Arsenal brings a taste of English football to local Australian audiences

Arsenal touches down in Australia to play two games, with the club's chief executive saying the trip isn't about the money.

Arsenal has arrived in Australia for the first time in 40 years in the latest example of a Premier League club maximising its profile in this country.

The London side is trying to give their fans the real life experience with two matches against Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers.

But according to the club's Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis, the tour to Australia isn't about the money.

Football in Australia is at an all-time high in terms of participation.

But despite that grass roots success the A League is still a pale imitation of what the English Premier League has to offer.

That partly explains why both Arsenal matches will be played in front of a combined audience in excess of 150,000 people this week at Sydney OIympic Park.

That's not to deride the local scene, which is still in its infancy.

But the huge drawing power of clubs such as Arsenal,  Liverpool,  Manchester United and Chelsea has been noted with envy by other sporting codes in Australia.

According to Arsenal's Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis, the success of such tours isn't about the money.

Gazidis told SBS World News that for Arsenal, or any major football club, engaging with their fans in a personal way can then be built on via social media platforms in the longer term. 

Some critics have pointed to a 'cultural cringe' factor which leads to such tours doing harm to the local football scene, while the big clubs simply drop in and head off without regard to the sports' development.

But that view is at odds with both Western Sydney Wanderers coach Tony Popovic and Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold. 

Popovic told SBS World News: "It's a very young league, so to have these teams come here is a part of our growth."
Arsenal Manager Arsenal Wenger addresses a Sydney press conference ahead of matches against Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger during the Sydney press conference before his sides historic matches in the Harbour City. Source: AP
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is about to start the final two years of his time at the club.

He's been at Arsenal since 1997.

He feels sport as a whole and not just football, has a responsibility to showcase important values in life, and this will be a driving force for the 67 year old once he's retired.

A feeling of belonging is just one such social dividend that clubs such as Arsenal are hoping tours such as this will encourage in thousands more young people across the globe.


Share

3 min read

Published

Updated

By John Baldock



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world