Liverpool supporters union Spirit of Shankly has joined a nationwide campaign in a bid to lower ticket prices for football fans.
The Football Supporters Federation’s ‘Score Campaign’, which was launched in Manchester last month, aims to see ticket prices for travelling fans capped at £20 for adults.
SOS is working alongside the national supporters organisations such as FSF and Supporters Direct (SD) “in order to develop a nationwide alliance that brings together supporters of as many clubs as possible in this common cause”.
The campaign has recently gathered momentum after Liverpool fans displayed banners showing their displeasure at recent matches after they were charged £62 for their away Premier League match at Arsenal, as well as £51-£53 for their trip to Manchester City.
A banner on display at the Etihad Stadium said: “Working Class Game- Business Class Prices” while another stated “£nough is £nough” in red and blue which was shared between both Liverpool and Man City fans.
Spirit of Shankly Spokesman James McKenna told JMU Journalism: “It’s very important; it’s a massive issue for supporters of all clubs particularly those of us in the Premier League. We felt that something needed to be done and as we’ve spoken to more people we realise how important an issue it is.
“A lot of supporters are now recognising that something needs to be done and that if we all do work together than we can actually achieve something in lowering prices for fans who travel up and down the country supporting their side.”
With domestic and global TV rights deals on course to top £5bn, Michael Brunskill from the FSF believes that in order for Premier League clubs to get the revenue they can take a small hit on ticket prices and still not make any huge financial loss.
Speaking to JMU Journalism, he said: “Obviously there’s a very strong feeling among football fans that generally ticket prices are too high. We are trying to do a campaign that would make a change and the ‘twenty is plenty’ is a mark on that.
“You can’t take the away fans for granted and we want clubs to set a maximum cap on ticket prices which is £20. It sounds ambitious but you’ve got to aim high and I think there is an appetite from some clubs and the PL that without the atmosphere generated at games they would get nowhere near the TV revenue which they currently receive.”
The SOS has been keen to highlight the issue to Liverpool supporters outside matches with leaflets showing the alarming rise in ticket prices since the late 1980s.
Mr McKenna said: “We have put a leaflet out that has shown the price rises between 1989 and current day. The Bank of England rate of inflation is 77% but football ticket prices have gone up 716%. It is absolutely staggering when you look at it.
“Football exists in its own bubble and we have seen in recent years that as more money comes into the game, it goes nowhere else but into the wages of players.”