A cap on away ticket prices

[baldbloke]

Please sign the enclosed petition

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-english-fa-and-the-premier-league-cap-away-ticket-prices-in-the-premier-league-at-30

[dimexi]

Done 

[Chelmsford_yid]

 So what about home tickets then...?
 

[Metalanimal]

Done  I better not get any spam from it though!

[Glenn R]

Please sign the enclosed petition

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-english-fa-and-the-premier-league-cap-away-ticket-prices-in-the-premier-league-at-30

It isn't going to happen. It is pie in the sky. Clubs are free agents to charge what they want. The only way prices could come down is if the fans voted with their feet. And I can't see that happening any time soon.

And another thing (and this isn't going to be very popular) but football has become a rich man's support. We are a long way from when fans were working class. Tickets now cost - for a top game - £71. And in the next couple of years that price will go up. Poorer fans will stop going and the richer ones will continue. There is a 35,000 waiting list. That will tell you that clubs like Spurs won't put the prices down anytime soon.

[Glenn R]

I was watching Arsene Wenger being interviewed over the high priced away tickets and I agree with what he said. People have a choice and clubs are a business so if people won’t pay then they don’t have to go. As I said previously; people can vote with their feet.

If top clubs want to compete with the top clubs then they need the money. How many on here would moan if Spurs cut the prices, but we couldn’t compete with the top clubs and started to slide down the league?

Most of the people who complain, but not all of them, don’t go to matches anyway.

Ars*nal, city, United, Spurs and Chelsea sell out their grounds and away tickets get snapped up. What mad fool is going to cut the ticket prices?

There was a time when I couldn’t go to Spurs – because I lost my job (and Spurs high prices). Not once did I wish Spurs to sell cheaper tickets, what I wanted was for Spurs to compete with the best in the league. I still do. Now my circumstances have changed and I can go again. A new stadium will help and if that means ticket prices will go up; so be it. But I bet they will still fill the grounds.

Football is no longer a working man’s sport (as in going to matches) but a rich man’s. If that wasn’t the case clubs would be forced to reduce prices, not increase them. Luckily for the ordinary, man because of the high prices, they are not excluded from seeing their favourite team; we’ve got live coverage and programmes that show the highlights.

[RiffHard]

I agree - as long as people buy and consume, prices will be raised. That applies to all goods and prices - food, clothes, accommodation, leisure, etc. We all are the donkeys who allow themselves to be bullied with high prices.

[Chelmsford_yid]

I'd love to go to every game but the end of the day, I'd rather spend my last £50 to put food on the table and things we need to live.

[dimexi]

It isn't going to happen. It is pie in the sky. Clubs are free agents to charge what they want. The only way prices could come down is if the fans voted with their feet. And I can't see that happening any time soon.

And another thing (and this isn't going to be very popular) but football has become a rich man's support. We are a long way from when fans were working class. Tickets now cost - for a top game - £71. And in the next couple of years that price will go up. Poorer fans will stop going and the richer ones will continue. There is a 35,000 waiting list. That will tell you that clubs like Spurs won't put the prices down anytime soon.

I was watching Arsene Wenger being interviewed over the high priced away tickets and I agree with what he said. People have a choice and clubs are a business so if people won’t pay then they don’t have to go. As I said previously; people can vote with their feet.

If top clubs want to compete with the top clubs then they need the money. How many on here would moan if Spurs cut the prices, but we couldn’t compete with the top clubs and started to slide down the league?

Most of the people who complain, but not all of them, don’t go to matches anyway.

Ars*nal, city, United, Spurs and Chelsea sell out their grounds and away tickets get snapped up. What mad fool is going to cut the ticket prices?

There was a time when I couldn’t go to Spurs – because I lost my job (and Spurs high prices). Not once did I wish Spurs to sell cheaper tickets, what I wanted was for Spurs to compete with the best in the league. I still do. Now my circumstances have changed and I can go again. A new stadium will help and if that means ticket prices will go up; so be it. But I bet they will still fill the grounds.

Football is no longer a working man’s sport (as in going to matches) but a rich man’s. If that wasn’t the case clubs would be forced to reduce prices, not increase them. Luckily for the ordinary, man because of the high prices, they are not excluded from seeing their favourite team; we’ve got live coverage and programmes that show the highlights.

I think the key issue here is the prices charged to away fans. If we choose to support our club and attend our matches paying the high ticket prices then I agree that is our choice, we can choose to support our club (financially) or not. But when travelling fans do so, they should not be charged more to see their team away. A simple agreement between clubs, which gives the away fans ticket money to the other club. i.e. Ars*nal fans have to pay £100 for a ticket, whilst Norwich pay £35. But this money then gets given to Ars*nal and Norwich. Spurs do not lose out either as they will get the gate receipts for all their away games at the prices they charge their own supporters. Everybody happy.

However, I cannot see why a team needs to charge such high prices anyway, the new TV deal is massive and they should pass on some of that wealth to their fans. But that will not happen unfortunately, because the people with extortionate amounts of money just want to have more and more money.

I do not agree that it will not change because I think that the whole money system needs to change. Football has gone the way corporations have all gone. The money works its way to the top. You then get an elite group who have all the money. The problem is that we live on a finite planet and it is impossible to keep going the way we are. And like Riff said this applies to food and clothes etc. But as joe public continue to be squeezed and squeezed they will not have the ability pay for these ever increasing price hikes. The food quantities get smaller but we pay the same price. The clothes get made more cheaply but then do not last very long. Anyway that is another debate and there is too much of it to go into here.

The fact of the matter is, that football is fine to carry on doing what they are doing. But there will be many teams that collapse because of it. Maybe that streamlining will mean a better football league. But if it was Spurs that was on the verge of collapse, you would be singing a very different tune.

[dimexi]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21006202

Official tells players to go and see the away fans who spent £62. Priceless!

[Glenn R]

I'd love to go to every game but the end of the day, I'd rather spend my last £50 to put food on the table and things we need to live.

I agree that should be first priority. Next if one can afford it is going to Spurs or doing what you enjoy. That is what life is all about.

[Glenn R]

I think the key issue here is the prices charged to away fans. If we choose to support our club and attend our matches paying the high ticket prices then I agree that is our choice, we can choose to support our club (financially) or not. But when travelling fans do so, they should not be charged more to see their team away. A simple agreement between clubs, which gives the away fans ticket money to the other club. i.e. Ars*nal fans have to pay £100 for a ticket, whilst Norwich pay £35. But this money then gets given to Ars*nal and Norwich. Spurs do not lose out either as they will get the gate receipts for all their away games at the prices they charge their own supporters. Everybody happy.

Spurs  get all their receipts for all their home games; so if say Spurs charge whatever they want to the away supporters is it Spurs that will get the money. What is wrong with that?

However, I cannot see why a team needs to charge such high prices anyway, the new TV deal is massive and they should pass on some of that wealth to their fans. But that will not happen unfortunately, because the people with extortionate amounts of money just want to have more and more money.

But to attract the top players and challenge for the top spot then they, the club, need as much money as they can get. Putting up tickets – providing fans continue to go – will benefit the team immensely.  On top of that with Spurs building a better ground with more facilities to make more money will also benefit Spurs. For those fans that will be put off by high prices and leave, will be replaced by other fans who can afford to pay. Again I can’t see anything wrong with that.

I do not agree that it will not change because I think that the whole money system needs to change. Football has gone the way corporations have all gone. The money works its way to the top. You then get an elite group who have all the money. The problem is that we live on a finite planet and it is impossible to keep going the way we are. And like Riff said this applies to food and clothes etc. But as joe public continue to be squeezed and squeezed they will not have the ability pay for these ever increasing price hikes. The food quantities get smaller but we pay the same price. The clothes get made more cheaply but then do not last very long. Anyway that is another debate and there is too much of it to go into here.

I agree to a point what you say here; but the point is who is going to blink first? English football is the top football in the world (it is sold all over the world) and no time soon is anybody going to do anything to damage that. Fans will continue paying top prices; and for that they want their club to challenge for trophies and cups.

he fact of the matter is, that football is fine to carry on doing what they are doing. But there will be many teams that collapse because of it. Maybe that streamlining will mean a better football league. But if it was Spurs that was on the verge of collapse, you would be singing a very different tune.

True, but it is not, (that spurs are on the verge of collapse). We are challenging for top honours and in one of the best leagues in the world. Fans will continue accepting high prices for the privilege of being one of the elite. Of course if we start sliding down and became an ordinary football team like (Swansea, West Ham, Wigan etc) then it will be a different story. At the moment I am quite happy to pay for what they charge for tickets. Those that don’t want to pay for high away match tickets should stop moaning and stop going (if they want) and allow people like me to take up what they are moaning about.

[dimexi]

Just going to pick you up on two points.

Spurs  get all their receipts for all their home games; so if say Spurs charge whatever they want to the away supporters is it Spurs that will get the money. What is wrong with that?

What is wrong with this is that the away fans are expected to pay above what they usually pay and have no way to have that balance addressed. They choose to support their club and are happy to do so. Why should their money go towards our finances? Whereas if their own teams received the gate receipts from their own travelling fans, it would be in line with their own price structure and agreements.

When we then travel to their ground we are charged more than their home fans but it is Spurs that benefit from that arrangement. We would end up getting the same amount of money as we do for our home games but it would come from spurs supporters.

Just a little adjustment would make the system fairer for all.

 Those that don’t want to pay for high away match tickets should stop moaning and stop going (if they want) and allow people like me to take up what they are moaning about.

I think this kind of elitist attitude is the problem. So only human beings that are rich (as if that is some way to value a person) are allowed to go. What a lovely world we live in. I also do not think, that you of all people should be telling people to stop making their opinions known. Yes those people can stop going if they want. Do not think for one minute that the number of people who are rich enough to pay these prices are long and wide. I think many of those that go to matches can only afford to do so occasionally across the year. It will only take those numbers to fall below the number of people wanting to go and you will start seeing empty seats. Just look at some of the grounds around the country and the future is not so set in stone. But if they do make that choice, like the Man City fans, that is one way they can make their viewpoint known. But whatever action they take, they are still allowed to voice their disgruntlement.

[Glenn R]

What is wrong with this is that the away fans are expected to pay above what they usually pay and have no way to have that balance addressed. They choose to support their club and are happy to do so. Why should their money go towards our finances? Whereas if their own teams received the gate receipts from their own travelling fans, it would be in line with their own price structure and agreements.

First of all; our money – when going to an away match – goes to their clubs finance so it equals itself out.
I understand what you are saying but I can’t see it happening. The rules were changed awhile back and I can’t see it changing any day soon. The point is that away fans are using the away facilities, including extra police etc.

Just a little adjustment would make the system fairer for all.

To be honest, fair or not I can’t see it happening. Football is a dog eats dog business. The only way you will get change is, as I have said, if fans started voting with their feet.

I think this kind of elitist attitude is the problem. So only human beings that are rich (as if that is some way to value a person) are allowed to go. What a lovely world we live in. I also do not think, that you of all people should be telling people to stop making their opinions known. Yes those people can stop going if they want. Do not think for one minute that the number of people who are rich enough to pay these prices are long and wide. I think many of those that go to matches can only afford to do so occasionally across the year. It will only take those numbers to fall below the number of people wanting to go and you will start seeing empty seats. Just look at some of the grounds around the country and the future is not so set in stone. But if they do make that choice, like the Man City fans, that is one way they can make their viewpoint known. But whatever action they take, they are still allowed to voice their disgruntlement.

I agree that it is an elitist attitude, but I am also a realist and in a free market society it won’t be changing any day soon. It is Darwin’s theory; the fittest (and richest) will survive.
I wouldn’t dream of telling people to stop making their opinions known. In fact I support their right to speak out (whether I agree or not). I am just a realist.
But that is a market economy; when seats or sales go down then clubs will have to adapt to it; say by cheaper seats. But until then nothing is going to change.

I do have  sympathy for the poor fan (as I had stated, I was myself) but know needs must.

[dimexi]

First of all; our money – when going to an away match – goes to their clubs finance so it equals itself out.
I understand what you are saying but I can’t see it happening. The rules were changed awhile back and I can’t see it changing any day soon. The point is that away fans are using the away facilities, including extra police etc.

I just don't understand how this equals itself out. It simply does not, the maths does not add up. Yes you can say that Spurs will be no better off, but they would also be no worse off either. The difference to each clubs finances remains exactly the same, nothing lost nothing gained. However, the fans themselves will be supporting their own club, whether watching at home or away. With the amount of money varying depending on the team you support, which is your choice to do or not. Nothing you have said answers that idea. You have only said - that is the way it is so except it.

I agree that it is an elitist attitude, but I am also a realist and in a free market society it won’t be changing any day soon. It is Darwin’s theory; the fittest (and richest) will survive.
I wouldn’t dream of telling people to stop making their opinions known. In fact I support their right to speak out (whether I agree or not). I am just a realist.
But that is a market economy; when seats or sales go down then clubs will have to adapt to it; say by cheaper seats. But until then nothing is going to change.

I do have  sympathy for the poor fan (as I had stated, I was myself) but know needs must.

I am not sure if a realist defines your stance to be fair. In most posts I would say you were generally an optimist. (which isn't a bad thing) However, If you are trying to link our market society with Darwin, I bit of research in this area will soon have you seeing that this economic and monetary system is due for an evolutionary change. And anyway, Darwin's theory although very good, is still just a theory and current research suggests that it isn't as accurate as previously thought. (just the best idea we have had yet)