By Mark Baber
February 10 – In the wake of Saturday’s 77th minute walkout by more than 10,000 fans at Liverpool’s game against Sunderland, the Football Supporters’ Federation will discuss a widespread walkout with supporters of Premier League teams.
Kevin Miles, the FSF chief executive, said: “The FSF will be convening a meeting of representatives of supporters’ organisations across the Premier League to discuss the next steps in the campaign. There are a number of options. The Liverpool walkout very successfully highlighted the whole issue of the affordability of football and the clubs need to be made to listen.”
Increased militancy by fans follows the failure of Premier League clubs to back a measure to cap away ticket prices at last Thursday’s meeting of the clubs, where the two-thirds majority required could not be mustered and which prompted an FSF statement that: “Football supporters are right to be angry about the Premier League clubs’ apparent reluctance to tackle the problem of ticket prices. Top-flight clubs have known since last year that they will be receiving a huge increase in their TV revenues. In the light of that windfall, Premier League clubs cannot justify maintaining high ticket prices, particularly for away fans.
“Despite clubs failing to agree a way forward yesterday, this issue will not go away and fans will continue to fight for fair ticket prices.
“We understand that the Premier League will be working with clubs over the coming weeks to find a way forward. That must result in meaningful action on away prices at the next shareholders’ meeting at the end of March. If clubs have the will to do this there must be a way.”
The argument that ticket price increases are unjustified, given the huge increases in TV revenue clubs will be enjoying, taps in to the widespread feeling that clubs are social institutions which are embedded in and owe a loyalty to their local communities, rather than simply vehicles for sports investors to maximise profits, and that matter may come to a head unless the clubs make concessions soon.
Football Supporters’ Federation chairman Malcolm Clarke argues clubs risk alienating traditional supporters and that stadiums will be filled with “tourists” waving “half and half scarves and taking selfies” if ticket prices rise further.
The campaign “against greed” in football and the Liverpool supporters’ walkout have attracted support from across the board including former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher who said “£77 is too much to watch a game anywhere but that price is particularly over the top in Liverpool.”
It remains to be seen if supporters will be able to keep up the momentum, to the point where clubs are persuaded the point has been reached where further ticket price rises will prove counter-productive.
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