Atmosphere at games lacking...interesting article discussing the reasons behind it

[clippedgull]

Discusses Premier League but same arguments apply to the Championship

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/16/premier-league-fans-atmosphere-concern

Extract:

A creeping apathy spreading across Premier League grounds, long diagnosed and discussed by fans, seems to have reached the dugout and the boardroom. In recent weeks, a trio of London-based managers questioned their own supporters.

First, André Villas-Boas queried the atmosphere at White Hart Lane after a nervy, scrappy 1-0 victory over Hull City. "We didn't have the support we should have done. There was so much anxiety from the stands, the players had to do it alone," he said.

Last Saturday, it was José Mourinho's turn to wonder whether the "profile" of the Stamford Bridge crowd had contributed to a lethargy that matched his team's performance in scrambling a draw with West Bromwich Albion. "We know Stamford Bridge is not a very hot atmosphere, not a very strong atmosphere normally, and we accept that," he said.

Last month, at Arsenal's agm, Arsène Wenger told fans: "We will need your support and we had some moments where at the Emirates we did not always feel that, but I can understand that, because it is up to us to give you the belief and it is not for you to give us the belief."

 

[Harry H]

It is hard to be passionate about anything whilst sitting down.

 

[The Truth]

The wage difference between the fans and the players can't help. Ticket prices soaring up can't help either. Money is slowly taking the pride out of the game.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

The wage difference between the fans and the players can't help. Ticket prices soaring up can't help either. Money is slowly taking the pride out of the game.

Well lack of atmosphere should deter the tourists and bring ticket prices back down.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Well lack of atmosphere should deter the tourists and bring ticket prices back down.

Indeed. Two chums of mine went to see Liverpool v West Brom. Long story but they were sat in the kop amongst a load of (silent) tourists.

When we played them in the cup recently i was staggered by the amount of foreign tourists there. I know there money is as good as anyone elses AND the global brand of LFC, Arsenal etc but it really is squeezing out the "local" support. Shame.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

That quote from Wenger tho is the nuts. I agree its up to the team (and manager) to give the fans belief.

 

[hybrid_x]

the problem is this:

the working class is now actually the poverty class and has been totally priced out. One used to turn up drinking some tinnies, pay a fiver, and have a laugh and really get behind the local lads.

the middle class (who are in reality now the working class) are far too refined to start a "football chant."

football in england died with the all seater stadia, then it sold out......then it moans there is no atmosphere.....idiocy.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

It is hard to be passionate about anything whilst sitting down.

A lap dance?

 

[Acker79]

Oh sure, everyone ignored my thread on that article even though it was up forty five minutes before this one. Shows how much I'm loved....

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Atmosphere at games lacking...interesting article discussing the reasons behi...

It is hard to be passionate about anything whilst sitting down.

You've not been to the Olympic Gardens in Vegas, have you?

 

[Stat Brother]

Indeed. Two chums of mine went to see Liverpool v West Brom. Long story but they were sat in the kop amongst a load of (silent) tourists.

When we played them in the cup recently i was staggered by the amount of foreign tourists there. I know there money is as good as anyone elses AND the global brand of LFC, Arsenal etc but it really is squeezing out the "local" support. Shame.

It's not the £50 seat LFC (insert Prem team name here) would miss.

It's the £500 each of those tourists drop in the club shop, LFC can't do without.

 

[Eksman]

If we could stand I reckon it'll be better. Along with making the north stand for example the "singing stand" over 16's

 

[Creaky]

the problem is this:

the working class is now actually the poverty class and has been totally priced out. One used to turn up drinking some tinnies, pay a fiver, and have a laugh and really get behind the local lads.

the middle class (who are in reality now the working class) are far too refined to start a "football chant."

football in england died with the all seater stadia, then it sold out......then it moans there is no atmosphere.....idiocy.

Go back even further, '50s and '60s - I don't remember hardly any football chants yet there was plenty of noise and 'atmosphere'

The all-seater stadia has reduced a lot of the feeling of involvement with fellow fans in crowded grounds. Much of that came from the physical movement within the crowd, I'd swear sometimes you could lift your feet off the floor but would still remain standing! - of course that was where a lot of the danger lay.

On the other hand go to a game in a half empty stadium and it would feel dead. Banks of empty seats looks and feels bad - empty terraces with just one or two forlorn individuals scattered around was ten times worse.

Going back to the singing I'm not convinced the modern obsession of almost rehearsed complicated songs is the way to go - there is a difference between chants and songs - one anyone can join in without, as you put it, feeling embarrassed, the latter unless you are in close proximity to the choir singers are almost impossible to pick up on - how do you sing a song when you don't know what you are singing?. On the other hand most clubs do have a 'song', GOSBTS, 'You'll never walk alone', 'I'm forever blowing bubbles' etc which the majority of fans are familiar with and join in with, even the tourists that some have mentioned.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Indeed. Two chums of mine went to see Liverpool v West Brom. Long story but they were sat in the kop amongst a load of (silent) tourists.

When we played them in the cup recently i was staggered by the amount of foreign tourists there. I know there money is as good as anyone elses AND the global brand of LFC, Arsenal etc but it really is squeezing out the "local" support. Shame.

Last time I went to Anfield, I was at Lime Street station waiting for the London train to board, along with dozens and dozens of tourists in red replica shirts, when a train arrived carrying Everton fans coming back from (I think) Stoke. You can imagine the grief they handed out.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

If we could stand I reckon it'll be better. Along with making the north stand for example the "singing stand" over 16's

Even so, the North Stand is too small, not steep enough, the stewarding is too aggressive, and the blank wall behind it is an atmosphere-killer. Apart from that ...

 

[del strangefish]

Last month, at Arsenal's agm, Arsène Wenger told fans: "We will need your support and we had some moments where at the Emirates we did not always feel that, but I can understand that, because it is up to us to give you the belief and it is not for you to give us the belief."

£65.00 per belief

 

[Canonman]

Even so, the North Stand is too small, not steep enough, the stewarding is too aggressive, and the blank wall behind it is an atmosphere-killer. Apart from that ...

Yes as far as kops go it is pretty small and it is a big factor with regard to noise, it was the only blot on the landscape as far as the stadium design was concerned. To counter that however CP fans in the south when they were down here made a helluva noise so I think we could do a lot better. That North Stand needs to packed with fans who want to be vocal but unless the club help in some way with that the noise levels aren't going to improve.

 

[Dave the OAP]

the problem is this:

the working class is now actually the poverty class and has been totally priced out. One used to turn up drinking some tinnies, pay a fiver, and have a laugh and really get behind the local lads.

the middle class (who are in reality now the working class) are far too refined to start a "football chant."

football in england died with the all seater stadia, then it sold out......then it moans there is no atmosphere.....idiocy.

Total hogwash.

Overkill has spoilt the game. When I were a lad up Norf, on the telly there was two live games, the fa cup final and the European cup final, now you struggle not to find some sort of live football on telly...there are pundit shows, teams tv channels etc etc and football is rammed down peopes throats 24/7.

Once bskyb gor it's claws into footy, it took it away from the so called working classes, and suddenly nothing else mattered. Then they started to change the dynamics, by switching games for tv schedules, Monday night footy, Friday night, Sunday at 13:00 and 16:00. So alienating the travelling fans who would have ******* journeys to get to games.

I see what you are saying but I think it's far too simplistic to refer it to a shift in demographics.

 

[Diego Napier]

Well lack of atmosphere should deter the tourists and bring ticket prices back down.

Not at all.

There's been a lack of atmosphere in most of the "routine" games at the big clubs for a number of years. Tourists find package deals more easily available for those matches and so book up regardless of anticipated noise levels. It's a thriving business selling package deals to punters all over the world as well as the UK for one or more games over a weekend.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If we could stand I reckon it'll be better. Along with making the north stand for example the "singing stand" over 16's

All seated stadia has not killed the atmosphere in other countries though.