Fans unite to demand freeze on soaring Premier League ticket prices

A record 116 supporters groups and fan advisory boards have signed an eight-point letter to the Premier League calling for a two-year freeze on home ticket prices , in an initiative organised by the Football Supporters’ Association ( FSA ).

The move represents one of the biggest fan mobilisations in English football history, as the groups have declared themselves “deeply concerned” with the constant price rises and general cost of attending football, despite such figures having a negligible effect on the Premier League’s willingness to spend well over £2.5bn more on players wages and agents fees than any other league in the world.

While prioritising the effect of this for fans, especially in terms of the social impact, the FSA also argue that such an evolution actually risks affecting one of the unique qualities of the Premier League – the “atmosphere, loyalty, devotion”.

The letter similarly calls on the Premier League to use such a halt to start sharing clear and transparent ticketing data with supporters; to start holding open, ongoing discussions with fan groups, especially on future plans and to use the two years to create proper dialogue structures.

While some of these should have been presumed as givens, one of the great frustrations of the FSA over the past few years has been the absence of discussion or even full disclosure of prices. A particular point of contention has been the presentation of the average ticket price in the Premier League as £38, a number that virtually every fan group thinks is incorrect.

The letter also points to how such challenges have been exacerbated by the immense cost of travelling to games, allied to kick-off times that do not suit travel infrastructure and the delayed notification of those times.

open image in gallery

“Fans are expected to be available for multiple possible TV slots, across multiple days, without any recognition of the extra cost or disruption that this causes to supporters,” the letter reads. “This is extremely challenging for all supporters but the impact this has on those with accessibility needs is even greater again, given the need to plan transport and assistance.”

A fundamental point made is that clubs should also fulfil some of their social roles, rather than constantly “loading the burden onto fans”. Amid immense modern expenditure, halted ticket prices would provide “the opportunity to explore how to allow the fans who are a part of the Premier League story to secure a small benefit”.

“Rising prices are making it harder for regular fans, especially younger generations and working-class communities, to attend matches,” the letter states.

open image in gallery

The FSA and the signatories also believe that this would play a part in halting the self-defeating “arms race” that clubs are engaged in, where The Independent calculates that well over 50 per cent of revenue goes straight out on wages without any wider Premier League discussion as to the effect of this.

The letter represents a growing collaborative approach between supporters for the good of both the wider game and fans themselves, having come from a plan initially suggested by Spirit of Shankly’s Gareth Roberts, and eagerly taken up by the FSA.

The Independent have contacted the Premier League for a response.