Are we Arsenal?
After watching game of thrones for seven consecutive seasons, I finally came to the conclusion that it takes more than just a good script to, wait, wrong article guys let’s leave that for another time.
So I have been an Arsenal fan since 2004, I was eleven at the time. I was still a newbie to watching football on television as previously I had always wondered why the stations waste precious TV time airing men chasing a leather ball when there were perfectly good cartoons yearning for screen time. This means I was not lucky enough to be a diehard when the Gunners went unbeaten to win the league but we all know I use the Unbeaten line every time I get the chance or when I’m feeling cornered by Manchester fans, I’ll let you choose which one or Liverpool fans who apparently really do support their team and can yap as well, sheesh!
To the matter at hand, I am a designer and a digital marketing strategist and I got this marketing concept that came to me after Arsenal’s thumping by Leicester on the 28th of April 2019, (trust me it hurt when I typed thumping but I had to do it for dramatic effect). It is only fair that the club rewards the fans across the world but still market itself, for their continued support and will to stay in the not so fair marriage arrangement filled with constant heartbreak season after season. (PS. that time we won the FA twice I was over the moon, silverware finally).
what if instead of getting that jersey with your name on it or with Ozil’s name on it, Ozil actually wore a jersey with your name on it on match day and the whole world knew
We all know that feeling when you get that jersey and have your name printed on the back and now you are walking around like you just got signed and everyone should know it, what if instead of getting that jersey with your name on it or with Ozil’s name on it, Ozil actually wore a jersey with your name on it on match day and the whole world knew and after the game this kit was sent to your address? The idea is to have fans submit their names and images either on social media or on a dedicated platform and each week lucky fans get their names printed on the kits for a game and the players play in these kits, the fans names and images are displayed on the platforms and after the game these kits are sent to them or they pick them up personally. Just imagine your name on the pitch playing, at that moment in time you and that player are one, it’s almost like playing virtual fifa.
When Visit Rwanda was added to the Arsenal kit, I don’t think I would be lying if I said a good number of Africans Rwandese or not felt that in their hearts, right next to where you feel Nutella. Imagine if your name was on that kit, match day.
Another approach that could help increase the revenue of the club or create a whole other different dynamic to #YouAreArsenal would be to have preseason shirt bidding. A bunch of guys who have money to spend and are fans can bid to have their name on a shirt for a certain game. Or better yet the price can be standard for all kits, have the sales open on a given day and let the people buy like they would normally do on Amazon. These fans names would only be on the kits for certain matches and not throughout the season as we all know the players didn’t train that hard not have their names on the jersey.
This model can be applied not just to Arsenal but to other football teams and possibly other sports as well, for charity and for profit.