Topic: LFC Ticket Prices 2016/17

[Graham Smith]

http://www.spiritofshankly.com/news/ticket-working-group-statement-conclusion (this will also be posted on social media by the LFC Supporters' Committee and Spion Kop 1906)

On Saturday 30 January representatives of all three supporters groups that make up the Ticket Working Group, met with LFC for the last time following 13 months of discussion about ticket prices and accessibility. The club presented their final proposal and plan to announce next-season’s prices for the entire stadium this week.

The outcome is extremely disappointing and a missed opportunity for LFC to lead in a fairer approach to ticket prices. After months of time and effort, meetings and debate of ideas and plans to lower supporters’ costs, the owners have chosen to increase prices for many. In the context of the huge income rises the club will receive next year, to up their revenue from fans through season and matchday tickets is both unnecessary and morally unjustifiable.

At a time of ever increasing commercial and media revenues, the club’s reliance on ‘general-admission’ returns is diminishing, and this is a lost opportunity for LFC to begin the reversal of the effects of inflation-busting prices that have forced out many loyal fans over recent years. We had hoped to find a solution to better accessibility to Anfield for younger and future generations through reduced ticket prices.

We began our engagement with the club in a spirit of cooperation and a willingness to compromise. To give the process the best chance of success we presented ideas and agreed to their requests for confidentiality, agreeing a Terms of Reference by which we have abided.

Our proposals going into the negotiation were as follows:

1. At least 70% of the ground to be paying an affordable price (£30 in our view);

2. An end to match categorisation and;

3. Increases in the number of young supporters inside Anfield.

We believe it is right and fair to lower ticket prices in order to sustain our support and subsequently the atmosphere inside Anfield.

Unfortunately, the decisions of the ownership are based purely on economics with no compromise. They have tried to frame the debate from the view that ticket prices as they stand are fair and that their planned rises somehow supports this fairness. This is an unsustainable argument being put by the owners. Fairness is not making more money than ever before from supporters.

There will be some new initiatives, but the major issues of ticket cost and categorisation remain unresolved, unappreciated by the owners and a further setback for loyal supporters trying to afford to watch their team play.

We will make further detailed comment once the new prices are released in the coming days.

[Redman0151]

Fucking disgraceful from the club yet again, they don't give a shite about the fans, the word going around all day is that tickets will be upto £70 each next season. Higher than lots of London clubs, in one of the poorest areas of the country.

They've already chased half of the fans who make an effort and create an atmosphere out of the ground, and there's gonna be even more gone next season.

Wheres your famous atmosphere? Sat in the pub at home, whilst a bunch of tourists from all over the world sit in the pub and try to falsely recreate what made LFC famous. I'll say what I said in the other thread:

Locals are just peasants to them who will spend less money in the club store unfortunately. I imagine in their ideal world Anfield would be full of rich southerners and fans of the #LFCFAMILY from all around the world, buying the merchandise, getting LFC hashtags trending on twitter, and uploading photos with Mighty Red.


They're killing what made the club special, and I hope such a small increase in income is worth it, when LFC becomes just another generic franchise for them.

[mjjason]

What would point 1. "At least 70% of the ground to be paying an affordable price (£30 in our view);" have cost the club if that was implemented?

70% seems like a high percentage and would impact match day revenue.  Did they consider any other percentage?

Point 2 "An end to match categorisation" seems like a non-starter to me from the club standpoint.  It comes down to basic supply and demand.  More people will be willing to pay for the higher profile games.

Can't argue with point 3.  It would be a shame if the club continues to fail to address this.

Sadly, as long as people continue to purchase tickets regardless of who that is, I do not see the club changing for the better.  Especially with FSG in charge who have no historical connection to the club other then having the chance to buy it a few years ago.

[Jay_Mc]

What would point 1. "At least 70% of the ground to be paying an affordable price (£30 in our view);" have cost the club if that was implemented?

70% seems like a high percentage and would impact match day revenue.  Did they consider any other percentage?

Point 2 "An end to match categorisation" seems like a non-starter to me from the club standpoint.  It comes down to basic supply and demand.  More people will be willing to pay for the higher profile games.

Can't argue with point 3.  It would be a shame if the club continues to fail to address this.

Sadly, as long as people continue to purchase tickets regardless of who that is, I do not see the club changing for the better.  Especially with FSG in charge who have no historical connection to the club other then having the chance to buy it a few years ago.

Tomorrow, when the club reveal prices, we will comment on specific numbers - including what the 70% figure would cost.

As for point 2 - categorisation doesn't affect the club as very few tickets make it to general sale due to the way the membership is constructed. And we shouldn't be supporting categorisation as a club, when our supporters travelling away from Anfield encounter the problem of it. You come to watch LFC - not the opposition.

[quinny]

Tomorrow, when the club reveal prices, we will comment on specific numbers - including what the 70% figure would cost.

As for point 2 - categorisation doesn't affect the club as very few tickets make it to general sale due to the way the membership is constructed. And we shouldn't be supporting categorisation as a club, when our supporters travelling away from Anfield encounter the problem of it. You come to watch LFC - not the opposition.

Spot on about the travelling support - fans that (theoretically) live in the same city pay different prices at nearly every ground - it must cost Liverpool fans hundreds of pounds more per season for tickets compared to Everton fans.

[Jay_Mc]

Spot on about the travelling support - fans that (theoretically) live in the same city pay different prices at nearly every ground - it must cost Liverpool fans hundreds of pounds more per season for tickets compared to Everton fans.

It does. Few hundred pound, there was a table on this a while ago.

[dudleyred]

very disappointing to hear. I guess I expected it to be expensive in the new stand (remains to be seen how expensive) but if rumours of the £70 barrier being reached are true its nothing short of a disgrace.

I shudder at paying £70 for a major sporting event in the UK so for it to be "the norm" to follow the team i've supported all my life will be a final kick in the teeth.

Will keep my powder dry until the announcement is made tomorrow however.....

[SlowRap]

Good on you for trying and it's a shame the club didn't want to take the lead on pricing, I think if we're to sort this it'll have to be the majority of the league initiative, working together with the Mancs and London clubs to try and get something going.

[lorenzo23]

Fucking disgraceful from the club yet again, they don't give a shite about the fans, the word going around all day is that tickets will be upto £70 each next season. Higher than lots of London clubs, in one of the poorest areas of the country.

They've already chased half of the fans who make an effort and create an atmosphere out of the ground, and there's gonna be even more gone next season.

Wheres your famous atmosphere? Sat in the pub at home, whilst a bunch of tourists from all over the world sit in the pub and try to falsely recreate what made LFC famous. I'll say what I said in the other thread:

Locals are just peasants to them who will spend less money in the club store unfortunately. I imagine in their ideal world Anfield would be full of rich southerners and fans of the #LFCFAMILY from all around the world, buying the merchandise, getting LFC hashtags trending on twitter, and uploading photos with Mighty Red.


They're killing what made the club special, and I hope such a small increase in income is worth it, when LFC becomes just another generic franchise for them.

There is so much wrong in this post, Its funny sometimes listening to TAW talking about before my times puts into perspective the nonsense that gets spoken on here.

Prices were hardly cheap in 2013, why was there such great atmosphere? nothing to do with the team success of the team rather than who was in the ground?

There is one thing to rightly blame the club for high prices, but to blame the club on fans being hmmmm fans and this is not modern thing if you listen to few on TAW they will tell you the ground has not always been great.

If you choose to spend hundreds of pounds a year only to spend 90mins in silence apart from the YNWA and goal celebration. Then who's fault is this? I mean if you went to anywhere else and you weren't happy about the services you would complain and not go back right?  Point is we can moan about a lot of shit the club does atmosphere is on the fans responsibility in my eyes.

[Redman0151]

There is so much wrong in this post, Its funny sometimes listening to TAW talking about before my times puts into perspective the nonsense that gets spoken on here.

Prices were hardly cheap in 2013, why was there such great atmosphere? nothing to do with the team success of the team rather than who was in the ground?

There is one thing to rightly blame the club for high prices, but to blame the club on fans being hmmmm fans and this is not modern thing if you listen to few on TAW they will tell you the ground has not always been great.

If you choose to spend hundreds of pounds a year only to spend 90mins in silence apart from the YNWA and goal celebration. Then who's fault is this? I mean if you went to anywhere else and you weren't happy about the services you would complain and not go back right?  Point is we can moan about a lot of shit the club does atmosphere is on the fans responsibility in my eyes.

Rubbish. Rather than just parroting what others say, I'm speaking from my own experience and I know in recent years there's more and more of those on the kop who helped create an atmosphere getting priced out, or sick of the constant bullshit from the club so they've packed it in.

Judging by the lads I see on twitter who have been going for years and creating an atmosphere, even more will be swerving it next year.


If you don't think pricing out young lads and working class locals to be replaced by tourists and day trippers here for the "experience" hurts the atmosphere, you're deluded.

[RedPat]

fucking money grabbing yanks.

[Graham Smith]

Remember some numbers for tomorrow when the prices are announced.

£1m a year would be the cost to start us on a five year journey to acceptable pricing.

Next season the owners get an extra £40m from the new TV deal over and above anything they have this season, not including any increases in sponsorships and commercial deals.

£1m of that £40m is 2.5%.

£1m is a player on less than £20k a week.

In 2014 (last accounts) LFC generated £255m in revenues - LFC will probably be generating more than £320m in the 2016/17 season.

£1m is 0.31% of turnover.

Remember these numbers.

[Graham Smith]

There is so much wrong in this post, Its funny sometimes listening to TAW talking about before my times puts into perspective the nonsense that gets spoken on here.

Prices were hardly cheap in 2013, why was there such great atmosphere? nothing to do with the team success of the team rather than who was in the ground?

There is one thing to rightly blame the club for high prices, but to blame the club on fans being hmmmm fans and this is not modern thing if you listen to few on TAW they will tell you the ground has not always been great.

If you choose to spend hundreds of pounds a year only to spend 90mins in silence apart from the YNWA and goal celebration. Then who's fault is this? I mean if you went to anywhere else and you weren't happy about the services you would complain and not go back right?  Point is we can moan about a lot of shit the club does atmosphere is on the fans responsibility in my eyes.

That was three years ago.

Three years - the dynamic in the ground is changing week after week. Never mind year on year.

[Paullfc95]

Increases over 100% in some places apparently,

That's me done with the league. I'll stick to the cups.

[DangerScouse]

Playing devils advocate here, but are we expecting too much in relation to ticket prices when we are in the middle of a stadium expansion?

[Nick110581]

What's the fucking point of this? I thought our club was different and this TV money was meant to make it affordable again.

[Redman0151]

Playing devils advocate here, but are we expecting too much in relation to ticket prices when we are in the middle of a stadium expansion?

Is not expecting huge increases in ticket prices when the club is about to come into an extra £40m+ every year really asking too much?

[Nick110581]

Is not expecting huge increases in ticket prices when the club is about to come into an extra £40m+ every year really asking too much?

Exactly this.

Thought we were a family club.

[Giovanni]

they should be fucking embarassed.

one of the poorest areas in the country with most expensive 'cheapest' seats going before this stunt.

wankers

[DangerScouse]

Is not expecting huge increases in ticket prices when the club is about to come into an extra £40m+ every year really asking too much?

So are all the other clubs mate and most of them don't have an expansion or new stadium to be paid for.

I'm not defending the club here btw, just asking questions so I can get a better understanding.

[xRedmanLFCx]

Rubbish. Rather than just parroting what others say, I'm speaking from my own experience and I know in recent years there's more and more of those on the kop who helped create an atmosphere getting priced out, or sick of the constant bullshit from the club so they've packed it in.

Judging by the lads I see on twitter who have been going for years and creating an atmosphere, even more will be swerving it next year.


If you don't think pricing out young lads and working class locals to be replaced by tourists and day trippers here for the "experience" hurts the atmosphere, you're deluded.

I'm an Irish student. I only get over a couple of times a year for obvious reasons.

I can safely say I contribute more to the atmosphere than 90% pf the people in the ground. Maybe I'm an exception, I don't know.

Not sure what point I'm making to be honest, just that everyone doesn't fit in with every trend.

[Giovanni]

So are all the other clubs mate and most of them don't have an expansion or new stadium to be paid for.

I'm not defending the club here btw, just asking questions so I can get a better understanding.

go look at the figures graham posted a few posts back.

0.31% of turnover would make a difference. It's fucking negligible

[Graham Smith]

Playing devils advocate here, but are we expecting too much in relation to ticket prices when we are in the middle of a stadium expansion?

The ticket expansion uses the new income generated from the new corporate seats to pay the cost off over five years so FSG are paid back in that short period.

The cash generated from season ticket and general admission tickets is going up even taking account of the fact that there are more seats in those categories next year due to the expansion.

And that is without the TWG having any role or visibility in looking at the cost increases in hospitality and the extra that will no doubt have generated.

[Trada]

Just wow if those prices are true.

It must be a rumor surely that can't be true.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Could live with it if it's bang centre of the main but cheaper tickets around the ground (ie price drops), but if it's 100% increase in non corporate tickets I cannot for the life of me see how they can justify it with the extra TV money, ffs set aside £10m of that to pay off the stand and you keep pretty much everyone happy

Can see many (SOS, FSF, hopefully the local press) kicking off big time over this, fucking American sports business models don't work in Europe, totally fucking different cultures.

[Redman0151]

So are all the other clubs mate and most of them don't have an expansion or new stadium to be paid for.

I'm not defending the club here btw, just asking questions so I can get a better understanding.

Are they? What other clubs in the poorest parts of the country are gonna be charging £70+ for a ticket? We already have the most expensive cheapest ticket in the country.

It's more expensive than some clubs in London.

Manchester United maximum price £53: http://www.manutd.com/en/Tickets-And-Hospitality/Ticket-Prices/Premier-League.aspx
Manchester city maximum price £51(?): https://tickets.mcfc.co.uk/events-choose-seats-flash.aspx?eid=16394&sid=43107&pid=5286&vid=61
Everton maximum price £49: http://www.evertonfc.com/content/tickets/prices-and-seating

Our prices will be massively higher than those anywhere outside London, the amount of difference this makes to the club as pointed out above is tiny, but it's huge to the supporters. yet they don't care.

The clubs got a ton of new sponsorship deals and another £40m+ a season from the TV deal, it's impossible to justify what they're doing.

[JackWard33]

Significant price rises are indefensible at this point.

The new TV deal is not just 40 million a year its for 3 years and probably for all time.

Funding the stadium expansion is a red herring - that's done by the 10,000 extra seats / corporate tickets they'll be selling

Really disappointing news

[Paullfc95]

Just wow if those prices are true.

It must be a rumor surely that can't be true.

It's true, full details out tomorrow.

[DangerScouse]

Crosby, I meant all the other clubs are coming into that money too. No idea what their plans are for ticket prices.

Anyway, going to hold off discussing further until I see what tomorrow has in store.

[redgriffin73]

Fucking hell, can't quite believe this. Not sure how much longer I can qualify going.

[redgriffin73]

It's true, full details out tomorrow.

What are the rumoured Kop prices?

[Johnny Foreigner]

To shit on the match going fans is one thing - but supposedly clever business men jeopardizing their business on greed is tricky to comprehend.

[Claire.]

Are they? What other clubs in the poorest parts of the country are gonna be charging £70+ for a ticket? We already have the most expensive cheapest ticket in the country.

It's more expensive than some clubs in London.

Manchester United maximum price £53: http://www.manutd.com/en/Tickets-And-Hospitality/Ticket-Prices/Premier-League.aspx
Manchester city maximum price £51(?): https://tickets.mcfc.co.uk/events-choose-seats-flash.aspx?eid=16394&sid=43107&pid=5286&vid=61
Everton maximum price £49: http://www.evertonfc.com/content/tickets/prices-and-seating

Our prices will be massively higher than those anywhere outside London, the amount of difference this makes to the club as pointed out above is tiny, but it's huge to the supporters. yet they don't care.

The clubs got a ton of new sponsorship deals and another £40m+ a season from the TV deal, it's impossible to justify what they're doing.

I think it's pretty clear they don't want people from one of the country's most deprived areas in there, mate.

We all know who they want following LIVERPOOL Football Club and it isn't locals.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Going for 70% at £30 I can see the club seeing that as taking the piss, £40 you may have had something, even for say 50% of the ground

[Hij]

Already fucked the league games off as they are just too inaccessible to go with any semi regularity. I mean the prices are getting to the extent that even if I lived in Liverpool, I'd find it hard to justify it, but with travel it's simply impossible. At least the cups means lower prices, and then also a guaranteed ticket to the next game if you qualify.

It's a real shame that we can't take the lead on this issue. I'm sure the monetary streams from other areas will be increasing in the future but there is only so much you can actually milk the fans.

[Graham Smith]

Could live with it if it's bang centre of the main but cheaper tickets around the ground (ie price drops), but if it's 100% increase in non corporate tickets I cannot for the life of me see how they can justify it with the extra TV money, ffs set aside £10m of that to pay off the stand and you keep pretty much everyone happy

Can see many (SOS, FSF, hopefully the local press) kicking off big time over this, fucking American sports business models don't work in Europe, totally fucking different cultures.

There's no 100% hikes.

[Hij]

Going for 70% at £30 I can see the club seeing that as taking the piss, £40 you may have had something, even for say 50% of the ground

That's what they wanted at best. I can guess in any negotiating you wouldn't go with your ideal first as you'd just have to move from it.

We'll have to see tomorrow if they are offering any concessions.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

I think it's pretty clear they don't want people from one of the country's most deprived areas in there, mate.

We all know who they want following LIVERPOOL Football Club and it isn't locals.

it means they want people who will pay the most, could also mean they're planning to go soon and they're trying to milk the club that one last chance

[SerbianScouser]

It`s a bit awkward to ask for that kind of money to watch a team without one single proper world-class player. Club`ve got some balls.

[Alf]

Really disappointing and no doubt the inflation brigade will start sticking up for the club again.