Report: Arsenal looking to expand its fan base and commerical potential with summer tour of the Far East

The Gunners hoping to reach into untapped markets with planned stops in Seoul, Beijing and Hong Kong in July ahead of a trip to Nigeria

Feb 7, 2012 6:43:00 AM

More On :  Arsenal
pre-season friendly match between Hangzhou Greentown and Arsenal, Shaokun Wu and Samir Nasri
Getty

Arsenal looks set to confirm a three-stage tour of the Far East in the summer as part of its  preseason regime to bolster the branding of the club, according to The Guardian.

The north London club is reportedly in talks to take the squad to Seoul, Beijing and Hong Kong following the conclusion of Euro 2012 with the aim of gaining fitness ahead of the season whilst improving the image of the club through various promotional events.

Depending on the Gunners’ final position in the Premier League, the team’s summer schedule could be highly demanding, with the new season set to begin on August 18, just six days after the London Olympics.

The possibility of a playoff tie in either the Champions League or the Europa League at the beginning of the month could put a large strain on Arsene Wenger's squad.

However, the Frenchman is thought to have a large say in the club’s business model under majority shareholder Stan Kroenke, with the team’s big efforts to build its fan base in the Far East expected to be increased with the proposed tour, which will come before a visit to the Nigerian capital of Abuja.

There are around 342 million Premier League fans in Africa and, with Arsenal particularly admired in Nigeria, it is an obvious destination to further expand their support base.

Follow Goal.com on Twitter

Follow Goal.com on Facebook
 
play pause open close
Inside Goal.Com
  1. RIGG: Anelka struggling against the current in Shanghai RIGG: Anelka struggling against the current in Shanghai

    Nicolas Anelka went against the grain when he moved to Shanghai. Now he's finding that coaching and gelling tactically is like swimming against the tide.

  2. ROGERS: Bradley should command a bidding war among Serie A teams ROGERS: Bradley should command a bidding war among Serie A teams

    Chievo is currently shopping the American midfielder and several Italian clubs have shown interest.

  3. ISOLA: Neymar-led Brazil should be considered the 2014 WC favorite ISOLA: Neymar-led Brazil should be considered the 2014 WC favorite

    Neymar was brilliant as Brazil easily handled the United States with early World Cup preparations officially underway.

  4. LATHAM: Mexico using summer friendlies to build depth LATHAM: Mexico using summer friendlies to build depth

    With World Cup qualifying to begin in June, Mexico is using three U.S.-hosted friendlies to build squad depth.

  5. McCARTHY: Harrisburg springs its wildest Open Cup upset to date McCARTHY: Harrisburg springs its wildest Open Cup upset to date

    The City Islanders fought back from three goals down with nine minutes to play and won the game on penalty kicks in a stunning game on a wild night for the U.S. Open Cup.