Published: 8th January 2015
London football club Tottenham Hotspur have banned selfie sticks from their football ground, White Hart Lane, in response to a complaint made by a supporter.
Arsenal and Chelsea have also followed suit. An Arsenal spokesperson told the New Journal, ‘We can confirm that ‘selfie sticks’ are banned on match days at Emirates Stadium. The Club’s ground regulations prohibit any object that could be used as a weapon or could compromise public safety.’ The FAQ page of Chelsea’s official website lists selfie sticks as a banned item along with more obvious knives and fireworks.
Tottenham fan and original complainer, @LiamCSWY, however, claims that his complaints were not for health and safety reasons but because taking pictures of yourself throughout games was hindering support and meant people weren’t paying attention to the game.
Chelsea style blogger “Driver on the wing” applauded the move but expressed surprise that they had been banned by Arsenal where, he described supported as ‘appearing incapable of watching football other than through the view finder of a smart phone or tablet.’
Selfie sticks were the must-have Christmas tech accessory this year. The KidRated team even jumped on the bandwagon. But what do you think about them? Do you miss the old days when you just had to ask someone else to take a photo of you? Or do you think selfie sticks are the most innovative invention since slice bread?