Arsenal Football Club to open themed sports bar in Shanghai

Photograph: @arsenal via Instagram

Ever wanted to eat and drink in a bar dedicated to the club who finished sixth in the Premier League? Perhaps not, but it looks like now's your chance as an unexpected taste of North London seems to be coming to The Bund in the form of an official Arsenal FC-themed sports bar.

Arsenal Club Shanghai will open in June (exact date not yet confirmed) at the Lyceum Building after Super Halo Sports Culture Development acquired an exclusive license with the football club that covers the Greater China Region, also including Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong.

Arguably a bit of a strange opening, seeing as Arsenal has no Chinese players and isn't as popular in China as other European clubs such as Real Madrid and Manchester United... Still, the venue will give fans 'an authentic Arsenal experience away from Emirates Stadium', according to a statement from chief commercial officer Vinai Venkatesham on the team's official website. We assume this does not include steep ticket prices, feelings of both love and contempt for the manager and having to listen to those guys from ArsenalFanTV.

While the details are still a little vague, it's said the venue will show live games as well as exclusive Arsenal content and will include signed memorabilia and even life-sized player holograms. Because who doesn't want to eat their dinner in the presence of a six-foot-five flickering projection of Petr Čech?

An Arsenal bar and restaurant is also planned for Beijing later in the summer, which if it is to correctly fit the Arsenal theme, should infuriate visitors due to a shortage of cups and silverware...

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