Liverpool FC have launched a wide-ranging survey on ticketing. As your Supporters’ Board, we have had some initial discussions with the club about this and pressed them to ensure there is public discourse on proposed changes and an explanation of what is taking place. 

Many of the issues raised in the survey are ones that we know fans talk about every week: loyalty, access, fairness, affordability. We know supporters will look at some of the questions and it will fuel speculation about what might come next and what the motivations are.

The Supporters’ Board has raised these concerns with the club – about the methodology, the timing, how supporters will perceive this and what it may lead to in terms of future policy. We’re glad that the club has listened and provided further context to the survey. The Supporters’ Board want to set out to supporters what we know and will do so more in the coming weeks.

The club have said to us they want to ‘understand supporter sentiment on these issues as they are regularly asked about them’ and have repeatedly stressed to us that ‘no decisions have been made’.  We are cautious about this given the significant policy change that took place last season. Then, we did not feel all of the concerns supporters raised were recognised.

Whilst the survey is wide ranging, many of the topics have not been put to us for consideration. The club have outlined several policy areas they say are ‘being explored’ with the Supporters’ Board. Our position on each is below.

Multi-year loyalty system

The idea of credits carrying across multiple seasons is one that we believe is worth exploring. We’ve long raised the problems supporters face trying to build or maintain loyalty under the current one-season credit system. But any change has to genuinely reward loyalty and remove the “cliff edges” that create panic and unfairness now. We’ve asked the club to model what this would look like before any move is made.

Credits only for tickets bought via Club channels

We are supportive of looking at this and recognise that those attending matches should be rewarded for their loyalty.  But restricting credits only to tickets purchased through official sales or Ticket Exchange ignores the real-world way fans share tickets in good faith and for good reason. We want to understand this in full and see the potential impact so supporters are fully aware.

Ticket Exchange for cup home fixtures

We support introducing this, provided it mirrors the existing league rules. It’s a sensible move that helps avoid empty seats.

Protecting access for supporters not meeting guaranteed thresholds

Any changes for supporters with 13+ credits  – itself a legacy of club policy – would be hugely divisive and would not fix the wider problems in ticket access. It would simply move frustration from one group of fans to another. We have set this out to the club and been clear that we cannot support any such proposal as it stands.

Any honest review must look at all ticket allocations at Anfield; from general admission for members and season ticket holders through to the corporate offer, sponsors and more – not just one group of supporters. Otherwise, it’s simply robbing Peter to pay Paul – and that helps no one.

We have told the club we would welcome a full and proper discussion about access to tickets with a commitment to finding solutions.

There have been no proposals or details shared on a ringfenced pot of tickets for home cup fixtures, nor the idea of a ballot for some away fixtures.

Local and young supporter access

We’re absolutely in favour of getting more young and local fans into Anfield. But no clear proposals have been shared. We want to see proper detail on how this would work and, crucially, which tickets would be used.

Our wider view

We’ve said to the club that change should be gradual, transparent, and based on real data and true consultation. We are not persuaded that an extremely wide-ranging survey is the best method to inform potentially significant change.

There has already been significant change already this season, and we still don’t know the full impact of those changes. More uncertainty helps no one and does not build trust.

We have reminded the club that the Supporters’ Board is made up of volunteers. Constant “consultations” on ticketing policy take up a lot of energy, are emotive, make it harder to do our job properly and risk damaging the trust with the club and the shared spirit that make this fan base unique.

We’ll keep representing supporters’ views as firmly as needed and we won’t hesitate to challenge anything that undermines fairness or loyalty.

For now, we urge you to complete the survey – and to tell us what you think. 

We’ll also be hosting a live podcast where you can ask questions live or in advance. Details to follow.