Hi Addicks,
Some of you will be aware of the FSF (Football supporters Federation) and their attempts at action against the extortionate cost of away football tickets. The cost ticket prices have been crippling fans and it means that many are unable to prioritise football ahead of other things in this time of economic struggle.
Take action now by signing the petition below (in the link). Around 3000 signatures have been achieved already and hopefully more if we can just have 10 seconds of your time.
Each signature will be backing the following statement...
"I back the Football Supporters' Federation’s Twenty’s Plenty for Away Tickets campaign and call upon football clubs at all levels of the game to recognise and reward the amazing contribution of away fans by getting together to agree an across the board price cap on away match tickets of £20 (£15 for concessions)".
http://new.fsf.org.uk/petitions/20plenty/#signaturesP.S Good luck for the season and well done on the recent demolition against Barnsley. Best wishes.
Comments
But good luck with the efforts though.
The reason that's the question is because away ticket revenue is disproportionately important to clubs. Away fans are more likely to be adults, so on average they pay more than home fans.
And if you only sell 3,000 home match tickets at, say, an average net price of £13 (£39k) then you aren't going to give up the extra £6k or so from charging 1,500 away fans - or £12k from 3,000 - the extra fiver, and that's without even considering how it might affect home prices to do so.
Having said all that, as a still fairly regular away fan myself, of course I agree it would be nice if there was a cap. I organised against Nottingham Forest when they charged us £20 in the late 1990s and Charlton retaliated the same season as a result. But there won't be a cap, at least in the Football League, and this is why.
Then the clubs could afford cheaper tickets all round.
Airman's post above already explains why it would be suicide for them to charge less, and why it is the other things that make away days expensive. I'm going to guess that most of those that want cheaper tickets have a pint and/or a takeaway (opposed to making a packed lunch) and/or get a taxi for part of the journey and/or buy a magazine to read on the train/coach and/or sweets/snacks etc. Most of those will cost over £5, and that is before you look into the sheer number of fans that choose to avoid the cheapest form of travel (coach I believe).
Why should the clubs charge less so that the fans can have more budget for beer or takeaways?
Admittedly I don't go to many away games, but the few long distance ones I've been to I went on the coach, I took a packed lunch, I took reading material I already had, and the iPad, and even then the ticket was less than half of the total cost of the day. It's a business, they have a right to charge what ever they want, and that will be what they think will maximise revenues and/or keep attendances at a suitable level.
Incidentally, I also think that a wage cap and more TV money will not bring the prices down. The clubs will charge as much as they can get away. The only way we will being these prices down is if we, literally, stop going.
If the Charlton fans, for example, refused to pay more than £20 for a ticket at any away ground and stuck to (i.e. none at all attended) it by the fifth away game of next season the clubs would be charging us £20. Anything else and they will just ignore it.
I have to say though that I can see why there is little sympathy for the fans when so many turn up hours before the game then proceed to spend that time in the pub knocking beers back.
This.
Infact, put the prices up more & stop drinking beer :-)
Oh, I signed it btw. It's all divisions & some prices are £60 in The Prem.
Norwich City and Swansea City have agreed a reciprocal ticket offer meaning away fans will receive £20 tickets when the sides meet in the Premier League.
The Swans visit Carrow Road on Sunday 15th December while the Canaries’ trip to the Liberty Stadium is scheduled for Saturday 29th March. Away tickets for December’s game went on sale today, more details are on Swansea City's website.
The reciprocal idea mirrors the Football Supporters’ Federation’s Twenty’s Plenty for Away Tickets (part of an umbrella Away Fans Matter campaign) and follows hot on the heels of similar deals by Hull City, Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion.
The Swans also came to a £25 agreement with Aston Villa and other deals are in the pipeline. The Croydon Guardian reports that Crystal Palace have “agreed to give Newcastle supporters £5 off a ticket if they do the same for Palace supporters”.
Away Fans Matter10Away Fans Matter has achieved some success but it’s certainly not the end of the road. Football League fans have yet to see reciprocal deals and there’s scope for many more in the top-flight.
However, tens of thousands of fans will now get cheaper tickets thanks to this season’s reciprocal deals and the FSF will continue to campaign for more away ticket reductions throughout the professional game.
£12m Away Fans’ Initiative
Twenty’s Plenty also made its mark when the Premier League announced the launch of the £12m Away Fans’ Initiative. Clubs must use the money to reduce ticket prices for away fans, subsidise transport or otherwise enhance the matchday experience.
The Away Fans’ Initiative equates to £200,000 per club, per season – you can find out what your club is spending the cash on here.
These initiatives are a response to campaigning work such as Away Fans Matter and the march on Premier League HQ, organised by Spirit of Shankly. They were joined by fans of dozens of other clubs and the FSF.
PETITION: Find our more about Twenty’s Plenty here…