The following is a press release from Arsenal Independent Supporters’ Association, of which I am a member, and which I am happy to pass on. Tony.
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Ahead of the coming weekend’s North London Derby, organisations representing supporters of both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are making an unprecedented move to speak with one voice on ticket pricing.
Fans of the respective clubs agree about nothing generally in the football world. In this case, however, we believe that the game is in danger of pricing out its most loyal and dedicated fans in this country. Many can no longer afford to regularly attend the game that they love.
Both clubs, along with the other eighteen Premier League members, have an opportunity to address this issue, given the huge increase in broadcasting revenue that will accrue from the new collective domestic and overseas contracts.
We back the call of the Football Supporters’ Federation, already supported by a large number of Premier League clubs, for a price cap on tickets for visiting supporters at all Premier League games.
We believe that such a cap is the fairest way to reward those supporters who spend much time and money following their clubs all over the country, irrespective of how they choose to travel to games. We also believe that there should be a considerable increase in the amount of money set aside for the Away Supporters’ Initiative (ASI).
In the absence of any other proposal that would be as fair and as effective for supporters, we would urge our own clubs not to block a proposal that would benefit all fans.
We also believe that the TV money coming in to the game should be used to address concerns over home ticket pricing. At Arsenal this could mean a minimum of a freeze in all home ticket prices for the duration of the TV contract, until May 2019. At Tottenham Hotspur this could mean no rise in the real cost of attending home games during the season away from White Hart Lane, and the adoption of a genuinely accessible pricing policy at the new stadium.
We would welcome discussions on home ticket pricing as well as issues relating to rewarding loyalty and cutting the cost of attending matches for younger and older supporters, who are often on low incomes.
We believe that we speak for the wider fan bases of both clubs, as well as our members, on the issue of ticket prices. A move to lessen the burden on supporters is in the enlightened self-interest of both clubs. The TV product depends not only on full stadiums but passionate, loud crowds as a major part of its appeal. High visiting supporter attendance is crucial to this, as is the attendance of younger less affluent fans. The measures that we propose will promote both.
The forthcoming Premier League shareholders’ meeting presents an important opportunity. We hope it is seized.
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- Tottenham v Arsenal 5 Mar 2016 – The Match Officials. Oliver does know what he’s doing, and it isn’t right.
- Is it the Super League, the International Champions pre-season tourney, or the CL on tour. Or not.
From the anniversary files (the index to over 4500 anniversaries is at Arsenal on this day)
- 4 March 1913: Henry Norris finally confirmed Woolwich Arsenal were moving from Plumstead to a ground in Gillespie Road, Islington. See also here.
- 4 March 1914: London County Council granted planning permission for the Gillespie Road stadium, seven months after it opened and one year to the day after Norris announced that Gillespie Road was the site of the new ground.
This is a hard argument to win when both clubs have record numbers on waiting lists for season tickets. Although us as fans argue to the club that the people they get are the fickle tourist fans, the truth of it all is they don’t really care. They have sell out stadiums every week and waiting lists longer than your arm at current prices. The only way this will change is to stop going. Also I beg you, don’t organise a walk out protest, its like going into McDonalds, paying for the burger than refusing to eat it…they don’t care, you have paid already. If you want a real protest, don’t buy tickets for 1 game, and if well organised across the country and all do the same weekend then it may work. For the record, I do agree the argument is valid – however we must remember that this is a luxury.
Football is too expensive.
When a family of four are shelling out over £150 quid for 90 minutes sport, its a joke. Meanwhile, the more TV money that pours in, the more that ends up in the players pockets. £250 grand a week is £13 million a year in wages. Seriously, it is a joke. Make the players subsidse the ticket prices, give something back to the fans that make them rich, celebrities.
However, I don’t necessarily agree about ‘football tourists’, that phrase is a bit unfair. There are lots of Gooners who can’t afford season tickets or because of work cannot attend regularly. These are as much fans as season ticket holders, some season ticket holders need to remember that. The current system is almost elitist and a bit of a closed shop, although they can play the ticket exchange. Category A games you can forget though.
I am firmly of the view that fans who are ‘members’ should be able to pay for individual games and get at least one game guaranteed for their membership. How you do this with a season ticket waiting list i don’t know but a lot of people are deprived of attending matches of the team they support. So yes ticket pricing should be cut but there should also be greater availability of tickets. We want kids going, they are the future after all.