Fans and Club work in partnership to promote supporter ownership at Arsenal

The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust has today launched a new initiative – Arsenal Fanshare – to increase supporter involvement in Arsenal Football Club. The scheme has the endorsement and support of Arsenal Football Club.

Arsenal Fanshare is an exciting and affordable new way to buy shares in the ownership of Arsenal. And because Fanshares cost just one hundredth of the price of shares in Arsenal Holdings Plc (currently around 100 each as opposed to around 10,000), they make owning a share of the club a realistic goal for far more fans.

As football becomes a bigger and bigger business, few fans are able to retain a share in the ownership of their clubs. The result has been that the fans’ voice on matters affecting their clubs’ futures has grown weaker.

But at Arsenal, the idea of custodianship and plurality of ownership is central to the club’s unique character. Custodianship is the responsibility of all Arsenal stakeholders to look after the club’s values and spirit; and keep them safe for future generations.

Supporters who join Arsenal Fanshare will receive benefits including an Arsenal Fanshare Custodianship Certificate, a place in a ballot for a seat at the Annual General Meeting of Arsenal Holdings Plc, the Chief Executive’s Shareholder email updates and a say on important boardroom votes on the club’s future.

It is not by accident that Arsenal Football Club is admired widely for its sense of tradition and its values, and enjoys a reputation throughout football for ‘doing the right thing’, including the commitment to making sure the club is run as a self-sustainable business.

Arsenal has benefited greatly over many decades from maintaining stability in its ownership structure, and from having supporters who own shares and are actively involved in this ownership structure.

Developed by the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust and supported by Arsenal Football Club, Arsenal Fanshare gives a new generation of supporters the opportunity to advance their involvement with the club from simple support to actual ownership.

Throughout its history, Arsenal has always looked to the future, and has been at the forefront of important developments in football. Innovations have ranged from the introduction of floodlit football and the renaming of ‘Gillespie Road’ tube station to ‘Arsenal,’ through to the building of the landmark Emirates stadium and transformation of the game in England with the pioneering appointment of the first successful overseas manager in Arsene Wenger.

Arsenal Fanshare continues this innovation and sends a positive message to the wider football community about the importance of involving supporters in the game’s future.

Tim Payton, spokesperson for the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust (AST) and Arsenal Fanshare Board member, said:

“Arsenal Fanshare has been established by the AST to increase supporter ownership and representation at Arsenal.”

“The AST recently surveyed its membership on their preferred ownership structure at Arsenal. Ninety percent of AST members rate maintaining the club’s custodianship and protecting the long-term future to be the most important priority of Arsenal’s Board. There is little support for the club being taken private with eighty-four percent preferring Arsenal’s ownership model to be one that includes supporter representation.”

“Arsenal Fanshare meets the demand from Arsenal Supporters that the club should remain in plural ownership. Arsenal is simply too important an institution to be owned by just one person.”

“Plurality in the club’s ownership structure has served Arsenal well over the years and is the best way to ensure the necessary checks and balances are in place to protect the club’s long-term future.”

The AST welcomes the support that the Arsenal Board and Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis have given to the scheme. In addition the club’s other major shareholders, Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith and Red and White Holdings (Alisher Usmanov) have also given their backing to Arsenal Fanshare.

Payton continued:

“The support Arsenal Fanshare has from all of the club’s major shareholders should allow all talk of a takeover to be put to one side.”

“Throughout its history, Arsenal has always looked to the future, and has been at the forefront of important developments in football. Innovations have ranged from the introduction of floodlit football and the renaming of ‘Gillespie Road’ tube station to ‘Arsenal,’ through to the building of the landmark Emirates stadium and transformation of the game in England with the pioneering appointment of the first successful overseas manager in Arsene Wenger. Arsenal Fanshare continues this innovation and sends a positive message to the wider football community about the importance of involving supporters in a club’s future.”

“Arsenal supporters are fortunate that our club’s structure and philosophy allows this opportunity to be developed. Supporters at many other Premier League clubs would love the chance to have a similar opportunity to play a part in their ownership structure. We urge all Arsenal fans to take this unique opportunity and get involved. By working together we can make Arsenal even stronger.”

Notes:

• The Arsenal Fanshare Society has been established by the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust (AST) as part of its objective to widen supporter ownership, representation and influence at Arsenal.
• Details on the recent Arsenal Supporters’ Trust membership survey can be found at www.arsenaltrust.org
• The Arsenal Fanshare scheme is run by Equiniti, who administer investment plans for large companies and are specialists in shareholder plans. Equiniti Financial Services Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (reference 468631). AFS is an independent organisation separate from Arsenal Football Club. However Arsenal Fanshare is endorsed by Arsenal Football Club and the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust. Please note as with all investments the value of shares may go up or down. If you are not sure if a financial product is suitable for you, speak to an authorised financial advisor.
• The scheme is run independently of Arsenal Football Club. Arsenal support the scheme and are helping to promote Arsenal Fanshare. This promotion will include coverage of the scheme on the following club communication channels: Matchday programme, the arsenal.com website, membership packs and pitchside LED advertising.

For more information:

Please see www.arsenalfanshare.com

Or contact Tim Payton, spokesperson for Arsenal Supporter’s Trust on 07713 252729