€150,000: the price of watching Arsenal (potentially) win the Premier League in style
TOP GUN: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta could secure the club's first Premier League title since 2004 next week. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.
Whatever about the price of success - the price of watching (possible) success is only for the richest palates.
Arsenal could win the Premier League next Monday night in their final home game of the season against already-relegated Burnley. For that to happen, Man City would need to drop points at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday - but the Gunners' corporate arm isn't taking any chances.
They've slapped a whopping €150,000 price tag on top tier corporate boxes at the Emirates Stadium for their penultimate fixture. Prices for a 15-seat box on the halfway line, start from £129,995 (€149,800) for which supporters will get a replica home shirt, food and drinks from a “North Bank inspired menu”, a personalised match-day programme and a meeting with an Arsenal legend.
Arsenal are also advertising private boxes that are available for eight, ten or 15 people on their website, priced from £100,000 (€115,000).The north London club have already sold corporate tickets costing £19,995 (€23,000) each for a 'Hero Experience', which includes a meeting with a present player, going pitch side with a former player and a signed shirt.
Though Arsenal is one of the three most expensive bum on seat clubs in the Premier League, the club's resurgence under Mikel Arteta means there is a long waiting list for season tickets, corporate seats and private boxes, but some are held back to be sold on a match-by-match basis.
A sample menu shows that the starters include poached South Pacific prawns with crayfish and seared soy duck breast, followed by a 28-day aged dexter rib-eye steak or trout, rounded off with a pear and caramel feuilletine, the Times of London reported.
Given how nervy the players and fans have been in recent weeks at the Emirates, one wonders what sort of appetite there will be for half-time mini pulled beef sliders. Then they can enjoy British cheeses, grapes, figs and chutney at full-time, when they hope to be watching the players celebrating on the pitch.
The package was advertised on the hospitality section of the club’s website until Tuesday afternoon but has since been taken down. A selection of cheaper corporate seats are also available. Arsenal have about 150 private boxes, for which there is a waiting list of about 80 people who have paid a deposit of close to £5,000.
General tickets, though scarcely ever available nowadays, start at £44.80 (€51,60), or lower for concessions, juniors and seniors.
