A thirty-year-old Arsenal football magazine will close if it cannot secure 1000 subscribers by Saturday.
The Gooner fanzine – a magazine produced by its fans – was first published in 1987 but needs to attract more subscribers to ensure its future financial viability.
But after nearly 300 printed issues, editor Kevin Witcher knows that an Arsenal institution is at stake. Regardless of the short time frame, he remains optimistic.
“I think we’ll get there. It was a similar situation last year. We needed a late push to get over the line,” Witcher said.
A campaign for more subscribers has now become an annual occurrence for the fanzine due to falling sales.
But if it cannot reach its target by Saturday 23 March then the final edition of this season, printed on the last weekend of March, will be its last ever, to avoid running at a loss.
The situation last year resulted in The Gooner reaching its target. It secured the requisite 1000 subscriptions before the deadline and, despite the rise in cover price, it has offered an extra 20 pages an issue this season.
The fanzine is completely independent of the club, which therefore gives it a different flavour from the official matchday programme. It is sold outside the stadium at home and away Arsenal matches, and via subscription.
Its target audience is Arsenal supporters who tend to be over the age of 40 as it struggles to attract a younger generation that is turning its back on print.
But Witcher is adamant that heightened exposure is the key to securing the fanzine’s future.
“Not everyone will take action to subscribe, or even renew, without being reminded what’s at stake.”
“If it is to be the last, we at least want to announce it as the final issue instead of simply disappearing without saying goodbye,” he said.
The price of a subscription remains at £30, for which you will receive six issues through your letterbox next season.
More information, including how to subscribe, can be found at www.onlinegooner.com.
