Creating a Newcastle United fanzone? We already have one – It is called Newcastle City Centre

A Newcastle United fanzone.

The last couple of years I have heard this increasingly mentioned.

It has become a thing at many other football clubs, so why not a Newcastle United fanzone?

Especially since the new owners took over, these past 20 months I have seen and heard it talked about.

Apparently it is one of their priorities that they want to put in place as soon as possible.

Now I am not saying that I know better than our new / current Newcastle United owners on how to run a football club BUT I do think I am among those on the right side of the debate when questioning this.

There is much to admire and copy when it comes to what has happened at Manchester City but I think the whole fanzone thing is an exception. I am not saying to definitely not have one, just that I struggle to see exactly what it would add to the matchday experience.

I have been to a number of fanzones when Newcastle United have played away, Blackburn and Man City amongst them. There were also fanzones next to Wembley stadium for the two sets of fans before the League Cup final, though I have only seen clips showing them on social media and heard from mates who went to the NUFC one.

I think basically we have to row back and say exactly what a fanzone is, particularly as I am guessing that most Newcastle United fans who don’t travel away, have never experienced one.

My understanding, is that a fanzone is something set up near the football ground, usually right next to it, where the club provide / organise food and drink options before a match, plus often stuff to ‘entertain’ those fans, especially kids.

So the club supply these additional options for fans and in return bank extra cash on matchdays.

As I say, I have been to Manchester City in recent years. I didn’t spend a great deal of time there on any of the visits but from what I could see, there were some half-hearted things for kids, such as taking penalties and a few hard wearing outdoor table tennis tables you could queue up for, plus a DJ and I think they have interviews with former Man City players as well. In reality though, it is just all about extra / better food and drink options without having to go inside the stadium, in a more relaxed setting than on the concourses inside the ground.

Well, I’m sorry, but Newcastle United already has the biggest fanzone of any Premier League club, it is called Newcastle City Centre!!!

The thing is, when you go to the likes of Man City, Blackburn, Wembley, pretty much anywhere else, there is next to nowt near any other stadium. Or at least what there is, is very limited and nowhere near enough capacity to serve the tens of thousands going to the game.

Newcastle United is unique.

There are hundreds and hundreds of pubs, restaurants, cafes, fast food places and so on within 10 minutes walk of St James’ Park, so surely this insistence on a Newcastle United fanzone as a priority, is trying to find a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.

Every regular will have their own favourite go to place(s), why would you choose to leave your top pubs and restaurants to go and stand / sit next to St James’ Park out in the cold, or in a tented village, or whatever it might be.

The same for those visiting the city / SJP from elsewhere, the last thing you want to do is go to some generic fanzone totally lacking character, when getting a chance to come to Newcastle Upon Tyne you want to do as the locals do and enjoy everything you have heard about, in particular the great range of pubs and restaurants in the city.

Even away fans, you go to the vast majority of other Premier League grounds and yes, you can see why a fanzone offering for away fans could be an asset, due to the fact that there is so little nearby AND you usually won’t be welcome even if there is.

In Newcastle it is totally different, pretty much every match the away fans are welcome almost everywhere, unless NUFC are playing Sunderland… and the chances of that happening after this seven years (and counting) absence, any time soon, is unlikely.

I think another important factor to take into account, is would you really want to see money being drawn away from all those city centre businesses?

We all know how tough it is for so many businesses these days, especially smaller independent ones, if you are based in Newcastle City Centre then you must seriously rely on these 20+ boosts you get throughout the year / season when NUFC are at home.

I am all for the Newcastle United owners doing everything they can to improve the poor offering for normal fans inside St James’ Park, both pre-match and at half-time, but I just think that recreating the kind of fanzones you see at Man City and elsewhere is a waste of time and a bit of a white elephant. Maybe put on some extra stuff for kids but again, the reality is that in the city centre you already have loads of stuff on offer pre-match. On top of pubs (most allow in kids) and restaurants / cafes, within walking distance of St James’ Park you have cinemas, 10 pin bowling, crazy golf, snooker / pool and so on, everything Newcastle City Centre provides both on match and non-match days.

So the message is, look forward to August 12 and your next chance to enjoy the best fanzone of all, Newcastle City Centre ahead of the Villa match.

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