Jamie Chalkley
To finish our series, here’s the final part of our results from this summer’s end of season Gooner survey.
What do you think of the atmosphere at the Emirates?
59% - Not great but same as any other Premier League ground today
35% - Worse than some other Premier League grounds
6% - Good
It’s no secret that the atmosphere at the Emirates is not electric every week but for the bigger games this season the ground has been rocking at times. Generally though, you’d think many of the crowd were doing some horse racing betting on their mobile phones instead of watching a football match. Having said that, the atmosphere at the Emirates is probably no different to that at other Premier League stadiums. The amount of tourists that the Premier League attracts doesn't do the atmosphere anywhere any favours.
How do you feel about playing home matches on Thursdays and Sunday/Mondays with the club’s Europa League involvement?
77% - Don’t like it, prefer Tues/Weds midweek and more Saturday matches
23% - It’s fine, no problem
I am not shocked to see that most fans do not like Arsenal playing on a Thursday and then a Sunday/Monday. It constantly means that they are playing catch up on other teams in the League, putting more pressure on the team to get the result. It is also not ideal for fans who have to go to work on Mondays.
Assuming Arsenal play weakened teams (similar to League Cup line-ups) during the group stage of the Europa League pre-Xmas, which of the following apply to you?
39% - I am not a season ticket holder or silver/red member anyway
18% - I am a silver or red member and will probably give them a miss
17% - I am a season ticket holder and will go to the games
16% - I am a season ticket holder but will probably give them a miss
10% - I am a silver or red member and will go to the games
I think it has been quite evident that most fans are not bothered about the Europa League Group Stage matches and this is shown by the huge amount of empty seats. The poor opposition along with the fact that Arsenal often plays a weakened team, is just not appealing to fans. Of the 61% of fans that could get tickets, approximately 40% would attend, and of the season ticket holders who had no choice but to pay for their seats, almost half won’t bother to use them. Thursday nights against teams hardly anyone has heard of are a hard sell.
If Arsenal were to progress to the knockout stage of the Europa League, what policy do you think Unai Emery should take?
71% - Play stronger teams in the hope of winning the trophy and qualifying for Champions League
29% - Continue to play weakened teams so that the Premier League campaign is not affected
This is an interesting statistic, as Unai Emery did seem to place more importance on the Europa League than might have been expected. It is a difficult decision but I think it is a safer option to focus on the League as the Europa League is a knockout competition and anything can happen.
Do you look at your phone during matches when you are at the stadium?
61% - No
39% - Yes
Interesting to see that 39% of people look at their phone during a match. There is no problem if you occasionally look at your phone during a match but if someone is constantly on it, I think they should give their ticket to someone who genuinely wants to watch the game.
If yes, have you in the past season ever missed seeing a goal / big chance / bad foul due to looking at your phone instead of watching the game?
89% - No
11% - Yes
Would you like free wifi to be introduced to the Emirates, as it is at Manchester City’s stadium?
67% - Yes
33% - No
I think it would be beneficial as it is almost impossible to get service at the Emirates. However, it may lead to a higher proportion of fans paying more attention to their phone than the match.
Do you think fans should take pictures/videos during a game?
55% - No, live in the moment
45% - Yes, it does not matter
It is frustrating to see so many cameras and phones recording certain moments in a match, for example penalty kicks. Not only does it restrict the view of others, I believe it also ruins the moment a little bit as fans are more focused on getting a good photo/video than actually celebrating the goal.
What has been the best atmosphere at a game this season (home or away)?
1. Arsenal v Tottenham (4-2)
2. Valencia v Arsenal (2-4)
3. Arsenal v Chelsea (2-0)
4. Fulham v Arsenal (1-5)
As I mentioned previously, the atmosphere at some games this season has been very good. The 4-2 victory against Tottenham is a prime example of this. The fans constantly got behind the team which transmitted to the players who felt it and responded in the best way possible. Last year’s North London Derby felt like a proper derby, as the players seemed to care as much as the fans did.
Who have been the best opposition fans this season?
1. Liverpool
2. Crystal Palace
3. Rennes
4. Napoli
5. Newcastle
6. Wolves
No real surprises here, as it seems to be the same teams every year that create a good atmosphere in the away section at the Emirates.
What’s your favourite matchday pub?
1. The Tollington
2. The Rocket
3. Twelve Pins
4. The Gunners Pub
5. The Coronet
Do you watch Arsenal Fan TV?
44% - Never have done
26% - Occasionally
19% - ?Used to but not any more
11% - Frequently
Arsenal Fan TV is like marmite for Arsenal fans, you either love them or hate them. No matter your opinion on them, it is quite impressive to see what they have created and to hit 1 million subscribers on YouTube is not easy, so fair play to them. I’d conclude from the survey that we don’t have the same audience, and certainly theirs is bigger than The Gooner’s!
Do you ever watch Arsenal Vloggers (Video Logs where Arsenal fans talk straight to camera)?
73% - No
17% - Watched a few, but got bored
10% - Yes, regularly
There are plenty of Arsenal Vloggers on Youtube that often bring in high amounts of views. Personally, it is not my thing but I can see why people watch them.
Did you attend the Europa League Final?
95% - No
5% - Yes
No surprises at all with this one. The Europa League final was in a stupid location that was just too expensive and difficult for the majority of fans to get to.
If no, what was the primary reason you did not attend?
66% - Travel and accommodation was too expensive
10% - Could not find suitable flights and accommodation
With direct flights from London to Baku costing more than £1000 and connecting flights costing more than £700, it came as no surprise to see the lack of Arsenal fans attending the final.
What has been your favourite Gooner front cover this season?
29% - 277
25% - 276
19% - 272
11% - 274
10% - 273
6% - 275
What has been your least favourite Gooner front cover this season?
26% - 274
18% - 276
17% - 277
15% - 275
13% - 272
12% - 273
That’s your lot for this year! Thanks to all those who voted. (Ed's note - and many thanks to Jamie Chalkley for his work setting up the survey this year as well as collating and commenting on the results)
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