Price of Football 2017: What do results mean for fans, clubs & the sport?http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41815725
The article states TV and sponsorship is driving the game and matchday attendance is "insignificant" (at least at premiership level). therefore it seems contradictory that if that is the case then season ticket matchday prices need to be so high. The important 'missing' element in the report is the fact that what goes on on the pitch is actually only a small part of the 'matchday experience' If Barcelona or Real Madrid were playing each other in front of two men and a dog it would not be a spectacle. It is a full stadium with passionate fans that creates the atmosphere and I very much doubt that people would turn on their TVs to watch a match totally devoid of an atmosphere regardless of how skilful the football is. Unless I missed it, the whole article revolved around the top tier ticket prices and more or less ignored the fact that the Leagues below the Premiership have no equivalent cap on prices. £50+ for the most expensive matchday ticket to watch Sheffield Wednesday and over £800 for a top priced ST for Norwich?? They are having a larf!! Never mind the 18-21 category they need to cap prices for all fans otherwise even if they do get to engage that group they will just stop coming if prices suddenly double when they hit 22. Crazy!!
This is a big part of the problem... The bottom line, certainly in the Premier League, is that stadiums are still full but I was present at a Champions League game between Arsenal and Bayern Munich in March when the visiting fans staged a well-organised protest at ticket prices they were paying to watch the match. It seems that fans in general feel the best way to protest at ticket prices is to pay the ticket prices and then hold up some banners inside the ground. It is a well used tactic amongst fans and does absolutely nothing to help achieve what they want in my opinion. Until fans start to hit clubs in the pocket then clubs will just continue to ignore them. Of course any action along these lines would require solidarity and the chances of that happening are zero. Clubs can act with impunity and they know it.
