Online and watch Arsenal TV anywhere in the world… Now I’ve just discovered providing you don’t live in the UK or Southern Ireland. I made the discovery when I sat down at my PC expecting to catch the repeat of Fans Forum with Tom Watt online. Imagine my surprise and extreme annoyance. I have paid £3.99 a month ostensibly to have access to Arsenal TV in addition to the online archives. Can I claim a breach of contract?
Well apparently not. I am tempted to say that this is yet another way that Arsenal Football Club just sees it’s fans as a financial means to an end. But then I decided tobe more charitable and started seeing the word “EXCLUSIVE” in the Setanta adverts for Arsenal TV.
It occurs to me that who ever negotiated the rights of Arsenal TV appears to have given more rights to Setanta than the actual Football club itself. Or am I wrong? Perhaps someone from the Club might like to e-mail ArsenalInsider and explain the position. In any case, I think that this is pretty poor and I am tempted to start a campaign to advise all Gooners to BOYCOTT Arsenal TV online until the digital TV services are provided as before.You see, the claim that Arsenal TV can be seen Internationally is also untrue as some Gooners who live abroad will tell you. Apparently the TV Club feeds are limited to two, and If Manchester united and Liverpool got there first, then you can look all you want, but Arsenal TV online in general and Arsenal TV in particular will be subjected to that countries broadcasting agreement. Or has that changed?
Now those among you may consider my stance to be petulant and childish and not support8ing our club in their financial time of need, but I beg to differ. We are already as hard suffering fans paying an extortionate amount of money to se our team play, whilst the club pays its own way. That means the ordinary punter like you and me. No directors are putting in their hard earned money to see the team play. No directors are putting in the 15 or 20 million that would have secured the services of David Vailla who would have prevented us from being so close to losing our Champions League Status. If there is one thing that makes FTK angry and extremely pissed then that is the nauseating stench of hypocrisy.
When this club was on the verge of copyrighting the term Gooner, you knew that it had lost the plot. I have nothing but contempt for those at Arsenal Football Club who continue to view its fans in such a patronising way. The game between Arsenal and Burnley in the FA Cup on Sunday is the first game that I can recall in several seasons that has gone on general sale. A stark warning to those arrogant forces that think that Arsenal fans will continue to pay out season after season, despite their voices not being heard, and having to stomach the self indulgent patronising attitudes of “Mother Arsenal”.
Patronising perhaps too harsh? Well consider the ban on waving International Flags, which can be waved by Non Arsenal Fans at the Emirates during Internationals, Like having to stomach the “Wonder of You” anthem which was not supported by the majority of hardcore Gooners, like having to read about the politically correct anti-social Big Brother SMS service, that could have you ejected by a steward if you upset your neighbouring fans. Yes I am angry, and yes I am having a go at my club. I have had enough of Arsenal fans always being the last to know, yet always the first to be disciplined. There is cliché that governs a lot of business and marketing strategies, and that being “The Customer is always right” Perhaps as increasing numbers of Gooners fail to renew their season tickets, stating enough is enough, perhaps the club will start to realise that without us the fans, it will get nowhere.
Rant Over!
Fabregas the King.
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