Following last week’s announcement by LFC about the new tiered pricing structure for season tickets and individual match tickets, supporters have been openly discussing the changes, what it means to them, and for many how much more they are going to have to pay.
Last Friday Liverpool FC announced increases of up to 9% in season ticket prices for the Main Stand, Paddock, Centenary Stand and Anfield Road Stand.
At the EGM held at the Sandon on November 19th, Liverpool Supporters' Union voted to commence a campaign against the escalating cost of match tickets. In particular, it was agreed to launch a campaign for a flat rate away ticket price of £25.
At this week’s away matches, against Arsenal and Manchester City, the Liverpool Supporters' Union, will start a campaign highlighting the increasing cost of ticket prices for away supporters and proposing a £25 flat rate for all supporters at away games.
At a time of increasing commercialisation, it’s important to remember what made the game of football the sport it is today. Footballers, managers and the supporters. Or the ‘Holy Trinity’ as Bill Shankly liked to call it.
Following the resolution at our last EGM, the Liverpool Supporters' Union has been working on its plan to campaign for a flat rate of a £25 away ticket price for all supporters at Premier League matches. Away ticket prices have hit the national headlines in recent days, due to the £62 cost of a ticket for the forthcoming Liverpool FC fixture against Arsenal. In comparison, Stoke City supporters are being charged just £32 for their equivalent fixture against Arsenal. What is clear, is that supporters of all clubs are being ripped off. Categorising football matches, however, means that some are being ripped off more than others.
On Saturday morning, before Liverpool's home game with Wigan Athletic, Spirit of Shankly hosted a very well attended meeting at the Sandon Pub - where the Liverpool Supporters' Union was founded almost five years ago. The central focus of the meeting was a panel debate and members' discussion around the ever increasing price of match tickets, particularly certain away fixtures. Joining the Union's Jay McKenna on the platform were Bob Humphries and Les Wright from the Liverpool Supporters' Committee.
The Cost Of Being Liverpool keeps on going up. Season tickets, home tickets, tiered pricing, cup matches, away games, Europa League, Membership Schemes, Booking fees. There is always something more - an increased cost, an added cost - that makes it that bit harder to afford and often that much harder to justify.
In the modern game of football ticket prices are a massive focus for all football supporters with many being priced out of attending some or all of the matches they had attended in previous seasons. This was further highlighted in the BBC Price of Football survey which was published last week. This placed Liverpool FC as having the 2nd most expensive "cheapest match-day ticket" and the third most expensive "cheapest season ticket."
With the new season upon us and thoughts of European travel a reality again, Spirit Of Shankly would like to ask Liverpool Football Club what are the conditions of the Thomas Cook sponsorship deal with the Club.
