Football ticket prices have caught the attention of Parliamentarians with Ian Lavery MP tabling an Early Day Motion (EDM) criticising clubs for exploiting supporter loyalty, increasing costs and attacking concessions. 

Nineteen out of 20 top-flight clubs raised ticket prices this summer leading to a wave of unrest among supporters’ organisations across the league.

There’s a general sense among FSA-member groups in the Premier League that clubs don’t value supporter loyalty – unless it comes with high prices and an expensive visit to the club shop.

That frustration is echoed in Lavery’s motion which says clubs are exploiting the loyalty of supporters and “penalising loyal senior fans and pricing out young fans who are the future of the game”.

The motion is in-line with discussions at the FSA’s AGM and has our full support. We’d encourage individual fans and supporter groups to contact their MP and ask them to sign EDM 150: Football ticket prices.

EDMs are used by MPs to draw attention to specific issues or campaigns which matter to them – and their fellow MPs can sign the EDM to show their support for the issue too.

Ian Lavery MP was vice chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Football Supporters and has been elected chair to the prospective new group which the FSA is establishing in this Parliament.

In recent weeks we’ve shown how matchday income plays a fairly small role in Profit and Sustainability Rules while highlighting the shocking increase above inflation in prices since the early 1990s.

Ticket prices in the top-flight seem to have jumped by around 7% across-the-board although it’s difficult to pinpoint a specific figure, as there have been a wide range of increases while many clubs have reduced the deals offered to younger fans and OAPs.

FSA-supporter groups have been vocal in their condemnation of rises and argue that ticket pricing should be a key part of supporter engagement discussions so that fans have genuine input into ticketing policy.

That this House notes that despite the cost of living crisis and football clubs earning ever more income from broadcast and commercial income, 19 out of 20 Premier League clubs increased ticket prices this season; further notes that many clubs are abolishing or reducing concessionary tickets, both penalising loyal senior fans and pricing out young fans who are the future of the game; expresses concern that clubs are exploiting the loyalty of fans who cannot switch their brand allegiance as customers can in other sectors; notes that top-flight clubs increasingly seem intent on replacing long-time season ticket holders with increased numbers of hospitality clients and one-off visitors who are more willing to accept high prices; backs the call for the new independent football regulator to have involvement in ticketing pricing by reporting on pricing in a State Of The Game report; encourages football clubs to ensure supporters have genuine input in their club’s ticketing policy through structured engagement and shadow boards; urges clubs to establish a minimum number of season ticket and general admission tickets at all grounds while undertaking a review of concessionary rates across the game; opposes any attempt to play competitive domestic league or cup games abroad; and would resist any attempt to introduce so-called dynamic ticket pricing in a football context.