Can we have our football back?
Friday, January 23, 2009 at 2:43PM From next season, Arsenal fans at the Emirates will be able to stream the game they are watching live (with a one minute delay) on their PSP's. This will allow for an 'immediate replay' of key moments along with a 'whole new dimension for fans giving them information and statistics'.
Jesus wept. What next? Staying home and watching the game on television via digital broadcast technology?
Football continues to be marginalised and redefined to laughable levels. Tragically this is exactly the type of thing Levy will consider for our new stadium. Imagine that, being able to re-watch another invisible Jenas tackle and Zokora grasscutter.
Not that 30,000 or so Spurs fans would turn up carrying PSP's to games but at the minute if there's a controversial incident in the match, it's not shown on the Jumbotron. Reason being, they don't want to incite trouble by showing something that might cause a colourful reaction towards the ref, players or the opposing fans. We can watch it all later on Match of the Day. We do not need to see if the goal was without a doubt offside or not. The ref gave it, we swore/celebrated when it went in, we all debated it's validity in the stands. It's part of the match-day atmosphere. The buzz. The stands, the fans, the pitch, the action.
Would be nice for football to remain detached from all the corporate, cringe-worthy commercialism and modernisation, but in this financially obsessed society, it's naive to think it's ever going to go back to the way it was. Not when footballers are being offered 500k per week to play. Although the German's manage to do just fine, with just about the right balance, retaining old style traditions within their stadia. You can sit there with a pint in your hand and watch the game unfold. That's a pint, not a PSP. Sony offer Arsenal a ton of money, Arsenal accept. Most clubs would. Arsenal have the 'advantage' of taking up the offer due to the in-built technology at the Emirates.
Seems the more you go to football nowadays, the more pointless gimmicks are thrown in your way, paraded as advancements for your pleasure, but nothing more than a complete distraction.
Personally, and I'm even certain Gooners will agree, this is unlikey to take off. How many fans are gonna lug their PSP's to games? Surely a service that sent video footage of key moments to their mobile phones would work far far better (and that actually already exists independently).
Regardless, I'm looking forward to the first incident that involves a fan holding up his PSP right in front of the away fans after a 'controversial moment', pointing at it and shouting 'It was offside! HAHAHA, 1-0 to us'.
That should be a laugh.
Reader Comments (7)
Arsenal have a massive amount of cun..a massive amount of corporate fans who would be happy to take their PSP's to games, along with their laptops so they can post on message boards while they tuck into their roasted duck.
I'm looking forward to when footballers can listen to their i-pods whilst playing for their side.
Jenas would have a recording of himself looping constantly through-out the full 90 minutes.
"You are a good player, you are better than good, you are great, believe, believe in yourself, you are the best, TACKLE TACKLE TACKLE!!"
You'd get maybe 2000 fans use this I reckon, if that. Last thing I want to do is take a PSP to a football match. You'd end up watching it rather than watching the game just because you have it in your hand and you'd cut back on arm waving too. Another one to file under stupid ideas for a stupid generation.
PSP? Boring.
Let's sign up with Nintendo and we can have Mario Kart wi-fi races with the Spurs subs.
If the Ar*enal fans turn their PSP's to full volume they might be able to create some sort of atmosphere!!
Spooky, what no write-up on the Carling Cup merchandise made available a day after the Burnley game?
It was the morning after.
/sighs