Kevin Whitcher
As we are pushing the boat out to ensure healthy sales of The Gooner this season – our long term survival depends on it - you will have to forgive us when we use issue content to provide inspiration for online exclusives. Hey, any excuse to shoehorn a plug for the publication that funds this very website. In the current issue (on sale this Saturday v Villa), Ian Henry writes on the reality of owning a large collection of Arsenal programmes with minimal value and their fate.
I am occasionally asked by people with similar collections what they think they are worth, with a view to their actually doing something to dispose profitably of a hoard of programmes never touched, and taking up space. Sometimes it is a move of house that triggers a realisation that people would not actually miss their collections at all if they suddenly disappeared – and that over the years, as they expand, they can start to take up a fair bit of room. I wonder how many collections now exist in boxes in the attic, never to be disturbed until the time comes to call the removal men, or sort through the effects of the deceased owner.
The sad truth is that for any home programmes issued since 1960, they are worth not very much at all. If someone was to apply for a council licence to sell them outside the Arsenal stadium on home matchdays, they might get something approaching what they had invested in them, if they were to stick it out for a few months. But obviously the outlay in terms of paying the council for the right to trade would negate that income.
So the options are either try and shift them on ebay (difficult as demand isn’t great), sell them at a knockdown price in bulk to a dealer (knockdown price meaning a pittance), give them away or recycle the things.
What is interesting is that after this exercise, many decide against buying future programmes. The realisation dawns that it is a matchday habit. It’s one that is justified if you actually read the publication and find enough in it to feel you have got your money’s worth, and in the case of those making train journeys to and from the game, there is the time to actually read the thing. However, over the years, there has been a reaction to the content from some buyers, with the perception that the programme is simply another variant of club PR/spin. In fairness, what else would you expect? However, it grates more when things obviously aren’t what people would like, so the consistent painting of everything as rosy in the garden has unquestionably lost buyers.
The irony of this is that The Gooner has lost a section of its readership for, in contrast, a perception that the fanzine is knocking the club. In reality, we try to present a balance of views, although if not enough positive articles are submitted, we are in a difficult position. The truth of the situation at the club is that things are not black and white. There are good things going on (for example the shedding of a lot of unwanted players this summer) and bad things (the unfathomable delay in replacing them with better options).
To get back to the programme, it sells less now than it did to smaller crowds at Highbury. The major reason is not so much dissatisfaction with the content, as the sheer plethora of information freely available elsewhere – especially online. Why pay for something to read when you have other reading matter for free – and more objective to boot (with the exception of Arsenal.com naturally)?
Like the Gooner, it is also available in electronic form, for those that like their reading matter on their tablet or phone. So if you do still want to read it, but value your space, there is your solution. No problems down the years when you realise you have not looked at the thing since the day of the game. You can’t help but wonder if, in maybe 15 years time, the printed matchday programme might be a thing of the past.
A quick reminder that all the material in the printed issue of The Gooner is exclusive and unpublished elsewhere. Support the fanzine and help us to survive by buying an issue at the stadium or online. The current issue will be on sale for the home matches v Villa, Fenerbahce and Spurs. It can also be mailed to you if you wish to buy it online.
DIGITAL ISSUES
The Gooner is also available in digital form, through The Gooner App on iPhones and iPads, the Exactly App for Android devices and now Kindle Fire owners can also get their fix by searching the Amazon App Store for The Gooner.
You can also subscribe at www.exacteditions.com and read it through your internet browser as well as receiving a code which will enable you to access issues on all the above devices.
All digital subscriptions include access to our digital back issue library which dates back to August 2010.
