By Tony Attwood
Arsenal, as you will know, has said they plan to increase ticket prices by a total of 6.5% from the start of the 2011-12 season. They also said a number of changes are being introduced to ticketing and particularly thanked Arsenal Independent Supporters Association for their positive input over the past couple of years.
I like the last bit since I am a committee member of AISA, and had a small part to play in putting ideas forwards. It was good to see the recognition.
Here’s exactly what the Chief Exec said…
“We welcome suggestions from our fans to build into our thinking. Among others, the Arsenal Independent Supporters’ Association has presented a number of good ideas to us. Some of these ideas are already built into our thinking for next season.”Others may take a little longer to develop, but we are committed to responding positively to what has been proposed.”
It was interesting that most of the press put out the same line on the story, which went roughly like this, “Arsenal, who have not won a trophy since 2005….” which is rather different from the way in which they handle other clubs’ statements. I can’t recall anyone ever saying, “Liverpool, who haven’t won the league for 21 years,” or “Tottenham Hotspur, who this year celebrated the 50th anniversary of their last league win…”
It is the first increase in three seasons, and Arsenal has a 10 year waiting list for season tickets – so on a supply and demand basis it can be easily justified. Of course the story run last year will also come out again – the waiting list for season tickets will evaporate and they won’t be able to sell them all. When we exposed the lie that this story was last year (with a fairly detailed analysis of the way the waiting list system works), all the Anti-Arsenal Arsenal web sites then shut up very quickly and left the story. I guess the same will happen this year.
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Going to football is expensive – about as expensive as going to see a good show in the West End.
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The big difference however is the demand. If you want to go and see a show in the West End of London you can. True, it is often impossible to walk in to a show on a saturday night, but if you are willing to book a little while in advance most shows can be seen. If you are willing to go to a mid-week matinee then virtually everything is available.
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Football however is in demand, and people will pay higher prices, so clubs can put prices up. That might not be a very comfortable situation, but it is capitalism.
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Arsenal have now got the money that allows them to go out and buy who they want – and there has been talk of another three players this summer. But what of the alternatives? Lower prices? Lower salaries for the staff and players? Smaller squad? All of these would enable the club to reduce the price of tickets, but would then also reduce the chance of playing in the Champions League every year. That in turn would reduce the income dramatically, and so lower the amount of money available for buying new players or developing young players.
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Of course the issue is not one of stopping people watching football – because anyone who just wants to watch football could go and watch a Championship or League One or Two club. The issue is about watching Arsenal. And Arsenal is a premium brand. If we want it to stay that way, we have to pay for it. If however you want a club without the Champions League each season you can of course campaign for lower prices.
Mr Attwood
I’m afraid your arguments are manipulative and don’t hold water for a number of reasons.
1. The wage bill at Arsenal has gone up hugely without performance improving at all. Each season in the last 5 we have sort of well finished third or fourth, got to well sort of the QF of the ECL and well sort of done reasonably in the Carling Cup and sort of well thrown the FA Cup. So the very valid question is: what have these players done to deserve a pay rise? Because with quite a few of them, I’d show them the door if they demanded more money……
2. Arsenal milk the season ticket holders because their commercial revenue streams are pathetic compared to their main premium brand rivals. Something which hopefully will change in the medium term…….
3. Man Utd charge considerably less than Arsenal for a far better product, don’t they? And they seem to sell out rather easily, don’t they? They’re the Rolls Royce of performance, whereas Arsenal are only the Rolls Royce of ticket prices. Something to think about, perhaps?
Cost control starts internally by clearing out a few poor performers being paid too much.
Because if that doesn’t happen, people might suggest clearing out the manager. For hiking players’ wages without justification and loading the cost on the fans. Which isn’t good management in my book………
“They’re the Rolls Royce of performance”
I think its safe to say that I’d rather watch Arsenal. 🙂
Tony
Good post but there is a flaw – you can walk up to Arsenal and get a ticket, it’s not as exclusive as is thought. The Ticket Exchange had a supply of seats for United – a premium fixture even in bad times – and has done for all fixtures this season.
Crucially, the net gain from this is minute in the scheme of the accounts. £4.5m gain? It’s not going to make a noticeable difference.
Costs at Arsenal are not rising by inflation at 4%, they like all major companies are driving down supplier costs. If the headcount in the back office is increasing, cut them.
Despite the claim, reducing the squad size will not damage the squad. Losing players such as Hoyte, Randall and that ilk will not damage the competitiveness of the squad – they are on loan and not likely to ever feature in an Arsenal XI, not even in the Carling Cup.
The club has made a gaff with these and it is surprising that KSE allowed it to continue.
It isn’t good management; it is a sign that the revenue streams elsewhere are underexploited and Arsenal are not commercially savvy enough to renegotiate contracts. Emirates Airlines will be keen to avoid an unseemly falling out; Arsenal just need to find the right incentive for them to look again at the deal.
Cheers,
Eddie
Wow… absolutely spot on. This is the first piece that has dealt intelligently with this issue. Very well done.
Gazidis sympathises with fans as he shares their concerns over ticket price rises and blames the hike on rising transfer fees and unsustainable player salaries. Source: Sky Sports.com
Are you kidding me? Do you have any grasp on reality or what is actually going on at the football club who you are paid an astronomical wage by???
The first obvious point: What f*cking transfer fees??!!?? Our net spend in recent seasons is a pittance!! What have you done with the £40m + you received for Adebarndoor and Toure?!? Can you not finally dip into that for the extra £5m the ticket rises will net you??
Unsustainable wages?? You mean the wages paid to the likes of Bendtner, Eboue, Denilson, Squillaci, Almunia, Fabianksi, Diaby, Rosicky, Clichy, Arshavin??
You keep telling us we have a viable and sustainable financial model at the club that should be the envy of our rivals. So why are you bleeding us dry yet again and taking the piss out of us while you continue to sanction the overpaying of a coaching team and playing staff that is fast becoming the laughing stock of football????
You are killing our beloved club.
Other than the obvious one of not renewing.
I have seen the statement on the home page issued jointly by various groups, welcoming Gazidis promise of a ” review” of ticketing structure.
Well, this is a pathetic weak response by pussycats.
Gazidis boasts no price rises for three years so why have none of these groups purporting to represent our interests countered this propaganda by publishing details of annual increases over last twenty years and compare those rises with inflation because over twenty years price rises have way outstripped inflation.
Gazidis has been in job three or four years. He carried out ” review” this year and despite sound reasons as to why price rise would be unfair, he has stuck two fingers up at supporters and put them up regardless.
A “review” aint going to include price reductions-thats for sure.
I have proposed that the supporters groups responsible for statement organise mass boycott of merchandising whether it be retail or food outlets. Love to see how club would react to peaceful protesters outside shops on match days.
Also, and there will always be innocent victims of war, there should be a boycott of inviting “legends” to supporter club bashes. The “legends” should be told the reasons and just maybe just how pissed off supporters are may filter back because “welcoming” the review aint going to do the trick.
You may think my examples are rubbish, you may think they are ok but whatever your view it would be interesting to read other ideas for registering protest at price rises and fighting back.
Because I’ll be getting ATVO free next season I won’t be giving Arsenal a single penny more than I did last season.
Manchester United charge their local fanbase less than Arsenal. True. And its also true that Manchester plays cost a lot less than the London West End. Manchester United burned through their waiting list to the extent that they were unable to sell out their season tickets THIS season. Imagine if that had happened to us? WOW!
Any supporters who think 4% increases are too much.. can you contact me directly for your season ticket please? Ta.
Here’s one. Gary Cahill. So many supporters go on and on about Arsene SPENDING the money on Gary Cahill. He of 1 cap for England. Meanwhile we have not only TV, Johan, Squil and Kos but first team players at clubs like Rangers playing central defence as well as top prospects such as Miquel.
BUT… you demand Arsene ‘spends the money’ on Gary Cahill.
Hold on. They want £15m for Cahill.
DOESNT MATTER…… spend the money Arsene!!!!!
Um… £15m is 16,000 season tickets. WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!! Geez
Here’s one. Torres transfer for Chelsea represents 55,000 season tickets at Arsenal. Or (virtually) the entirety of the Emirates.
“Spend the money Arsene?”
I think you are spot on. Everyday I read posts from fans demanding new and expensive players. This all costs money. Every season we have the pleasure of watching our team play at the pinnacle of club football. If we want this to continue we need to pay for it. The demand is there (40,000 waiting list), so we can all moan about the cost, but at the end of the day I’d pay everything I can top see Arsenal at the top and continuing to be great. Those who don’t want to pay, fine give up your seats and let the other willing buyers take them. We all ask and expect Lynda to invest millions in out football club, so why do we not expect to invest ourselves? We have a great club and it’s well worth paying for
Just curious with regard to your 2nd to last paragraph. What happens to a team who are not a big club but who have a manager with a track record of spending huge sums, manages 1 season of CL football and is currently looking like falling short of a 2nd but still wants to spend spend spend?
LMAO @ “Man Utd charge considerably less than Arsenal for a far better product, don’t they?”
@ Marc… spot on. What happens is that the fantastic press that club and manager get (and dont deserve) get overtaken by the reality. Bale is player of the season with stats poorer than half the Arsenal first team!
And sp*rs will raise ticket prices.
…I’m still pissed off about the price hike though – times are hard.
Prices go up all the time.
If in my country the price of let us take petrol would have gone up with only 4% in the last 3 years I would be a very happy man. (Or Gas or electricity or bread…..)
But I think they have gone up with some 30-40% in the last 3 years. And I still only get the same performance out of it as 3 years back or even 10 years back. Yes I do have a choice and I now go more with public transport then I did 10 years ago. But still I love my car and drive with it. It is my own choice.
Yes I would liked the price to go down and not up but this is live and everything gets more expensive.
So I will make some choise what I do with my ref money. I think that I have to skip a concert (or two) as I also pay this from he money I get for being a ref. Hey maybe this is an idea why don’t we all become a ref and use that money for Arsenal.
I can’t believe many arsenal fans actually defend ticket price increase. Rhys Jaggar & dr kox im totally with you on this one. This self-sustaining business model is not sustainable for the average fan anymore. I cant stand any of there poor excuses such as unsustainable wages due to the general increase in wages through out football. I don’t think Almunia can clam £35,000-40,000 at any other club but at Arsenal. How about we cut the crap out. And please people were not goin to go bust by signing a couple of players and ditching some of the dead-wood. Lets be realistic!! Me and quite a few people i no will not be buying any arsenal merchandise anytime soon, im disgusted at the moment. Times are hard olviosly they don’t seem to grasp that.
The truest form of patriotism is to be sceptical and to question; not just go along with what we’re supposed to believe. In this case we feel that as true Arsenal fans, we cannot simply sit back and accept a situation where our club has alienated its core support.
Our grievances are not minor issues.
Our club makes around £50 million a year in profits (after all expenses including debt payments) by admission charging that has priced out far too many dedicated fans. What we have seen in football has been social gentrification where the original fan-base of clubs has been ruthlessly abandoned to make way for a more affluent consumer. It used to be a game for all, now it’s a hobby for those who can afford it. That is scandalous, amoral and does not deserve to met with apathy.
Our complaints are not exclusive towards Arsenal. Indeed football as a whole has lost its soul and is now an industry of obscene greed. What once was the People’s Game is now a commercial circus which exploits the loyalty of its followers. As Arsenal fans we feel it our duty to concentrate our grievances on the club we support, because nowhere is the change in football culture that we once loved more apparent than at the Emirates. The ticket prices are extortionate, and the over repressive attitude of the stewards inside the ground is far too draconian. We feel like kids under the eye of headmaster, and the release of energy that people used to get from football has been nullified so as not to upset any of the new breed of fan who have paid their money to sit down and be entertained.
The corporate branding of the club has been so extreme that it’s taken over the whole image of Arsenal FC. We feel like we have no say in the direction that our club moves in. For example the club crest that we loved was replaced because of commercial reasons, to a new cartoon style badge, which so many of us hated and did not feel represented the class and history of Arsenal FC. Our views in this were simply not important.
The club has been very successful in attracting a new breed of supporter and this has patched over the fact that so many fans have stopped going. The number of us no longer there is possibly bigger than that 60,000 who do attend regularly. We understand that our absence won’t bother the club when the stadium is full like it currently is. But if they can lose our custom, they can lose the custom of absolutely anyone.
I think Tony is putting the right question there: if we have the choice between being like tottenham or staying in the position we find ourselves what would be your choice?
I pay the damned rise…
I was number 23,000 when we moved into the stadium.
I got a season ticket last year.
I had friends who were 40,000th when we moved into the new stadium, they also got season tickets last year.
What that shows is that there is a lot of rejections when it comes down to it – I think Arsenal has a 53% rejection when offered for a ST. In addition, about 20% of corporate boxes were unsold (for the first time in our history).
There is a natural decline of about 5% per season, but last season it was 10% – and it will probably be more this season as a lot of people are not renewing.
If we have 40,000 on the list and only 40% of them can actually afford it and are serious, then you’re looking at 16,000 people really. If 6,000 seats or more become available this summer, then in the next two years, we’d have hardly any waiting list.
If you talk to people at the Arsenal, the numbers are declining and being rejected more than ever before!
I am not just saying it for the sake of it – Arsenal’s fan’s have paid through the roof in recent times for subsidising the stadium and players and I think the club have gone a step too far now.
Ticket prices are always an interesting subject.
I think people have a right to be concerned if its a case that this rise in particular will mean you are going to loose your season ticket because you can not afford to hang on to it and enjoy watching Arsenal.
However looking at the ticket prices in general I do not believe this to be the case as those who can afford the current price will at any club will more than likely be able to afford the rise in prices at any club NO club doubles the price and puts those fans at risk of loosing the ticket.
I would be more concerned about what is been done for those that can not afford a single ticket to see a game due to financial hardship and think the club should be running something where by theres one or two matches a season I dont care if its in any competition be it the emirates cup or league cup that people could go along once a year and see the the team they love be it for fre
continued ….
Free or a nominal fee.
Those who compaire what we are doing on the field versus a ticket price are not complaining about a ticket price they are complaining about performance two seperate issues for me as a club still has to run function and be financially viable regardless.
I dont agree with the mass walk out at the start idea, if we are complaining about the price of tickets and all walk out at the start of one game then this looks hypocritical.
It has to be something the board are going to feel directly, something that publicly shames them but not the fans or the club.
Fulham away for banners will get noticed and Fulham will not block it. The thing that annoys me is I cannot believe somebody like Ken Friar who has been around the club for so long does not realise the change and isolation from the real fans that has happened in such a small space of time? Any protest has to be in the best interests of Arsenal Football Club though, something I dont believe a majority of the board share any longer.
Redgooner,
I like your proposal a lot. I think if Arsenal would get 100 seats each game available for supporters who cannot afford a ticket it would mean 3800 tickets at a very reduced price. It would give those people he day of their live/decade/year/season… and it would be a very social act in my opinion. I’m not saying give it for free but at a very reduced price. They could work together with social services or charity foundations.
This is actually an interesting situation. I am not a season ticket holder (I wish). I do not even live in the UK so I do not get to go to matches. I’ve only been to ONE competitive match and one at the Emirates Cup. (Both were Arsenal victories). The tickets for the latter was 40 pounds, and for the league game was 30 pounds membership plus around 30 pounds more. It was actually very expensive for me since the value of the currency in my country is much less. But I paid up, and I do not regret it one bit.
I say the above only to say that I know it’s frustrating to be priced out, but it’s more frustrating to not see the Arsenal. I think people who are season ticket holders do not realise how lucky they are. Maybe the novelty dies off in a few years and sheer economics gets into it. For the record, I’d prefer that people are not priced out of their seats. But what is interesting is that they protest the team’s performance, the signings or lack of, and bizzarely the club’s commercialisation.
Performance and signings are and should be kept as a separate issue. You pay to watch Arsenal. That’s it. Stop if you are so disillusioned, or complain about that separately. But why link it with ticket prices?
As for Arsenal becoming a brand, and the commercialisation alienating the fanbase, well it’s the way of the world. I dislike (maybe cos I take it personally) the insinuation that ‘new’ fans represent a dilution of the fanbase. We are all Arsenal fans. Equal. Some have more money and hence can easily afford tickets. Others live nearby so can go to games. Still others have no opportunity to attend. Which is the better fan?
Tony, I totally agree with this article. At the end of the day no one wants to have less money in their pocket when times are hard, but talk of staging a march and what not is just over the top.
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I believe Arsenal still remains good value for money and think Ivan is doing a great job. Especially when I see second division, sorry League one clubs like Brentford charging £20 -£25.00 quid for game (yes I have been to a few and it felt like I was watch Sunday league footie at times).
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Besides I don’t think it would be such a bad thing if some of the current stadium supporters gave others a chance, especially the ones that start leaving 10 mins before the end and only open their mouths to shout abuse at our players instead of cheering the team on.
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Arsenal are not running a social program. I was pleasantly suprised that the tickest didn’t go up last year actually as I knew it was going to happen at some stage. I am not happy that I have to pay more, but it isn’t the end of the world. That said it would be good if the FA and Carling Cup tickets for children and/or family packages were heavily discounted in the earlier rounds of the competition. I also think that the away fans should be given some sort of preferential treatment in recognition for their unswerving support, even when we play in some dogdy european places…or places like Stoke as they do us proud.
Amazed that you can swerve such a negative story.
Defending the indefensible it seems.
If I don’t like something, then I don’t buy it. I actually want a new BMW but I can’t afford that, so I won’t buy it. If I don’t like a TV show I don’t watch it. It’s called choice. If you don’t like the way the club is being run or the way that Wenger goes about his business or you can’t afford it, then don’t go. I don’t drink so I don’t actually know how much a pint of beer costs but if I did and wanted to pay for the new season ticket I might try drinking one or two pints less a week and perhaps that would cover it. Or don’t buy a program or a replica shirt. I also don’t know how much the players I don’t rate get paid nor do I like the rise in prices of petrol or coffee. Life is like that, full of choices. But with a football club there is emotion at work as I realize.
Guess we out did a rolls Royce last weekend then.
On ticket prices a controversial issue, just use the money to tie down nasri as a pressing matter.
Some posters have raised many interesting points on this oh-so-important issue and all they get as a response is “do we want to be like tottenham”? or “I’d rather watch Arsenal ;-)” one-liners, and very little constructive debate or answers to their concerns/points.
How disappointing…
LOL…sounds like you just want to stuff the ‘terraces’ with the elite of society…typical Toff.
This has been a heavy and very negative thread.
It’s simple economics. If you can afford to pay for the ticket increases, you do. If you can’t, you watch in the pub. There’s a huge waiting list at the Arsenal, and you’re easily replaced. Tony Attwood can pay, so he can be objective. Walter lives in Belgium, so it doesn’t concern him.
Don’t like the price rises? Don’t renew. Don’t like the Arsenal’s policies? Don’t buy their merchandise. Get a Skysports subscription, watch over the internet, knit your own scarves and beanies.
What people don’t realise when attacking arsenal for this, is that the whole reason tickets are so high at aresnal , is try to keep pace ( as demanded by the media and fans as being the minmum for us) with the financially doped rivals in the premier league. Its not Arsenal who create the wages market , we are merely trying to keep pace and compete. If people want to point their guns at someone for this , look at Scudamore and the EPL for allowing previously unafiliated Billionaires to take control of what are supposed to be institutional football clubs and pump un-natural amounts of money in for personal glory.
The premier league has sold out , and Arsenal are not immune to the consequences
I think where Arsenal went wrong was the timing of the price rise of tickets. I guess the Arsenal Board was banking on Arsenal to win atleast one trophy this year. Thats why they first announced of the rise in ticket prices just before the Carling Cup Final. Eventually Arsenal fell out of all major competitions but still the Board decided to go on with the rise in ticket prices. I think its this part where they went wrong. Already all the supporters and fans of Arsenal were clearly frustrated by the failure to win trophies this season and on top of that they were hit with the price rise. Just bad timing. It was irresponsible management by the Board. In some cases i feel as if they dont realise the frustration of the fans. Anyways, they should have waited to raise the prices until Arsenal won a trophy. Infact, they should come out and stall all plans for rise in ticket prices until Arsenal won a major trophy. Or else it would be a little emotionless from the Board to hit the frustrated fans with increase of ticket prices.
As a fan who has to get up at 3am most days to watch the game from New Zealand, I am deeply worried. I personally don’t care about the price rise, firstly i’d rather go to an away game and secondly I think the true fans were priced out long ago. The reason I am worried is just that, THE TRUE FANS HAVE BEEN PRICED OUT! How do I know this 100%? Look at the away games!!! The away games where prices are much lower are where we see the real Arsenal fans. I watch the games on t.v and half the time I feel embarrassed to be called an Arsenal fan. This is of course the half where we play at home, a bunch of spoilt pr*cks who don’t even sit down and watch the game for the whole 90minutes and only find their voice when a single mistake is made. If the price of our tickets are responsible for the “fans” at the Emirates then I would rather see a weaker squad out there backed by 60,000 screaming fans who are passionate about football and more importantly, ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB.
Also its strange to see that commentators here feel that the price rise is justified bcoz of rising prices all over the nation. But can anyone explain why Arsenal is not renegotiating its commercial deals?? Is it against the law to renegotiate your deals?? The Board said its not the Arsenal way, but is it the Arsenal way to hit the supporters with a rise in ticket prices when there were other areas of business to improve upon?? Do our Board value our Sponsors more than our fans?? Many tough questions that have to be answered.
I think people are getting a little carried away with the disappointments this season and missing some very important points-
It’s not Arsenal alone that is severely facing a backlash from the supporters.Man Utd, Chelsea are all drawing flak for increasing the prices.
Also it will only be fair to compare Arsenal with the other top London clubs,CFC and THFC.
Chelsea-adult season tickets from GBP595 to GBP1250
Tottenham-adult season tickets from GBP690 to GBP1800
Arsenal-adult season tickets from GBP985 to GBP 1955
But the single most significant data is that everybody club’s season ticket is a 19 home matches package where fans have to pay on top for the other competitions except Arsenal.Arsenal alone includes seven matches from the other competitions in the season ticket.So Arsenal season ticket is a 26 home matches package.
Looking at it,the average ticket price for one match included in the season ticket is
Chelsea-GBP31 to GBP 66
Tottenham-GBP36 to GBP95
Arsenal-GBP38 to GBP75
So if Chelsea and Tottenham include the additional minimum seven matches from other competitions like Arsenal do, then the season ticket prices will be something like-
Chelsea-GBP806 to GBP1716
Tottenham-GBP936 to GBP2463
Arsenal-GBP985 to GBP1955
So actually, our neighbours have costlier tickets than us inspite of not guaranteeing a Champions League spot next season.
Chelsea have comparable prices even though most of the expenses are borne directly by their owner.
To conclude, dear Gooners, get over it.
@well-endowed gooner: When are you going to call for a return to debtor’s prison and to bring back the hangman. btw, how’s the hedge-fund going? are they subsidizing your seat? when you leave ten minutes early, is the Rolls outside burning gas, idling while you idle, just because it can. You can have your say, fine, I’m for it. But your bile toward the rest of us less-endowed, mr. well endowed, makes me long for paris 1789.
Even being from Belgium it will affect me. I come over 3 times a year so I will have to pay a bit more for each ticket.
But also my Eurostar ticket goes up every time we come over. Since this year the price of the Eurostar ticket has gone up with 18%. So I think from next season on I will have to pay around 25% more for attending a game at the Emirates.
On the other hand Arsenal will make me save a bit of money. As I have Arsenal TV online (first given to me by my children for my birthday) which I need for my ref reviews when the game is not broadcasted on TV. But from next season they will include this in the new Arsenal player in the memberships.
As being a red member I will have Arsenal TV included and will not have to pay seperate anymore.
And even when the red membership goes up with a few pounds it still would save me around £41 a year from next season. hey thats about enough for another ticket for a game…
Naren,
thanks for bringing this up. This is something Arsenal season ticket holders are so used to they take it as natural. But it looks as if we are the only club to include such an extra package to our season ticket.
And like you calculate it we are not paying that much more. The highest even paying less compared to Tottenham …
I’d much rather pay for a more affordable season ticket that only includes league games and attend the cup games only if I can afford to.
The prices are insane, seeing that you have given so much to the club that you live over the years, and then being politely shown the door because they’re no longer interested in you is not a great feeling.
Especially when you real
I’d much rather pay for a more affordable season ticket that only includes league games and attend the cup games only if I can afford to.
The prices are insane, seeing that you have given so much to the club that you live over the years, and then being politely shown the door because they’re no longer interested in you is not a great feeling.
Especially when you realize what kind of money Almunia, Denilson et al are on each week.
Walter
Yes we are the only club in the Premier League to offer this 26 matches home package in the season ticket and as you said, there is ATVO subscription free of cost. So given the circumstances that Man Utd, Chelsea, Tottenham etc have increased their ticket prices, we have not done a bad job.
@Naren
What other 7 matches do we include in it?
Shard,
I think this is free for the season ticket holder to decide. Most of them will take the first 3 home games in the CL I think and then the carling cup and Fa cup games if they are at home.
@Walter
The members can decide?? Across any competition? That is a really good thing if true. Does it not include the knockout stages of the champions league? I’m guessing it won’t, but I’ve already been suprised that Arsenal allow people to choose those extra games. That’s good for the fans.
Shard,
that is what I have heard.
One could save the extra games for the later rounds in the CL but when they have an early exit you could lose the extra games
Please correct me dear season ticket holders if I am wrong
Walter,
If that is correct, then the club is being very fair in that regard. You pay more, but you get more, and there is some flexibility as well. People will always want even more, but I think on the whole there is little to complain about.
The fact is priesistible, that we don’t get a choice over cup games. We have to pay £1000 at the start of the season, and when things are tight and prices now so high, that extra £300 makes a big difference to many.
The point is about watching Arsenal. And these increases and an unwillingness to change these cup credits mean every year more loyal and long serving fans are turned away from Arsenal.
Remember you moron, that some of these people have been going since before the Champions League was invented, and the point was to support your team and watch a game of football.
@vretou
And what is the point now??
Shard
The seven matches are the first seven cup games that Arsenal hosts which may be in any competition. In that, the three home fixtures in Champions League is the only certainty. The other four matches depend on the draws in the FA cup and the Carling Cup as well as our own results. But the catch is, if Arsenal play more than seven cup games at home, the additional cost will be charged during the renewal of your season ticket new season. To be fair, they also a refund if Arsenal don’t play seven cup matches.
http://www.arsenal.com/assets/_files/documents/apr_10/gun__1272270586_Season_Ticket_TC_2010-2011.rtf
This is the link from the official website. Read from Condition 10 to 14 if interested.
As any other match in the season ticket, these seven cup games can also be sold through the Ticket Exchange.
Hope it was helpful.
Walter,
Condition 10(ii) is very straightforward and is ‘the first seven(7) Relevant Cup matches played during the season’.
You cannot have credit if you neither attend the match nor sell it through the Ticket Exchange.
Look technically you can’t choose; you either attend the matches or you sell it through the Ticket Exchange.You cannot claim credit for the matches you did not attend.
But actually,you have a choice. As a season ticket holder, you are permitted to attend any home matches played during the season. So say if you don’t want to attend any match you can sell it and if Arsenal play more than seven cup games, you can pay that money back to Arsenal when they charge you for it later. So you can after all choose. But there is a hitch here. If the fixture you sell is a Category B game and the fixture you have to pay for is Category A, you will be paying a lot more.
@vretou
Actually, you do get a choice over cup games or for that matter any game. If you don’t want to attend, sell the ticket for the fixture through Ticket Exchange.
I have complete sympathy towards what you feel but you see we live in dog-eat-dog world. I have people in my country who cannot have two square meals per day. They love their food more than you love Arsenal. But they cannot afford it. This is the price we pay for irresponsible and incompetent governance. It is very sad, very unfortunate but that’s it, we cannot do anything about it.
A good article. My only complaint is that it has not been well concluded. Now let’s take the last lines.
And Arsenal is a premium brand. If we want it to stay that way, we have to pay for it. If however you want a club without the Champions League each season you can of course go to watch TOTTERINGHAM!!!
Spot on.
I was expecting the prices to go up. Winning a cup or not has nothing to do wth what you pay at the turnstile….just ask a Spurs fan. Of course I would rather the club didn’t put up prices but such is life. I’m not loaded and haven’t had a pay rise for a number of years. I have a choice about whether I renew each season and this season I will be considering it again. With regards to what’s in the price I have no issue with Arsenal including 7 cup games into our season ticket. I like that. Perhaps the club should offer both options though (with or without the seven games). Also the concept of charging you next season for every cup game over the seven this season is excellent too. In fact when the inevitable discussion comes up with season ticket holders of other teams (seems to be Chelsea fans with me) they invariably state “that’s a good deal” and “I wish my club did that”. If I can’t go in any one particular week I have no problem with people willing to take my ticket for a game.
Gooner S,
Why is it that people in England do not have a pay rise for a number of years? I am hearing this a lot. London is the financial centre of the world. IF you people don’t see money, who will?