PSV Eindhoven thrashed NAC Breda 6-1 at home on Saturday.
A fantastic result for a club with ambitions of winning this season’s Eredivisie title. Fans will have been delighted with a maximum 6 points out of their first two games and they will be optimistic of toppling Ajax to win their first championship in 7 years.
Despite this resounding win, the fans inside the 35,000 seater Philips stadium were less than happy at the weekend and sections of the fans carried out a protest against the club.
Normally when you hear the term ‘fans protest’ it is usually associated with a controversial new signing, a failing manager, or indeed a chairman who has run the club into the ground. Not on this occasion though. Despite the seemingly positive step of installing new wi-fi into the stadium, the fans have been angered by this move. Unfurling banners that read “F**k wi-fi, support the team”, the supporters vented their frustration during the NAC match.
Many fans believe that a move like this is further alienating fans from what football is all about. Gone are the days when people would go to the football and meet friends to support their team and soak up the matchday atmosphere. Football is moving towards an age where everything is recorded, photographed and shared. People aren’t watching the games like they used to because they are updating their Twitter and recording pivotal moments during matches. They miss goals and controversial incidents because they are looking up scores and responding to text messages.
I don’t think the PSV fans are against technology or against sharing of information about their club. What they are trying to say is that people should go to the game, enjoy the atmosphere and give the matches their full attention.
With this week’s announcement that the English Premiership is set to clamp down on recording at matches and Manchester United’s ban on iPads, it is clear that as we move forward there are issues surrounding technology and fans that need to be addressed.