Topic: 2014/2015 General admission ticket prices - SOS Statement

[Spirit Of Shankly]

http://www.spiritofshankly.com/news/ticket-price-response-for-season-2014-2015

The Premier League fixture list for the 2014/2015 season was confirmed on Wednesday of this week. A cynic might suggest that it is a good day to bury bad news as coincidentally Liverpool Football Club owners FSG announced the general admission prices for the coming season.

With the top price ticket being just shy of £60, Spirit of Shankly are extremely disappointed to see that prices have increased yet again. This at a time when last season FSG saw LFC’s income from TV increase from £54m to £97m.

This time last year, Spirit of Shankly and supporters from all over the country marched to the Premier League Headquarters to voice concern at the ever increasing cost of attending a game. Despite the significant increased television money that the Premier League Clubs now receive , we really have to question FSG’s motivation in fleecing their fan base when huge and increased funds are available elsewhere.

It is sickening to note that the additional revenues that the FSG are about to receive from increasing ticket prices is relatively immaterial when measured against the impact it will have on the supporters' pockets.


While the efforts they have made to reduce youth prices are welcomed we would ask FSG to confirm how many supporters they think this might affect, scores or hundreds we suspect, rather than the thousands continually financially squeezed.

The cost of attending a Champions League fixture at Anfield this season will also see supporters paying between £46 and £59 for a ticket. In 2009 the same tickets would have cost between £36 and £38. This represents an increase of 55% over five years and greatly exceeds inflation over this period.


How can FSG justify this price hike?

Additionally, when looking at Premier League fixtures for 2014/15, the difference in cost between a Category A and C game has widened further, with the difference in the top prices being £49 to £59.


As a Category A club, Liverpool supporters continuously pay significantly more than other clubs on their travels and it is with enormous disappointment that FSG are widening this gap for opposition fans visiting Anfield.

[ronnnie yates]

we should march again to the premier league offices , complaints to the club are fruitless, they hide behind the fact that everyone else puts up their prices , fuck it lets go again , hopefully with more of us ,

[Paul Gardner]

we should march again to the premier league offices , complaints to the club are fruitless, they hide behind the fact that everyone else puts up their prices , fuck it lets go again , hopefully with more of us ,

http://www.fsf.org.uk/latest-news/view/save-the-date-fans-to-march-on-plfl-hq

[cornelius]

Fuck a duck. My 6 year old son got his first taste of Anfield last season and he's begging for more and it won't be long before his 4 year old brother will want in on the act. Anyone know where I can sell a kidney?

On a plus note I might actually stand a chance of getting tickets for all three of us for once.

Crazy.

[ronnnie yates]

thanks paul , ill try and drum up some bodies from my end

[fizzyp]

c*nts

[TheWalrus]

Vote with your feet.  It's the only way.

[FlashingBlade]

Vote with your feet.  It's the only way.

I prefer a show of hands, I'm not as agile as I used to be.

When my ST hits a £1000 I think that will be it for me.

[oojason]

Vote with your feet.  It's the only way.

Aye, priced out since 2009/10 - just couldn't justify more than £40 a ticket. Just 5 years on it's nearly £60.

Still been able to make the pre-season friendlies/charity games and Cup matches vs lower league opposition - but that'll likely stop this season given it's £30 for a pre-season friendly and depending on the Cup draws...

Really hoping we get a League 1/2 team at home in the Cups!

[paulsheridan08]

only way is to boycott one game, surely there is a way sos can communicate to fans/lfc about the boycott, needs to be a big game, not quite everton/united but needs to be a biggish one.

[CoventryYNWA]

only way is to boycott one game, surely there is a way sos can communicate to fans/lfc about the boycott, needs to be a big game, not quite everton/united but needs to be a biggish one.

There isn't a chance that an LFC game will be boycotted to be honest.

[Kopite1971]

There isn't a chance that an LFC game will be boycotted to be honest.

Agreed, if games couldn't be boycotted in the H&G era, they certainly won't be now. 

While many including myself bemoan the price of going to a game, it didn't stop me renewing my ST before the season had ended and signing up for the CL and FA Cup games, though i now choose not to go to League Cup games and friendlies in order to save costs.

The simple situation is that big clubs whom regularly sell out their grounds for all matches don't concern themselves too much about what price they charge because they know they will sell out.  In addition they have reduced prices for younger fans for some matches and almost everyone agrees in the importance of blooding youngsters into the match day experience though I suspect that the club and fans come at it from different angles. In addition we all agree on the need to continuously invest in the team and match day ticket revenue is part of the equation that allows players to be bought and paid the huge salaries that they get.

In short it won't change unless LFC went into a prolonged decline which ofcourse none of us want.

[RainbowFlick]

http://www.fsf.org.uk/latest-news/view/save-the-date-fans-to-march-on-plfl-hq

Shame it's on a Thursday midday! Will see if I can somehow swindle a few hours worth of lunch break.

[RedPat]

Did anyone really expect anything less from Vulture capitalists which Henry and FSG are,it's a simple matter of supply and demand they can fuck us because the demand to see Liverpool is unprecedented .City can't fuck their fans financially because supply exceeds demand which is why their prices are really nice.

[RainbowFlick]

Did anyone really expect anything less from Vulture capitalists which Henry and FSG are,it's a simple matter of supply and demand they can fuck us because the demand to see Liverpool is unprecedented .City can't fuck their fans financially because supply exceeds demand which is why their prices are really nice.

In fairness I think in this climate anyone investing in any form of sports team is a "vulture capitalist" - there's no soul in investment. It's unfortunate, but we do live in a world of capitalism. Pointless pointing fingers, as we could have got a much more raw deal with some of the other clubs' owners.

I would however like more transparency from the club as to why they have come to these prices, and in particular such stark rises on an annual basis.

[TSC]

http://www.spiritofshankly.com/news/ticket-price-response-for-season-2014-2015
 

The paragraph below really puts this into context.  A 55% increase in ticket prices since we were last in the CL?  Scandalous really.

The cost of attending a Champions League fixture at Anfield this season will also see supporters paying between £46 and £59 for a ticket. In 2009 the same tickets would have cost between £36 and £38. This represents an increase of 55% over five years and greatly exceeds inflation over this period.

[owens_2k]

The paragraph below really puts this into context.  A 55% increase in ticket prices since we were last in the CL?  Scandalous really.

The cost of attending a Champions League fixture at Anfield this season will also see supporters paying between £46 and £59 for a ticket. In 2009 the same tickets would have cost between £36 and £38. This represents an increase of 55% over five years and greatly exceeds inflation over this period.

What are peoples thoughts if the clubs accounts show that extra income from increased gate receipts goes towards player aquisition and not into FSG's pockets? If this was the case, whilst the price is high, at least supporters are contributing to the club.

Thoughts?

[jimbo196843]

Did anyone really expect anything less from Vulture capitalists which Henry and FSG are,it's a simple matter of supply and demand they can fuck us because the demand to see Liverpool is unprecedented .City can't fuck their fans financially because supply exceeds demand which is why their prices are really nice.

FSG have paid a lot of money to buy Liverpool and have put us back on a level playing field financially and on the pitch. They are building a new stadium and generally have done a decent job. So not sure wether it is fair to say they 'can fuck us' as without them we would have quite likely have gone into administration.

[TSC]

What are peoples thoughts if the clubs accounts show that extra income from increased gate receipts goes towards player aquisition and not into FSG's pockets? If this was the case, whilst the price is high, at least supporters are contributing to the club.

Thoughts?

I'd guess one of the main issues now is that the considerable increases in TV revenue from the likes of SKY/BT etc have resulted in 'gate money' becoming much less important comparatively, & therefore it may reasonably be expected that the vast increases in television revenue could have resulted in lower seat prices on average. 

Instead it appears seat prices will increase regardless anyway.  Supply and demand of course re Liverpool.  How sustainable these constant price increases are longer term remains to be seen.

[RedPat]

FSG have paid a lot of money to buy Liverpool and have put us back on a level playing field financially and on the pitch. They are building a new stadium and generally have done a decent job. So not sure wether it is fair to say they 'can fuck us' as without them we would have quite likely have gone into administration.

Point well made and taken but the best point SOS make is that the extra few quid FSG make per ticket hurts the ordinary fan a lot more than it helps their bottom line especially when the huge increase in TV revenue is factored in,yes they saved us from potential disaster but they also got the deal of the century when they bought LFC the most famous club in the world.

[jamie_c]

I'd guess one of the main issues now is that the considerable increases in TV revenue from the likes of SKY/BT etc have resulted in 'gate money' becoming much less important comparatively, & therefore it may reasonably be expected that the vast increases in television revenue could have resulted in lower seat prices on average. 

Instead it appears seat prices will increase regardless anyway.  Supply and demand of course re Liverpool.  How sustainable these constant price increases are longer term remains to be seen.

Very true however as a club we are not making a profit and wages are highly likely to go up next year as well.

It's a difficult one for me, when companies like BT/British Gas increase prices they are doing it to increase what are already unbelievable profit numbers, most football clubs are in such a dodgy financial position they need to increase ticket prices to stay in the black (that or cut down on player wages)

Personally think the solution to this all stems back to the amount of money players earn, a salary cap (set at the same amount) for every team in Europe would mean that clubs start making a profit and it would then mean that fans would be in a great position to lobby for decreased ticket prices.

Sadly it does not look like football is moving in that direction.

[jimbo196843]

Point well made and taken but the best point SOS make is that the extra few quid FSG make per ticket hurts the ordinary fan a lot more than it helps their bottom line especially when the huge increase in TV revenue is factored in,yes they saved us from potential disaster but they also got the deal of the century when they bought LFC the most famous club in the world.

I don't necessarily disagree with the fact that FSG will eventually profit from the club but thankfully they are sensible owners who seem to think all decisions through.
Out of interest where does the price increases put us in comparison to other premier league clubs?

[CraigDS]

The club isn't going to pass up taking advantage of inflated ticket prices, especially when we're competing against oil rich sides, London based sides, and sides with 75k seater stadiums.

You want a player of Luis Suarez here, then we have to fund the £200k a week he is on. You want sustained title charges and CL participation, then we need to pay the transfer fees and wages for this.

The one thing that is clear is the money coming in from this WILL be going to the clubs spends, and not lining any owners pockets.


As I've said in past debates regarding ticket prices, until their is action to prevent all clubs taking advantage then I can't see a club (at least not one wanting to compete and isn't funded by their owners billions) going against the grain and lowering prices to something we'd all consider realistic.

The FA, the PL and the Govt are the ones needing to be targeted to put in limit.

[RedPat]

I don't necessarily disagree with the fact that FSG will eventually profit from the club but thankfully they are sensible owners who seem to think all decisions through.
Out of interest where does the price increases put us in comparison to other premier league clubs?

certainly still cheaper than Arsenal.

[Reds and Revs]

Point well made and taken but the best point SOS make is that the extra few quid FSG make per ticket hurts the ordinary fan a lot more than it helps their bottom line especially when the huge increase in TV revenue is factored in,yes they saved us from potential disaster but they also got the deal of the century when they bought LFC the most famous club in the world.

Yet are still in the red on operating revenues according to the Swiss Ramble
http://swissramble.blogspot.com/search/label/Liverpool

Transfer fees and salaries increase as competition for Champions League intensifies.

Ticket price increases aren't great news for the ever day fan, but if FSG is making money, it will be in the long term.

[DutchRed]

It's a battle we cannot win, the way I see it all we can do is waiting for this system to implode. I cannot imagine the day arriving when we'd be charged 100 quid to go to a league match.

[Redman0151]

It's unfortunate, but it's hard to see a way we can stop it in the foreseeable future.

Has it been raised with the club why there's only 1000 young adult tickets available per game? It's a step in the right direction for younger people to get a discount, but only having 1000 seems strange. As far as i'm aware there's no limit on the number of over 65 tickets sold?

[Kuks]

If Anfield sells out for every game at 60 quid, what incentive does FSG have to lower the ticket price? The only way to get the ticket price lowered is to vote with your feet. If the seats are empty, the ticket prices will come down themselves. Unfurling banners at the game after you've already bought a ticket serves absolutely zero purpose except maybe raising awareness.

[owens_2k]

As stated above, if you lower tickets prices in isolation to every other team your putting yourself at a disadvantage and as a result will become less competitive on the pitch.

[KiNki]

we should march again to the premier league offices , complaints to the club are fruitless, they hide behind the fact that everyone else puts up their prices , fuck it lets go again , hopefully with more of us ,

agree with this view, it would be a start, i'd actually go beyond premier league to government, ask for legislation on ticket prices, i'd be happier to pay tax on top, probably cheaper than admin and booking fees, as long as ticket prices across the board have a set maximum and the maximum rises with inflation only.

Not sure they would as they are private businesses and the tories love the free market.

[Redman0151]

If Anfield sells out for every game at 60 quid, what incentive does FSG have to lower the ticket price? The only way to get the ticket price lowered is to vote with your feet. If the seats are empty, the ticket prices will come down themselves. Unfurling banners at the game after you've already bought a ticket serves absolutely zero purpose except maybe raising awareness.

That's not really viable though, especially as we're in the CL, the club would probably rather the regulars boycotted it so that some daytrippers could go in their spot and spend a ton in the club store.

The most realistic way seems to be working together and forcing the FA or Premier League to enforce a maximum ticket price

[Devon Red]

Player wage inflation has been rising at an even higher rate than ticket price inflation. If we don't tackle A then we can't tackle B. http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2011/01/20/from-20-to-33868-per-week-a-quick-history-of-english-footballs-top-flight-wages-200101/

[Kuks]

That's not really viable though, especially as we're in the CL, the club would probably rather the regulars boycotted it so that some daytrippers could go in their spot and spend a ton in the club store.

The most realistic way seems to be working together and forcing the FA or Premier League to enforce a maximum ticket price

For the club everyone is the same though. In fact they'd probably prefer the increased revenue from the day trippers.

[Redman0151]

For the club everyone is the same though. In fact they'd probably prefer the increased revenue from the day trippers.

That's what I was saying

[Kuks]

That's what I was saying

So then we're in agreement. :p

The club really has no incentive to keep ticket prices down. The only time they will is if they notice that seats are not selling.

[davenorthwales]

if tier 1 season ticket has risen £19, that works out a £1 rise per match on average spread over cat a, b and c, how come tier 1 normal seats gone up £7

7 cat A matches is a £49 rise if purchased seperately at £59 each, 7 for cat B £53 - £28 rise if purchased seperate, and 5 for cat C £49 - £15 rise when bought individually..

overall if someone went to all matches, they would have to pay an extra £92 compared to £15 rise on ST.

it'll cost £1029 to go to all home matches purchasing seperate compared to £869. ST saves £160 (15.5491% discount).

£54.15 on average compared to £45.73 with ST...

with the large amount of tv revenue increase, there would be no need to increase prices.  it looks on paper that the increase is financing the reductions elsewhere and the juniors.. why couldn't tv money cover this.

at first it looked like a ploy to shunt as many people onto ST next season, and the problem with that is they wouldn't have been able to lower seats elswhere and dip into the tv revenue.

in theory, there is more money in it for them by having general seats.  whether or not to pay for the new stands.....

or some macarbe plan to get as many onto ST and shunt the ST price up to the same level as a seat increase.....could swear they are penalising people who don't to all the homes.....

[Smudgester]

The paragraph below really puts this into context.  A 55% increase in ticket prices since we were last in the CL?  Scandalous really.

The cost of attending a Champions League fixture at Anfield this season will also see supporters paying between £46 and £59 for a ticket. In 2009 the same tickets would have cost between £36 and £38. This represents an increase of 55% over five years and greatly exceeds inflation over this period.

Not defending the tickets price rises but £36 up to £46 is nothing like a 55% rise - it's more like 30%.

As others have said - there is no business/logical/financial/footballing reason for LFC to reduce ticket prices when demand exceeds supply; in fact supporters should be grateful prices weren't raised even higher. This fanciful notion that TV revenue increases means LFC should cut ticket prices is nonsense; just ask yourself if the company you work for would cut the price of its products/services in similar circumstances? Of course they wouldn't so why should football clubs do it?

Finally ... I am pretty sure the person I go to games with ( who sits on the edge on the Kop ) said his ST cost the same this time as last year.

[CraigDS]

Finally ... I am pretty sure the person I go to games with ( who sits on the edge on the Kop ) said his ST cost the same this time as last year.

Kop STs stayed the same the previous two seasons (actually think the edges dropped in price), not sure if they've stayed the same this season too or seen a slight rise.

It's all part of the club bringing in tiered pricing with Kop tickets being the cheapest, Anny Rd next and them the closer the the half way line the more they get.

[oojason]

Not defending the tickets price rises but £36 up to £46 is nothing like a 55% rise - it's more like 30%.

As others have said - there is no business/logical/financial/footballing reason for LFC to reduce ticket prices when demand exceeds supply; in fact supporters should be grateful prices weren't raised even higher. This fanciful notion that TV revenue increases means LFC should cut ticket prices is nonsense; just ask yourself if the company you work for would cut the price of its products/services in similar circumstances? Of course they wouldn't so why should football clubs do it?

Finally ... I am pretty sure the person I go to games with ( who sits on the edge on the Kop ) said his ST cost the same this time as last year.

erm... you say you're not not defending ticket price rises but then did just that (with the addition that your fellow fans should be grateful they were not raised even higher) .

Also, £36 to £59 is how much a rise in %?