Football Tourism - Good, Bad or Indifferent?

[AliBobbyJ]

How many people are in the game, as in actually giving their full attention? If you'd ask me for one recommendation, it would be to switch Wi-fi off in the stadium... and anyone using their phone oo often should be tutted at by a steward, and the team

Head-butted?

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Alright guys, just wanted to add my opinion as a bit of a football tourist.


Me and a mate came to the Etihad for the first time against Dinamo.


I support Guiseley (National League North) and he’s a Wolves fan (boo etc). We have been meaning to come for a while and mainly for a Champions league match due to the fact our own clubs would never get there as well as the fact he would probably find it difficult to support another Premier League club in the league itself.


We chose City for a few reasons. The first being the ease of accessing tickets as well as price. £22.50 for a Champions league game to watch the best team in the world? Yes please. We wanted to experience a Partizan away following too, which it was. I got barged into a few times on the way into the ground too.


We waited for the team to arrive and watched all the razzamatazz surrounding it and I came to the conclusion a lot of it is a spectacle. Then for the match itself. Your team is incredible, I suppose watching non league then watching players like Sterling and Aguero is a massive change, but I never realised until I saw it in person. I would watch a cross go across the goal and think no ones getting that, the defence will just get rid, but Sergio would nip in front and get there first.


All in all it was a great experience. We came, we watched, we supported and got involved as well as spending our money. We bought drinks and spent in the club shop.


Since then I signed up to be a Cityzens member and I’m bringing the Mrs to the Atalanta game. Football is a massive chest pout of loyalty and I will always put the club I support and have supported first, but you’ve gained another fan from over the pennines.


So for any negatives to the football tourism, this has to be a plus?

I hope you have as good a time at the game vs Atalanta. They have a noisy away following so the atmosphere should be pretty good.

I bring friends from across the Pennines to
Champs League games and they seem to enjoy, even if they aren’t City fans.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Hate the tourists, what they know about City could be written on the back of a postage stamp. Just another reason why I'm not nearly as passionate about the game nowadays compared to yesteryear.

That’s how I feel.

It’s not special to be a City fan as any old nobody is tuning in around the world and choosing to support us.

You don’t choose your team. You wake up in the city that represents you as a person and support the club from there, or follow what your Mam/Dad/Grandad is passionate about if they were from that place originally.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

I'm in Edinburgh next week, and will probably attend a game as a football tourist, at either Edinburgh City FC, or Dunfermiline.
There's also the possibility of Hearts v Rangers, but tickets are scarce and I can't be arsed with the hassle.

Personally, I don't have a problem with football tourist, especially as I've attended around 50 Bundesliga games, and always been made to feel welcome.
City are now averaging 54,000 so they must be doing something right.

My only gripe is the Old Trafford derby, which always seems to attract a peculiar demographic, a significant proportion of whom I never see at any other away game. However, that isn't jut down to tourists.

 

[Oystercatcher28]

I used to be massively anti-football tourism, but being an exiled blue in China, I can feel how little old City have gained a fanbase outside the realm of Manc, is amazing. To see people not just following City for the glory, but because they feel a genuine connection is wonderful.

Non-league footy fans are always welcome. As a City fan, I used to tour the non-league circuit every opportunity I could, and living in Aberystwyth gave me a great chance to see so many football grounds between studies and procrastination. As long as people don't abandon their home clubs, and as long as they embrace the culture and history of our great club, they're welcome. As are any fans who like selfies, autograph hunting and so on. It started as a working class game - and that to me says that everyone should feel welcome. We have welcome many from overseas onto the field - and now we're blessed to have many from over the hills, and far away landing on our soggy Mancunian soils.

I've not just written about this once or twice recently, but three times for a reason. I say: Welcome to the family. Stand loud and proud with us even when we're terrible, and especially when the going gets tough. See you in fifty years time at Wembley as we fight to regain a place in the Football League?

Alright guys, just wanted to add my opinion as a bit of a football tourist.

Me and a mate came to the Etihad for the first time against Dinamo.

I support Guiseley (National League North) and he’s a Wolves fan (boo etc). We have been meaning to come for a while and mainly for a Champions league match due to the fact our own clubs would never get there as well as the fact he would probably find it difficult to support another Premier League club in the league itself.

Since then I signed up to be a Cityzens member and I’m bringing the Mrs to the Atalanta game. Football is a massive chest pout of loyalty and I will always put the club I support and have supported first, but you’ve gained another fan from over the pennines.

So for any negatives to the football tourism, this has to be a plus?

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

Bang on the button
Football will eat itself..

People have been saying that since 1995, though.

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

Like I said in one of my previous posts on this thread,several thousand are at league games,I stood outside West Reception around 1pm on Sunday and didn't go into ground till around 1.40pm,I saw loads,and I mean loads,all having photos with the big glass front behind them,Koreans,Chinese,Japanese,guys,guys and girlfriends,99% half and half scarves,kidding yourself if you think it's just cup games I'm afraid,absolutely kidding yourself.

As a not-tourist, not-SC holder who doesn't go to every home game but does go to about 2/3 of home games, it is the easiest thing in the world to get to league games except United and Liverpool. Tourists aren't keeping people out of seats, they're filling them. This is what the SS expansion was for.

Outside of "big" league games, tickets cost between £20 - £30. Whether we like it or not, that's how much a ticket to concert is. So I have some sympathy for the "priced out" argument, but realistically the cheaper season tickets were snapped up by the people who could afford the SCs but appreciated the discount.

 

[Izzwhiz]

Older fans will remember holidays abroad years ago. ‘We’re you from’. ‘Manchester’. ‘Arrh! Manchestoo Yonited’. ‘Heavens forbid my good fellow Manchester City’. You’ve all had it. I actually use to think you’ll see one day, you’ll see. And now when you say you support City, or they see you top the reaction is not one of mild disappointment but a smile and a mention of how good they are. I welcome people from all over getting into City. And people who say if they can’t name the side that played Leicester in the 69 final they can’t be a true fan, then bollocks to them. I like seeing so called tourists taking pictures out side the stadium and there actually buzzing to be there. Love it. Makes me dead proud that the club that I had to explain away years ago are now a force. And that the more you win etc the more you attract that’s how football is. And to put that is perceptive locally see how many young kids ware city stuff now compared to the past. And they will be able to name the side that beat Watford in 2019 final in 20 years time and end up being true fans too . We need as many as possible.

 

[meeesh]

As a not-tourist, not-SC holder who doesn't go to every home game but does go to about 2/3 of home games, it is the easiest thing in the world to get to league games except United and Liverpool. Tourists aren't keeping people out of seats, they're filling them. This is what the SS expansion was for.

Outside of "big" league games, tickets cost between £20 - £30. Whether we like it or not, that's how much a ticket to concert is. So I have some sympathy for the "priced out" argument, but realistically the cheaper season tickets were snapped up by the people who could afford the SCs but appreciated the discount.

I,like thousands of others have had a season ticket for years and years,back to Maine Road days,nothing to do with cost,it's a religion.

However these days at City,things have changed immensely,I have watched games on telly (when not at the match myself),at mainly the swamp and Anfield,were you would see countless tourists,before mobile phones,you'd see the tourists with a Nikon around their necks,then as the half and half scarves came on the scene,it made them stand out even more.

All as I'm saying is they should all be put in a section of the ground,where they can,(as stated on here by loads who have seen them) play on their phones,wave their half and half scarves,and enjoy their experience.

 

[dublinblue12]

I've done it at other clubs, all 'big clubs' with famous stadiums, Barca, Boca juniors, Madrid, Flamengo etc, had a great day out, memorable experience and some stories to tell, I don't see what the problem is, why wouldn't a tourist football fan want to see a top team in action at a fab stadium like the etihad, it goes hand in hand with success I think.