Our meeting with the Premier League over ticket prices
20 June 2013
On Wednesday this week, Liverpool’s Spirit of Shankly fan union scheduled a march on the Premier League’s headquarters in protest at high ticket pricing. They invited us to join them, to represent The Arsenal. We were also asked to represent Arsenal in a meeting with the Premier League and their chairman Richard Scudamore. In total, five clubs were represented including pressure groups from Liverpool, Manchester United, Spurs and the Football Supporters Federation as well as ourselves.
As you would expect, Richard Scudamore is impressive at what he does and he greets you in a charismatic friendly manner like a Tony Blair type politician would do. He will look you in the eye when you speak to him and is tactful and considered in his responses. One question we were keen for Scudamore to answer was how he personally felt about the fact that so many fans had been priced out of football. In other words, did it bother or in any way or upset him that the ‘gentrification’ of football comes with a price? We asked him, "How does that make you feel?". He looked a bit put off and promised to come back to it once other questions had been asked. When he did answer, he sidestepped the main point which was does it bother him that fans over the years have been priced out? The question was therefore repeated, and his way or talking around an answer gave us the impression that he didn't really care as long as stadiums were full.
Overall we will see what comes of this meeting, if anything; we’re realists and did not go in there with any false hopes that we could change the game. Here is the conclusion that we drew from this meeting... Home ticket pricing is unlikely to change because currently most clubs are well attended. Away ticket pricing however is becoming a worrying issue for the Premier League. Scudamore is more than aware that away attendances are down by around 9% and this does slightly concern him. Therefore he would be happy to see clubs’ address this issue because he wants to sell a TV package to the world which boasts of full stadiums. The clubs represented in the meeting were among those who get charged Grade A prices for virtually all away games. Following a rich club does not mean you are rich yourself. Why should we pay grade A prices to watch teams who are categorised as grade C when they come to our home grounds?
Scudamore told us that the clubs we support represent the top end of ticket pricing and implied that generally things were okay elsewhere. We challenged him on that perception because as we talk to fans from all over the country we get the same message, from the top of the table to the bottom. Most of them tell of how overcharged they feel. Before we entered the Premier League offices we were confronted by a Brighton fan, a club in the Championship, who told us that he had enough of the cost and was on the brink of giving the game up. The level of dissatisfaction regarding ticket pricing goes way beyond the Premier League. For example on the protest march itself there were far more Leicester City fans than for example Chelsea or West Ham.
The rep from Manchester United made a very good point in that high ticket pricing has a detrimental effect on the atmosphere. Firstly a lot of the vocal fans are priced out. Secondly, the fans in the stadium feel resentful at what they have had to fork out - so instead of singing, they fold their arms and expect to get value for money. This point may have touched a nerve with Scudamore because he sells his ‘product’ to the world partly on the basis of atmosphere; or at least the perception of good atmosphere, because in reality the typical English football ground now lacks noise, passion and energy.
Scudamore tried to be positive and brought up the fact that most clubs have frozen their prices for this coming season. That point didn't wash, and we made it clear that it's simply a price freeze on something which is already obscenely overpriced. Even if clubs were to knock £20 off some tickets it would still be unaffordable for so many people. Some supermarkets put their prices up, only to put them down a week later and boast of a saving. Overall, Scudamore’s main message was that he had no say on the issue and for us to go and talk to our clubs.
The success of the day was in the protest march and the fans from rival clubs who all came together. When the five of us came back out of the Premier League offices we were applauded like returning heroes. But all we achieved today was a bit of sympathy from those who we addressed, and nothing really in the way of genuine substance. We'll see what comes of it. The applause should be directed only to the fans outside, who quite literally made their voices heard inside the Premier League headquarters. During the meeting you could hear chants coming from the street in anger. One or two Premier League officials looked a bit flustered and it's obvious they were not used to supporters expressing such visible discontent.
The protesting fans have come together a lot later than we perhaps should have, but we are here now. Whether or not we achieve our goals remains to be seen. Those of us on the inner circles of fan movements are just regular people who do regular jobs. We can only do so much and we can only be as strong as the people who decide to join with us.
LET'S KICK GREED OUT OF FOOTBALL
#LetsKickGreedOutOfFootball
#FootballWithoutFansIsNothing
Up The Gunners
On Wednesday this week, Liverpool’s Spirit of Shankly fan union scheduled a march on the Premier League’s headquarters in protest at high ticket pricing. They invited us to join them, to represent The Arsenal. We were also asked to represent Arsenal in a meeting with the Premier League and their chairman Richard Scudamore. In total, five clubs were represented including pressure groups from Liverpool, Manchester United, Spurs and the Football Supporters Federation as well as ourselves.
As you would expect, Richard Scudamore is impressive at what he does and he greets you in a charismatic friendly manner like a Tony Blair type politician would do. He will look you in the eye when you speak to him and is tactful and considered in his responses. One question we were keen for Scudamore to answer was how he personally felt about the fact that so many fans had been priced out of football. In other words, did it bother or in any way or upset him that the ‘gentrification’ of football comes with a price? We asked him, "How does that make you feel?". He looked a bit put off and promised to come back to it once other questions had been asked. When he did answer, he sidestepped the main point which was does it bother him that fans over the years have been priced out? The question was therefore repeated, and his way or talking around an answer gave us the impression that he didn't really care as long as stadiums were full.
Overall we will see what comes of this meeting, if anything; we’re realists and did not go in there with any false hopes that we could change the game. Here is the conclusion that we drew from this meeting... Home ticket pricing is unlikely to change because currently most clubs are well attended. Away ticket pricing however is becoming a worrying issue for the Premier League. Scudamore is more than aware that away attendances are down by around 9% and this does slightly concern him. Therefore he would be happy to see clubs’ address this issue because he wants to sell a TV package to the world which boasts of full stadiums. The clubs represented in the meeting were among those who get charged Grade A prices for virtually all away games. Following a rich club does not mean you are rich yourself. Why should we pay grade A prices to watch teams who are categorised as grade C when they come to our home grounds?
Scudamore told us that the clubs we support represent the top end of ticket pricing and implied that generally things were okay elsewhere. We challenged him on that perception because as we talk to fans from all over the country we get the same message, from the top of the table to the bottom. Most of them tell of how overcharged they feel. Before we entered the Premier League offices we were confronted by a Brighton fan, a club in the Championship, who told us that he had enough of the cost and was on the brink of giving the game up. The level of dissatisfaction regarding ticket pricing goes way beyond the Premier League. For example on the protest march itself there were far more Leicester City fans than for example Chelsea or West Ham.
The rep from Manchester United made a very good point in that high ticket pricing has a detrimental effect on the atmosphere. Firstly a lot of the vocal fans are priced out. Secondly, the fans in the stadium feel resentful at what they have had to fork out - so instead of singing, they fold their arms and expect to get value for money. This point may have touched a nerve with Scudamore because he sells his ‘product’ to the world partly on the basis of atmosphere; or at least the perception of good atmosphere, because in reality the typical English football ground now lacks noise, passion and energy.
Scudamore tried to be positive and brought up the fact that most clubs have frozen their prices for this coming season. That point didn't wash, and we made it clear that it's simply a price freeze on something which is already obscenely overpriced. Even if clubs were to knock £20 off some tickets it would still be unaffordable for so many people. Some supermarkets put their prices up, only to put them down a week later and boast of a saving. Overall, Scudamore’s main message was that he had no say on the issue and for us to go and talk to our clubs.
The success of the day was in the protest march and the fans from rival clubs who all came together. When the five of us came back out of the Premier League offices we were applauded like returning heroes. But all we achieved today was a bit of sympathy from those who we addressed, and nothing really in the way of genuine substance. We'll see what comes of it. The applause should be directed only to the fans outside, who quite literally made their voices heard inside the Premier League headquarters. During the meeting you could hear chants coming from the street in anger. One or two Premier League officials looked a bit flustered and it's obvious they were not used to supporters expressing such visible discontent.
The protesting fans have come together a lot later than we perhaps should have, but we are here now. Whether or not we achieve our goals remains to be seen. Those of us on the inner circles of fan movements are just regular people who do regular jobs. We can only do so much and we can only be as strong as the people who decide to join with us.
LET'S KICK GREED OUT OF FOOTBALL
#LetsKickGreedOutOfFootball
#FootballWithoutFansIsNothing
Up The Gunners
