After roundly receiving criticism for a newly announced £70 match day ticket, it seems Liverpool’s owner FSG have managed to enrage club fans even further after boasts made on Fenways Sports Groups official company website.
Reds fans main gripe with the price hikes is the feeling that they’ve been treated like customers as apposed to the loyal fans they in fact are. Luckily FSG have put minds at ease with the post titled ‘Transforming fans into customers’.
With eye wateringly high TV payments rocketing from £3bn to a massive £5.14bn, you can forgive Liverpool fans for feeling they’ve been taken for a ride by their American owners.
In a statement released earlier this week, the Liverpool Supporters Committee commented on the proposed ticket rise: “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.
“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. Fairness is not making more money than ever before from supporters.”
A valid point, however is it rather naive to think that Fenway ever had any other motivation that to milk their cash cow for everything it’s worth?
This is an accusation more than likely refuted by the clubs top brass. Whilst ownership of the club have received pelters for the gigantic general match day ticket, the new price structure also allows for 2,250 tickets available to children at just £9 each.
Ian Ayre, Liverpool chief executive, defended the club’s plans earlier this week.
“The redevelopment of our Main Stand and increased capacity has given us flexibility to freeze or reduce more than half of all tickets across the stadium,” he said, “which is reflected in our longer term plan to give fans more choice on what price they pay to attend a game.”
(Via the Telegraph)