Fan Channels are all the rage these days, and Arsenal Fan TV is the biggest channel out there. It has become almost synonymous with Arsenal's failures as a club. Renowned for their post-match videos with extreme overreactions, they typically get most of their views when the club loses. At times, it feels that the host picks out people who are deliberately controversial to interview. Finally, though, someone from Arsenal has responded to a Channel that seems to be profiting from the club's consistent lack of success. It's Hector Bellerin, a man who was attacked by many fans during a loss to Palace last season.

He was also linked with a move to Barcelona last summer but chose to stay loyal to the club and manager that gave him his career.

Hector Bellerin's Comments

In response to a question at the Oxford Union about whether players actually paid attention to the videos on the channel, he something to say. according to Sky Sports.

"I don't think there are players that actually go on the internet to watch Arsenal Fan TV," he said, "It's so wrong for someone who claims to be a fan and their success is fed off a failure. How can that be a fan?" and, "I think they're just people hustling, trying to make money their way, which everyone is entitled to do."

It is clear from this that Hector Bellerin doesn't think the channel properly represents Arsenal fans and feels that they profit from Arsenal failures.

But is that entirely true?

Coverage during wins

While most rival fans watch Arsenal Fan TV for drama after losses, the channel does upload videos even when Arsenal wins. Robbie's response is available on Youtube, but as summed up by the Daily Star, the host himself pointed out in his response, Arsenal tends to win the majority of games it plays, so a business model built on failure, like Hector suggested, is very unlikely to succeed.

However, one can easily conclude from their articles that Hector is correct on one thing. Arsenal Fan TV does receive the majority of its views, and potential revenues, after Arsenal losses. It is sometimes felt that they contribute to the atmosphere of negativity around the club, which has increased since Wenger's new contract extension.

Chicken or the egg?

This leads us to the chicken and the egg question. Did the negativity come first, or did AFTV come as a result of that negativity? Results have been awful over the past two years, and even before then, the club had grown stagnant, not improving, but staying in the position they were in. Arsenal Fan TV represents the real frustration of Arsenal fans. However, their material is sometimes, seemingly, deliberately controversial. A player in good form? Someone alleges he's playing for a move. A run of good results? It's the worst thing in the world because it saved the manager's job.

Robbie himself seems like a neutral, but the opinions represented on his channel are definitely majorly negative.

The few seemingly positive people are extremely deluded, and state things which have no basis in reality.

So is Bellerin right?

Bellerin has an opinion and has every right to have one and to share it.

Similarly, the channel and the people on it have a right to share their opinion. In the end, neither of them are wrong, but Bellerin has a point, and some fans on the channel should look at themselves and wonder whether they are in it for the fame or if they are actually representing Arsenal Fans. Because at times, when you see them selling merchandise, it looks less like a fan channel, and more like a reality show following the adventures of Claude, Ty, Robbie and DT.
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