Arsenal have faced criticism in recent days following their decision not to cover travel costs for staff attending the Champions League final.
Paris Saint-Germain offered to cover travel expenses for all staff for the final of Europe’s top club competition, while Arsenal staff reportedly expected a similar arrangement.
Staff Travel Controversy
It will be the first Champions League final for Arsenal since 2006, and the club are aiming to win the competition for the first time in their history, a historic occasion that has the Gunners among the favourites in the Champions League predictions on Stake.
Despite the historic occasion, staff who wish to attend the match in Hungary have been asked to fund their own travel, a decision that has drawn scrutiny given the scale and finances of the club.
Arsenal are among the richest clubs in world football and are expected to generate further revenue from a successful European campaign.
External Criticism and Response
Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness criticised the decision via Football Insider, stating:
“Arsenal should have reconsidered that. They should have taken the staff. They should have paid for that. That’s something they could have absorbed, and I really don’t agree with it at all. I know that if I’d been in place there, I would have definitely taken the staff and PSG have done it, and Arsenal can certainly afford to do it.
Wyness continued: “We’re talking in the thousands, it’s not a significant sum in the scheme of things, and that’s what all these people work day in, day out for. Until you’re in a position like I’ve been lucky enough to be in as a chief executive, you don’t actually see the total amount of work they put in, and you understand what they give and their sacrifice for the club.”
The comments reflect wider debate about how clubs support staff during major European fixtures and the differing standards among elite football organisations.
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I believe this is an own goal from the owners, not to reward their hard working staff with an all expenses trip to the CL final.
Whilst its the playing team/squad who naturally get all the plaudits and praise for getting us to the final, we need the club (as well as all fans) to recognise the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to make sure the club runs seamlessly.
Let’s also not forget that this season, above all others, we are about to post a huge increase in revenue, making us no 1 in the PL/UK, and 3rd globally behind RM and Barca.
So come on Arsenal, do the best thing and reward your staff with an all expenses trip to the final. It’s a team game and effort after all.
@ric Ionia
RealTalk…👍🏾
Covering the staff expenses would be a class act.
Come on Arsenal do the right thing
How about the fans that have spent £1000s of their hard earned money on Season Tickets, tickets for domestic away games and travel and tickets for following the team abroad. Surely the club should help them.
Agree 100% HD – It’s costing around £1700 for a fan to travel, for accommodation and for a ticket, let alone food and drink during the time out there.
A “class act” would have been to give those lucky enough to have received a ticket, a automatic free one and the club have paid for it?
After all, the club is going on and on about how they value our support.
What a statement THAT action would have around the world of football!!
Totally agree Ken, that truly would be class by the club.
Ken1945,
You’re quote of, After all, the club is going on and on about how they value our support.
Me and you have had our run in’s regarding the money side over the months.
But you’re quote is exactly what I’ve always said. while the connection between the club and fans is their to a certain extent, no fan should kid themselves that it’s all it’s cracked up to be.
At the end of the day, it’s you’re hard earned money they care about at the end of the day. And if further prove were needed, just look at how PSG are dealing with their staff compared to Arsenal.
I think HD or who told us Arsenal earned a staggering 760m. What if a slice of it is used not only for the staff but for the travelling fans as well?
Sometimes I scroll through the comments too fast I end up asking myself, how many TV presenters are drinking olive oil all the time? Maybe that’s just algorithms thinking that interest me. Anyone else get the Ann Summers toy advert popping up, that looks sweet, but knows exactly what it’s doing?
But at least I missed the nonsense of Mr Drier suggesting club owners should pay supporters to attend Arsenal games. You are never a true supporter unless you buy your own ticket!
Admittedly I have seen games at the emirates where I didn’t have to pay, but hospitality areas don’t count, as that’s the whole point of hospitality having to be hospitable.
I think Just Arsenal may have recently installed some AdBlock defeating software.
Or perhaps not, as my AdBlock has now decided to do what it’s paid to do🤣
Moon Pig, you obviously DIDN’T MISS my post, otherwise you wouldn’t have made a comment about it. I didn’t say the owner, (there’s only one owner, Stan Kroenke,) should pay for the fans to go to games, just help for the ones travelling to this ONE game !
First someone that doesn’t spend a single penny to watch The Arsenal at the Emirates you’ve got some front commenting on this article 🙄.
HD, I remember when Mikel Arteta was getting stick during his first couple of seasons and it was suggested by those without season tickets, that those with season tickets, should give up said tickets, in order to send a message to the owner!!
If they didn’t, then they were, supposedly, disloyal fans.
Now we’ve got prawn brigade fans suggesting that your not a true fan, unless you buy your own ticket, having admitted they’ve attended matches without buying tickets themselves!!
How nonsensical is that?!
It’s so easy for the haves of this world to be critical of the have nots and I do wish people would read posts and digest what’s being said, before commenting, me included!!
Ken
When “Daddy” is available😏 for all your worldly requirements, it’s simple to patronise your peers, if you actually have any.😏
👍 Jax
Ken, yes I remember that.
I do have to laugh at the likes of Moon freebie girl. When I met you in the cafe, I was having my mates sons seat, and his son was sitting in the East Lower. Although his son refused I made him take the money for his seat.
*For, not First
Moon Girl,
How did you say that with a straight face. 🤦♂️
I suppose it depends on the thousands in cost the chief executive is referring to and maybe if those seats would ever have ended up on general sale anyway. Do we know how many staff this involves and what the actual deal is? Do these hard working staff members ever get staff seating opportunities at the Emirates throughout the season as a bonus?
I’m all in favour of looking after your employees and my understanding is that the club is paying for the tickets but not the cost of the travel which in my opinion is fair enough. Just being offered a ticket would be fantastic. If you want to go then you can. Whilst the travel costs are not cheap, it’s up to the individuals concerned to decide whether the cost is worth it. Otherwise, as I suggested when this subject was raised before, the club could have laid on catering at club level in the fancy seats for them to see the live screening and have a knees up at the club’s expense.
Do you mean the game will be screened live inside the emirates sue? And is it free entry?
It is being screened live at the Emirates. I’m going with a friend and it’s £15 per seat Kenya001. I’m hoping we’ll have something to celebrate and I’d rather be with Arsenal supporters than anywhere else.
Where will you be watching?
SueP
That’s a really fair price. Hope you have a great time. As it’s not being shown on national TV for the first time ever (outrageous!!!) , I recommend anyone without a TNT subscription to take out a month on HBO Max (which includes TNT) for only £4.99. It’s very easy via Amazon Prime.
And they will also be able to watch a whole load of recent films and TV shows🤗
It’s not a good look but most sports nowadays revolve around a subscription. I treat my BT package as part of my entertainment spending allowance. Going out is so expensive so we’ve cut back on that instead
There’s only a handful of free to air events left
Anyway. Enough of all that. I woke up on a match day today without any thought of injuries, team selection, title losing result – just thought of Ode lifting it in the air and ticker tape.
There will be days for having to explain things to you all and put you right, but that’s not this day. Today is the day for coming together. Today is the day we unwrap a new gift. Happiness.
Moon Girl,
There is nothing to put right. You’re post of May 23rd at 11.44am came across as very arrogant. And you’re post of May 24th at 10.52am is no better.
Moon Girl,
Correction, May 23rd at 11.44pm.