Arsenal return to the Emirates Stadium in the Women's Super League this weekend and the Gunners are once again close to selling out.
As of Friday morning, just 166 tickets remained unsold for Sunday's match against neighbors Tottenham at 12:30 GMT, which will be broadcast live on BBC Two.
Six of Arsenal's 11 home league games in 2023-24 will be held at the men's home, with the remainder at the 4,500-capacity Meadow Park.
They are Broke WSL attendance record The victory over Manchester United drew a crowd of 60,160, giving the stadium each of the league's four highest attendance figures.
In December, a then-record 59,042 fans attended a 4-1 win against Chelsea, which was the previous record of 54,115 in October, when they lost 1-0 to Liverpool in the home opener of the season. surpassed people.
Arsenal have hosted Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium this season and will face Leicester in April.
The Gunners' league average attendance so far this season is 31,428.
Since the 2019 World Cup, matches at clubs' main stadiums have become more and more regular in the WSL, with Arsenal being the most successful.
They sold out 12,000 'Home Advantage Packs', season tickets for matches only at Emirates Stadium.
The club's use of tiered pricing and encouragement of early purchase has also helped generate impressive ticket sales.
Former England striker Ellen White told the BBC's Women's Football Weekly podcast: “This has got to be one of the best models in the UK, but maybe around the world.” Ta.
“We've seen teams like Barcelona sell out, but they've done it several times and it's not an everyday thing for them. This model looks incredible. ”
Create a “sense of community”
Arsenal midfielder Kim Little said there was now a “real community feel” to matches at Emirates Stadium, with matches changing from being a spectacle for “big eventer” supporters. It was named after BBC Sport's Women's Sport survey. For a more loyal fan base.
“After the game against United, I went to a local pub to eat. Usually I only have playing experience, so come to the game,” Little told Women's Football Weekly.
“Once you step outside there’s a real community feel and there are people in pubs wearing Arsenal scarves and they recognize you.
“It feels really good. Memories are being made and the club did a really good job of that.”
Gunners manager Jonas Eydewall said community ties are what make Arsenal “special”.
“One of our club's major goals is to accelerate the growth of women's football, and you can see how that influences every decision we make,” he said. Ta. “It’s really important to start there first to make it a real investment.
“What I think makes Arsenal special is the sense of belonging to the community and the connection with the fans. If you could bottle that and sell it, you could probably make a lot of money in the end. I think it's one of the
“It's a special situation and all the history of working together with the community and Arsenal makes it possible.”
“We've proven it's possible.”
The high-profile crowd numbers are noteworthy, but so is the consistency with which Arsenal regularly draw large crowds.
For Gunners manager Jonas Idevall, the key is finding “sustainability”.
He said: “We're not just looking for the best, we're looking for consistency, we're looking for sustainability and we're looking to create a culture at the Emirates week in and week out.” he said.
Arsenal's regular home base is Meadow Park, a 4,500-capacity stadium they share with National League men's side Boreham Wood.
If they move from there to Emirates Stadium permanently, Little said the club would need to demonstrate a “willingness to return”.
“All the tickets are sold and people are coming,” she added.
“I think that's really important, and it's an important model throughout the game. We've shown this year that it's possible, that there's a desire for it, and that it's fun.
“We recognize what it takes to get that many people for a particular game. Generally speaking, if you want to continue to grow a game, you know there's long-term demand. That’s the goal.”