AFTV – The Verdict

The recent furore over Arsenal Fan TV and their exploits reached a crescendo at Goodison Park. In the post-match glow of our hard-earned clean sheet away from home, large pockets of away fans made their feelings more than clear regarding the channel’s work and produce.

It is a growing feeling amongst Gooners that the organisation is set up to profit from the ills of the club. When Arsenal suffers, AFTV pockets swell, as vociferous and often poisonous soundbites do the rounds on social media.

This is now lapped up by millions, and probably the majority of those masses are not Arsenal fans. Noel Gallagher even watches the channel, so the content certainly has its merits if the reach is so wide.

It has been a marketing dream really for Robbie and his boys. The word spreads over some Arsenal fan going apoplectic with rage, veins popping in his neck as he seethes over another perceived inept display. This then gets carried around the internet on a wave of hilarity as Arsenal fandom once again looks like the flaky, fractured, negative group it has been in the last decade.

It is true that in order for AFTV to succeed, they need negativity to thrive. If it was all victories and positivity, then the viewer base would shrink as the non-Arsenal footie fans would switch off. Ask yourself, why would they watch the videos if it was just sound debate and reasoning regarding Arsenal tactics?

No, they need their ‘characters’ to pipe up, stand on the soapbox and vent heavily in front of the camera, and AFTV will know this. Hence the video after Arsenal lost the Europa League final, with some of their characters laughing at the fact that AFTV will profit from the dejecting Cup Final loss.

The thing is though, that they have found a business model, a niche, that works. The characters that show up on AFTV are now names that millions recognise. They are chosen to offer their opinion on major channels, they are the face of Arsenal to many external fans.

Which is why many resent them. They do profit from our suffering and they are now the unofficial mouthpiece of Gooner-ism across media.

The long and the short of it though, is that the beauty of their channel is that you can just choose to not watch. Why boil your guts over something you know you won’t enjoy? Why choose to watch when you know that the content isn’t what you like?

The organisation has been going for a few years now, and I’ve managed to avoid the content until now. Sometimes, some quotes and material slip its way to my Twitter feed but I can just extend my thumb and happily scroll on in my ignorance. Before any research for this, I had blissfully existed without sampling any of the AFTV wares.

So, yes we can comment on some of the ludicrous comments and things they say. As they are now a big business and proclaim to be one of us, as a media channel they are open to scrutiny – just as we critique TalkSport, The Daily Mail etc.

But actively chucking hate at them? Doesn’t that make us as bad as them?

It’s quite simple really.

Just don’t watch their stuff.