Supporters Online Petition - Time To End Ticket Price Scandal

[Guest Geordiesned]

http://www.fsf.org.uk/media/pdfs/press-releases/press%20release%20-%20Petition%20-%2016-02-07.pdf

 

PRESS RELEASE

The Football Supporters’ Federation

For Immediate Release – 16 February 2007

 

FOOTBALL FANS LAUNCH PETITION AGAINST “RIPOFF TICKET PRICES”

 

Football fans throughout England & Wales have launched an online petition against ripoff ticket prices in the game.

 

Commenting on the petition launch FSF Chair Malcolm Clarke, a Stoke City supporter, said, “Supporters in this country are sick to the back teeth of being ripped off. My own club has just had a game at St Andrews against Birmingham City moved from Saturday at 3.00pm to Sunday at 11.30am with eight days’ notice. Despite this surreal kickoff time for a professional football match we were still expected to pay £30 a ticket in the Stoke end for the privilege. It’s absolutely shameless. I’ve made an official complaint about this to both clubs and the League.

 

“It’s simply not good enough. Now we have Peter Kenyon at Chelsea reported as saying that the club has no intention of lowering ticket prices as his players will be demanding big pay rises. Sorry Peter. Get real. Here on planet Earth most people view professional footballers in the Premier League as being paid enough already. I think most people would be able to get by on the average salary of a Chelsea first team squad player. Anyway Chelsea and every other club in the Premier League are going to receive extra millions in broadcasting income next season. It’s time this was shared out with the fans. The new money coming into the Premier League from next season is worth around £30 per admission over three seasons. The Premier League clubs could afford to let most fans in for nothing and still be as well off as they are today.”

 

The online petition calls for:

 

> A League wide away fans’ ticket price of no more than £15

 

> A League mandated freeze on all matchday and season ticket prices

 

> The use of television facilities fees for broadcast games to lower ticket prices to compensate for fixture moves and inconvenient kickoff times

 

Clarke commented, “Although the proposed changes are targeted at the Premier League initially, the petition is for all supporters, whether they support a club in the Conference or lower, the Football League or the Premier League. Ticket prices in this country are far too high at almost all clubs at all levels.”

 

The petition can be found on the FSF website at:

 

http://www.fsf.org.uk/petitions/awaytickets/

 

ENDS

 

> The FSF represents over 140,000 individual and affiliated members supporting clubs and national teams at all levels throughout England & Wales.

 

> The FSF is a voluntary organisation which campaigns on behalf of football fans at all levels of the game.

 

> The organisation was formed in 2002 when the two major fans’ organisations – the Football Supporters’ Association and the National Federation of Football Supporters’ Clubs combined.

 

Whilst most online petitions are pointless in my opinion, this one could actually yield results. Already, Bolton Wanderers have announced that they will reduce season ticket prices by 10% for next season (link). Whilst this may not be directly linked to the FSF campaign it certainly aids it and as far as I'm concerned every paying football supporter should sign this petition. It's the only way the FA and the clubs will listen. Lowly attendances at St James' this season for Cup matches have shown that that doesn't seem to bother the clubs' board as ticket prices remain unchanged for our upcoming match against the previously unheard of Zulte Waregam so something else has to be done.

 

This petition has the potential to gather thousands of signatures which will hopefully make the powers that be take notice. It's already had coverage on Sky Sports News and hopefully other news agencies will pick up on it.

 

Please note that by filling in the comments section on the petition, your thoughts are automatically forwarded to the Premier League and the 20 Premier League Clubs so there's no way they can say that didn't know anything about it.

 

So sign it now!

 

Click here to sign the petition

[Rich]

On ITV teletext now, as well... might as well sign up.

[plenum]

On ITV teletext now, as well... might as well sign up.

 

Where do I sign?  ohh.....there is a link above.

 

"The rich get richer and the poor get slaughtered"

[Guest Geordiesned]

Here's a few links to news reports about the campaign;

 

ITN: Fans Protest Against Footie Ticket Prices

 

Sporting Life: Fans Launch Pricing Petition

 

TeamTalk: Fans Unite In Stand Against Prices

 

ESPN: Fans launch petition against 'rip-off' ticket prices

[Guest ChickenKiev]

I don't get this. Why should a company drop their prices if people still go and pay them? It's a business and they are there to make money. The only way for that to change is to stop purchasing from them. Simple as! What the government has got to do with it is beyond me. Would people like it if they had a business and people said, "your prices are too high, I'm going to complain to the government"? You'd probably think, do the hell you like it's not going to change my prices if I'm selling lots. So really it's a pointless petition, which will be forgotten about very shortly.

[Guest nameless]

I don't get this. Why should a company drop their prices if people still go and pay them? It's a business and they are there to make money. The only way for that to change is to stop purchasing from them. Simple as! What the government has got to do with it is beyond me. Would people like it if they had a business and people said, "your prices are too high, I'm going to complain to the government"? You'd probably think, do the hell you like it's not going to change my prices if I'm selling lots. So really it's a pointless petition, which will be forgotten about very shortly.

 

If somewhere is selling a TV for a price that I think is too high, I'll go elswhere and buy a cheaper TV.  You can't do that with football. While football is a business, it isn't the same as other types of business, the clubs know the fans are loyal and will pay over the odds because there's no alternative.

 

[BlueStar]

Online petitions aren't worth the paper they aren't printed on sadly.

 

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/internet.htm

[Guest Geordiesned]

I don't get this. Why should a company drop their prices if people still go and pay them? It's a business and they are there to make money. The only way for that to change is to stop purchasing from them. Simple as! What the government has got to do with it is beyond me. Would people like it if they had a business and people said, "your prices are too high, I'm going to complain to the government"? You'd probably think, do the hell you like it's not going to change my prices if I'm selling lots. So really it's a pointless petition, which will be forgotten about very shortly.

 

This campaign has already attracted a lot of media interest even though it's just a few days old and it's an issue generally that has been in the spotlight for a few months now. I don't believe that this is a pointless petition at all and I don't believe that it will be quickly forgotten. The simple fact is that if ticket prices remain so high at many grounds and indeed continue to rise then more and more people will be unable to afford to support their team. I'm pretty sure that people in that situation won't simply so "oh well, time to find another interest". Football is more important than just a hobby and as the country's national sport I believe that the Government have a responsibility to protect it and make it accessible to all.

[Tom_NUFC]

I think that some are more credible than others.

 

You have people just setting up online petitions about really silly things. There was a one a while ago when someone came on here asking people to sign his petition to get Shepherd to improve the atmosphere at St James' - that's down to us, not FFS.

 

I think some of the more well-organised petitions for proper issues can, at least allow people's feelings to be known.

[Chrissy Bee]

Prices are going down at Blackburn and Bolton because they're smallish clubs in smallish towns, close to larger, more successful clubs and they genuinely can't get the crowds in. The same is not the case for us, and until attendances drop in league games (not just by 4,000 against teams like Watford), prices will only increase.

[Rich]

I can't see season ticket prices going up again this term after the bother the club had shifting them this season. If they do then I would expect some top-class signings in the summer to draw more punters in, because otherwise we'll be looking at another decrease in the uptake.

[Decky]

Do all of the clubs email you back? so far the Premier League, West Ham and Man Utd have thanked me for my comment

[Guest Knightrider]

Bumped here: http://www.newcastle-online.com/football-ticket-prices-petition/

[plenum]

Do all of the clubs email you back? so far the Premier League, West Ham and Man Utd have thanked me for my comment

 

Yeah, but only the hammers seem to like me.........so far

[Guest elbee909]

Link to the petition doesn't work for me 

[Guest Knightrider]

Fixed

[Guest Geordiesned]

This petition now has the backing of www.nufc.com. They have it as their main story.

 

As they pont out: "It's vitally important to follow the two-step process as described and validating your entry by clicking the link you are emailed."

 

[Skirge]

I signed 

Thing is Fred would love to see a full house at SJP and while a lot of missing fans are not there because of our dip in form, alot are not there purley because they cannot afford it.

We could fill an 80,000 seated stadium if ticket prices were not so high.

 

SSN...

Bolton 10% season ticket price cutt next season. (good to hear)

Chelski have frozen corperate ticket prices. (missed the point totaly)

BleackBurn wll cutt prices on tickets for their EUFA game.(whoppy doo)

 

[Guest BooBoo]

Personally i would be happy with a season ticket freeze and 25% off all cup games.

[Guest Geordiesned]

Testing Loyalty

 

All power to the Football Supporters' Federation's new campaign against sky-high ticket prices for Premiership away fans.

 

Maybe they can have a word with Newcastle about home ticket prices next.

 

That nigh on 30,000 United supporters paid £20 each to attend a non-event involving a pub side (and SV Zulte Waregem) the other night was a tribute to their loyalty - NOT a vindication of the Magpies' pricing policy.

 

It may be that Newcastle are not free to set admission prices for UEFA Cup ties.

 

But this latest proof of a brand of loyalty peculiar to our corner of the country depressed me all the same.

 

For I have absolutely no faith it will convince United of the potential of slashing future admission prices they DO control.

 

If Middlesbrough can double their expected gate at cup games by halving the cost of a ticket, Newcastle would be pretty much guaranteed a full house by doing the same.

 

But if nobody at St James's Park can appreciate that the benefits of a capacity crowd are more than monetary, that's their look out.

 

For even Geordie loyalty has its limit.