Working-class game, business-class prices! Liverpool fans' anger at £62 Arsenal tickets

Posted Thursday, January 31, 2013 by The Sun

Liverpool fans made their feelings clear over the cost of watching their side play Arsenal at the Emirates tonight by protesting at the £62 ticket price.

Their anger comes weeks after Premier League champions Manchester City sent back 900 of their allocation before their 2-0 victory over the north London side.

Arsenal announced today they will freeze season-ticket prices for 2013-2014.

Working-class game, business-class prices! Liverpool fans' anger at £62 Arsenal tickets
Angry: Liverpool fans with banners protesting against the ticket price of away seats at the Emirates

The protests were led by fans' group the Spirit Of Shankly, who claimed supporters are being exploited.

Jay McKenna of SOS said last week: 'We will leaflet fans at the Emirates to inform them of how they are being ripped off and how we propose to change things.

'It's not just Arsenal - Premier League clubs in general are exploiting away fans.

'Away fans are the most loyal fans because they travel all over the country to watch their team, yet they're being asked to pay these high prices 19 times a year.

'I've had conversations with quite a few supporters and they have decided out of principle not to go to Arsenal because they're not prepared to pay £62.

Working-class game, business-class prices! Liverpool fans' anger at £62 Arsenal tickets

'The likes of (Premier League chief executive) Richard Scudamore will say that prices are down to supply and demand and that if someone isn't prepared to pay those prices, someone else will take their place, but we don't think that's right.'

SoS are campaigning for away tickets to be capped at £25, and want the Football Supporters Federation and fans' groups of rival teams to join their fight.

'Our union took a vote before Christmas and we agreed that tickets should be capped at £25,' said McKenna. 'The cheapest currently is between £30 and £40 and a reduction to £25 would be welcomed by most supporters.

'We want to sit down in a room with the FSF and other supporters' groups from other clubs, such as Manchester United, put aside our differences and take action together.

'If we could do that, it would send out a powerful message.'