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ARSENAL: Two Years On: 'Stadium has been a revolution'

/noticias.info/ Two Years On week continues today with another exclusive interview from a key figure inside Arsenal Football Club. This time it's the Commercial Director, Adrian Ford.

How big has the 'Emirates effect' been on Arsenal?

I think Emirates Stadium has been a revolution. It feels like an evolution because most of the people involved are still here but it has been a revolution both for fans and as well as for the business. Just looking at business, clearly it has changed our financial position immeasurably. But from a Club perspective it has changed how we operate. The operation here using similar staff and people has changed radically. I think we work much better as team actually, because we have to, the stadium demands that we do. Our departments work much closer together which I think is great, everything about the stadium has changed us, from an operational point of view and obviously also the service we provide to the variety of different fans we get in.

How has the matchday product progressed?

I think the first year was challenging for lots of reasons. By the end of the first year we felt we had things largely under control but still with areas of improvement. Last year was about that, consolidation and I think consistency. That is vital when you provide a 'live product' like we do and I think we were much more consistent in our delivery. From our caterers to Arsenal TV, everything on a matchday was much more consistent. We settled it down and we got to a point where we were comfortable by the end of the season. Looking ahead, we have to continue to improve and that won't be the easiest thing. That isn't to say we are perfect, because we are not. But it is the small things that we need to look at, ensuring the consistency is still there. We have got to a high standard but that doesn't mean we can't improve it, and don't have the ambition to.

What is your remit on a matchday?

Some people would say very little! My principle concerns are the premium areas - Club Level, Box Level and Diamond Club. We have a strong operational team so I am there to oversee things. I also look after the retail business, so again I am always there checking everything is going OK. Equally we have a number of partners, so things like the perimeter boards and other promotions ultimately are my responsibility. The reality is after year two, things run very slickly without much intervention, to that extent I have a freer role, in order to meet and greet people who are around and generally check everything is going ok.

We know there are waiting lists for season tickets, are there waiting list for the premium areas?

There are waiting lists yes, which is a privileged position to be in. We always knew that we had a very strong list for season tickets. Over the first two years we have also built up a waiting list for Club Level. Boxes are different because they become available less often but yes, we have a list of people who have enquired. In terms of those tickets, there will always be a few people who drop out for whatever reason and we have had no problem with replacing them and that is good because you want people to feel they have a chance and have a place at the stadium. It is a position we shouldn't take for granted.

Is it always going to be a balancing act between satisfying the premium areas and the season ticket holders?

I think the whole point about Emirates Stadium is that it offers something for everyone. We have different types of people with different spending power and ultimately different expectations for what a matchday should be. The stadium is designed to accommodate all those people and I think we have a perfect mix. Price will always be an issue, but we strive to have a fantastic selection of products that caters for every pocket and I believe we are successful in achieving that.

What about advertising in the stadium, the boards around the pitch for example?

I think everyone says that our perimeter boards are the best in the country. They are a metre high which is larger than any other in the League, so that gives them a greater impact. We only make boards available to our partners so you won't see lots of different types of advertisers because it is only our partners on them. We have a way of doing it, they are effective and they are not too intrusive because we control how they are used and I think they are a very strong vehicle for our partners and hopefully our fans can identify with them. However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But from my perspective we have the right amount and less is more, if you keep it simple you make the messages clean and don't clutter the stadium. They have much more impact as well as being easier on the eye. Everyone will have their view but certainly feedback would suggest we have a strong cut-through of our partner messages but in a way that is easy to read and understand.

What about shops away from Emirates Stadium? There was one in Enfield running up to last Christmas and the St Albans store has just opened. Is that another area of expansion?

Ideally in the UK we would like to see more shops but we are coming into a difficult time from an economic perspective. We are not quite sure how retail will develop. The St Albans shop will be there for at least six months, maybe a year, and I think there is probably room for at least one other permanent store in and around London, and some temporary ones. But I think we will be led by how the market goes. I think some gentle expansion rather than some radical expansion in the UK is a plan. Internationally we are looking at a number of options for retail and merchandise, particularly in Asia. At the present time we have stores in Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand. I like to think we have something up and running that offers a wide range of products to supporters in different parts of the world.

Finally, what is the plan for next year overall?

I think the first thing is to maintain the high level of service we pride ourselves on to date. We can't afford to let those slide. That is key. The second thing is to continue to look for ways to make it better. I think the longer you are here, you are trying to fix small things, not big things. In terms of retail experience we are refurbishing Arsenal World of Sport, and changing its name to Arsenal Finsbury Park, so I would like to see that doing very well over the next year, and receiving feedback that the fans like what we have done there. It is really about consistency and continuing improvement. notas_de_prensa_archivo