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Arsenal have not had the strongest of starts to the 2021/22 season, though it is still early days for the London club. While there are numerous factors that have contributed to the recent struggles, the disruption of pre-season preparations can’t be overlooked.
The Gunners were scheduled to take part in the Florida Cup over in the US prior to the Premier League season getting underway, but those plans were scrapped at the last minute.
Pre-season games are an effective way of clubs finding their flow and entering the regular season with momentum and chemistry among the players, and while it’s obviously now too late to try and replicate this for Arsenal, a US tour could still have its benefits.
In a country as big as America, there are countless options as to where Arsenal could play some off-season games, although New Jersey would be an interesting pick. First off, there are plenty of benefits to fans, including how easy it is to register with a New Jersey sports betting site from anywhere.
While it might not be an obvious choice for an American tour, New Jersey is steeped in sporting history and culture. In Major League Soccer (MLS), the New York Red Bulls play their home games at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
There are prominent teams in other sports, too, like the National Hockey League’s (NHL) New Jersey Devils, while both the New York Jets and New York Giants play their NFL games at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford.
With its extensive history and success, Arsenal is one of the most well-known football teams in the world, with fans across the globe – not just in the UK. So, it makes a lot of sense for the club to take part in international tours, in order to give fans in other countries better chances at seeing them play live.
These tours also expose the club to a much larger audience, particularly in countries like the US. Firstly, this provides a very obvious financial benefit for Arsenal; bigger crowds mean more ticket sales, which equates to higher revenue.
Opening up to a new market can also lead to different sponsorships and endorsements, adding further streams of income, which helps to bolster the club’s facilities and squad.
Now is also a good time for Arsenal to properly broach the American market, as the MLS is continuing to expand year on year, with more and more franchises being created and fans being attracted to the sport. An established club like Arsenal would undoubtedly be well received in the US.
MLS even altered some of its rules to allow more international stars from clubs like Arsenal to play in the league, highlighting how popular these teams and players can be in the US.
There’s even a precedent for the success of internationals in other sports. The NFL, for example, has found a lot of value in holding off-season games in the UK and has even made them an annual occurrence, dubbed the International Series.
Though it initially begin with just one or two games held in London, the series has now grown into a phenomenon of its own with numerous games selling out stadiums in the UK. In fact, the NFL is considering holding regular season games in the UK as a part of this series and has even floated the idea of establishing a franchise full time in London.
NFL is a juggernaut in the US but, until recent years, did not have much of a following in the UK. By taking part in international tours, the NFL’s popularity spread like wildfire in England and beyond.
This conveys the power of seeing a team play live in comparison to just watching them on television; fans can be made over the course of a single game. There are also practical benefits; as they’re played in the UK, Arsenal’s games are not held at prime time for American viewers, so it’s understandable why not as many would watch.
By taking part in an international tour in the US, those Arsenal games would take place at more convenient times for that audience which, in theory, would lead to more people tuning in or even attending.
So, while this year’s pre-season plans did not come to fruition, there’s no reason Arsenal should abandon the idea of international games in the US altogether. It would broaden the club’s horizons and help them tap into a growing market that has already demonstrated a keen interest in UK football clubs.
Plus, there are plenty of viable options in terms of locations, including New Jersey, as the US is such a large country with sports fans everywhere.
It makes sense to do these tours outside of the regular season, as during it there would be no time to have the team travel to the US and play several games. So, next year Arsenal would do well to make plans for an American tour.
