Arsenal FC - The Definitive Indian Supporter Experience Series – Part I

In the hypothetical situation where one is lucky enough to get to go to different places in the world, it is safe to assume that he or she would learn from a wide variety of experiences from meeting different people around the world. In the context of people who support Arsenal FC, meeting Arsenal supporters from other parts of the world gives Arsenal fans great joy. It is always a pleasure to meet people who love the same club that you do for similar reasons.

People of rather diverse backgrounds unite in support of Arsenal without any fuss; this spirit extends to people who do not live in North London as well (especially when you’re hating on a certain Petite Pute).

By also being relatively active on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, it is also possible to connect to a variety of Arsenal supporters who again come from different parts of the world – be it Canada, the US, Australia – and of course, the UK. It is very interesting to hear their stories of how they became Arsenal supporters, and there is a lot to learn from how a small club in the UK has touched millions of hearts all over the world.

I am firmly of the opinion that Indian supporters of Arsenal FC have their own story to tell. But how does India fit in to this picture of countries with sizable fan-bases of clubs that are situated in a country a good 10 hour flight away on average?

There is little argument against the fact that India is a very, very special case in comparison to other nations, with a number of people for whom football is not the primary sport that is followed. This is taking into consideration the fact that 35% of India’s entire population is below the age of 20, a statistic that is always considered when speaking of the endless possibilities of growth in India.

Also, with the Indian middle class becoming richer every year, more money is being spent on hobbies and other activities that aren’t absolutely essential for the well being of every Indian; and football is the perfect example. Not only have many big European clubs recognized this trend, but they are also trying to make the most to capitalize on these opportunities.

But how wide IS Arsenal FC’s reach in India, a country with over a billion people and 155 million football viewers in 2010, where cricket was crowned the undisputed sport of the nation (although Hockey lovers in India would tend to disagree) after the 1983 WC victory in England?

India’s 1983 World Cup victory in cricket paved the way for the sport’s growth and subsequent explosion as the most followed sport in India by far – other sports stagnated; football being the primary example.

This four-part series will attempt to address questions regarding how Arsenal FC has grown from obscurity into one of the biggest European football clubs in terms of support in India, what it is like to be an Arsenal supporter in India, and other questions including whether Arsenal supporters in India (and effectively all countries barring the UK) are meant to be taken seriously by those who do live in North London and are regulars at the games held at the Emirates Stadium.

Looking at the sport as a whole; and not just the club

The question is better answered keeping in mind a broad perspective of how football, on the whole, has grown in India in recent years. The market for football in India has grown tremendously over the past decade, but few can argue against the fact that the ESPN/Star Sports Asia TV channel duo are, in some ways, responsible for this growth. This is simply because their constant coverage of the Premier League has brought more people to the sport.

Even if many viewers have complained perennially about certain self-proclaimed television pundits, these two television channels have largely helped more people get into the sport, and therefore, into Arsenal Football Club. With other forms of mainstream media – for example, print journalism, deciding to not cover European football as extensively as they could – ESPN and Star Sports are responsible for building Indian fan-bases of numerous English football clubs, including Arsenal FC.

Statistics

That being said, the fan base for the English Premier League, and football on the whole, is becoming increasingly popular in India. Manchester United alone has over 17 million fans in India, the largest of any English club.

45 million Indians watched Barcelona beat Manchester United at Wembley in 2011. These numbers are high for a nation that worships cricket, and they continue to grow with time. For example, the World Cup in 2002 was watched by 34 million – and that number was almost doubled eight years later when 63 million people watched the 2010 edition of the same tournament.

Thousands of fans all over India watched and followed the World Cup in 2010 with much fervor and excitement; and this is just a sign of things to come. (Image courtesy: Guardian.co.uk)

There is absolutely no doubt that there is a growing market that is, in certain ways, established already. Just look at what the big corporate giants are doing. For example, Pepsi are promoting football through their “Change The Game” campaign. This, however, is how many Indians turn to Arsenal FC, and eventually become die-hard supporters of the club.

But what does this mean about how loyal they are to their club, seeing that they do not hail from where the club is located? Are all Indian Arsenal fans bandwagon supporters? In Part II, this claim made by many people who do not live in India will be addressed.

Read part two of my article here