Europa League: Price is not right for LIVERPOOL FC

Wednesday, 20 January 2010

Europa League: Price is not right for LIVERPOOL FC

Football - Shakhtar Donetsk v Werder Bremen UEFA Cup Final

RECENT POST: It's not just Rafa Benitez that could cost Liverpool FC a Champions League place

NO Liverpool fan can be happy at the prospect of playing in the Europa League.

Accepting of it, maybe. But happy? Given the circumstances of why Liverpool are playing there - Champions League failure - it's doubtful in the extreme.

So you'd think the least the club could do is give the fans a fair deal when it comes to ticket prices, wouldn't you? Well you would think wrong.

Tickets for the game against Unirea on February 18 are £32.

Two days earlier, Everton take on Sporting Lisbon at Goodison. Tickets are available to season ticket holders for £21. Same city, same competition, £11 cheaper.

Putting predictable jokes about stadiums and quality of football aside, this is a serious point. Have the club totally lost touch with their support? Do they think fans will blindly pay whatever price they dream up for Europe's second-rate competition?

Factor in that the game is likely to be televised, and it's a recipe for a poor gate. No support, no atmosphere. No atmosphere, players less motivated?

One argument offered is demand. Is the decision down to simple economics? Unlikely. Everton attracted a crowd of around the 30,000 mark for their game with Benfica in the Europa League and a similar gate for their FA Cup game with Carlisle.

Liverpool pulled in just 31,000 for the FA Cup replay with Reading.

On that evidence it would seem the less valued the competition is, the less fans there are through the turnstiles.

It seems the club is shooting itself in the foot for a cheap buck when in the long term, cheaper prices, and therefore bigger gates, could help push Liverpool into the later stages of the competition.

The Daily Post & Echo have been informed of the discrepancy - hopefully they will take the club to task on it.

Comments (21)

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browny · 793 weeks ago

And next you will want us to add to the squad and have money. However you want a cheap seat to encourage you to attend. Why not watch it for free on the telly and let the rest of us support the club at the usual price?
I went to Reading too and we only paid £24 a ticket but that didnt sell out as you say. If the tickets had been normal price then I would imagine the same 31000 would have gone and the difference would be about £250k lost by the club. (the club that we want to support and do well)
Champ league tickets cost £36-£38 a ticket, so £32 IS reduced. Write to the club and maybe you will get free tickets for life, as you are obviously so dedicated....

2 replies · active 793 weeks ago

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robbohuyton 61p · 793 weeks ago

Nice one, you've completely missed the point. It's not about banging your chest and saying you're a great fan because you'll pay whatever price is set, it's about the pricing being fair. There's plenty of Liverpudlians already priced out of going the game, it's becoming a place for the middle classes. Equally kids, how are they supposed to afford to go?
And as I say, Everton are in the same competition, yet charging £11 less. Nice one anyway for thoroughly reading the article and taking in the points...

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Pavs · 793 weeks ago

I sort of agree with both of you. Yes we love the club and encourage more turnover, but this attitude is also the reason why the club needs at least 20-30 million to buy a decent player and why top players are earning more in one month than the majority of us will earn in a life time. Clubs KNOW the fans will not stop going if they push the ticket prices up and as Browny said, many will happy to pay it so we can help fund transfers, but that's the attitude which is going to kill football because every fan of every team thinks the same way. Before we know it ticket prices will exceed £100, buying a decent player will cost 100mill and top players will earn 20-30 mill a year. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.

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Richard Buxton · 793 weeks ago

The Daily Post & Echo won't do anything IMO. They have too many vested interests with LFC (matchday programme, official magazine, etc) to want to fight the moral crusade.

No harm in trying though.

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Neil · 793 weeks ago

This is a disgrace. For some people, cheaper ticket prices for the Uefa etc offer a great chance to take their kids to the game. I used to laugh at Everton for their ticket promotions and advertising on local radio but at least they're attempting to appeal to supporters on a grassroots level. LFC are dreaming if they think fans will be happy to pay prices like this.

2 replies · active 793 weeks ago

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robbohuyton 61p · 793 weeks ago

Spot on, exactly my point. Why have 30,000 paying £32 when you could have 40-odd thousand paying £20 (or less)?

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Another Neil · 793 weeks ago

30000 @ £32 = £960k
45000 @ £20 = £900k

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Jordan · 793 weeks ago

31,000 for an FA cup replay is pretty good going I think. Considering the weather was God-awful too.

I'm not having a pop mate, but what is the point you're trying to make from this article?

1 reply · active 793 weeks ago

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robbohuyton 61p · 793 weeks ago

We're being ripped off for a second-rate competition, the club don't care about fans. The price is prohibitive for many for a crap game...

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Michael · 793 weeks ago

I believe it is demand. Liverpool's fanbase is much larger than Everton's.

Everton fans can buy these half-season tickets, we're stuck on this massive waiting list for ours. It takes years and years. A friend of mine has been on that list for 14 years!

1 reply · active 793 weeks ago

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robbohuyton 61p · 793 weeks ago

Been on it 15 years myself. I suppose the proof will be in the pudding come the day of the game.

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Liencam · 793 weeks ago

You've got to remember that season ticket holders are given the option of opting in to buying tickets for all home cup games during a season. Regardless of the price they'll sell around 30,000(?) tickets at £32 a pop without even opening the ticket office.

I'm not saying I agree with the pricing, but the announcement was made after we were knocked out of the FA Cup, which cost us another home game with a full stadium. When you factor in the lost Champions league revenue, I can see why the club have done this.

Pragmatism over fariness, I guess.

1 reply · active 793 weeks ago

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robbohuyton 61p · 793 weeks ago

Take your point, mate. I understand why they've done it, I just don't like it!

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Adam · 793 weeks ago

This is a fairly typical issue for Liverpool. You look at the club in the city, it's history and local support ... it's hard to deny that Liverpool FC is first and foremost a club for the city. But also look at the modern game. Look at how much it costs to compete with the big clubs. Don't we want Liverpool to be considered one of the top 5-10 clubs in world football? That means high profile players, massive salaries, massive transfer fees and, naturally, bigger incomes. Part of that income comes from TV but part of it has to come from ticket sales.
I can't help but compare this to how non-local liverpool fans are sometimes ridiculed by the lads who live within spitting distance of Anfield. There are plenty of instances of non-local fans being singled out and mocked for being out of towners. Hell, even living in Manchester or Leeds would earn you a scornful look. What these fans forget is that this is a truly international club. It's massive, with a worldwide fan base and a worldwide group of players. You simply can't be the Liverpool of today without those out of towners, those kids in Japan or Australia who buy the shirts and watch the games at 2am on cable TV. Take those things away and Liverpool and what you're left with is a smaller local club who can't compete for top honours. In fact, it's Everton.
That's why the game at Goodison in cheaper. They don't have the same wage bill, the same high profile, the same TV audience and especially the same success. You can't deny it: success in the modern game demands money, lots of it. Perhaps that takes Liverpool away from it's roots in the city but I'm not sure there is much we can do about that. The club will always draw the crowds and it doesn't need to drop ticket prices. 32 quid had been pretty standard for the club for a long time now, it's what we all pay for regular season games. Let's just wait and see if Liverpool don't get the numbers to this game because if they do then I don't see anything to complain about.

1 reply · active 793 weeks ago

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robbohuyton 61p · 793 weeks ago

I still think there's a balance to struck between the all conquering money-making machine and the community the club is in. Yes, it is a standard price, as you say, but it's a sub-standard competition. Dropping prices could put the game in range of supporters normally priced out of attending.

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Julian_Lee76 · 793 weeks ago

As this is the only trophy we are left competing in, the club should look beyond revenue. In monetary terms:

30000 @ £32 = £960000 but only 2/3rds full reduced atmosphere as you say
40000 @ £22 = £880000 but near sell out and hopefully European Night type atmosphere, which can hopefully pull us through to the next round with more prize and TV money making up the 'loss' of £80000 in gate receipts.

There are other big name team in the competition and were we to draw one of them should we progress, the club can go back to charging a higher price.

1 reply · active 793 weeks ago

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robbohuyton 61p · 793 weeks ago

Good point, and perhaps one I failed to mention - the opposition are hardly mouthwatering...

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mcdonaldtaf · 793 weeks ago

Hi mate. I agree that ticket prices should be lowered to ensure a full house (where possible). A full house generating the atmosphere which could propel the club through the competition. Do you think the club are relying on the fact that fan selection of tickets for the 'good' games will mean that fans turn out for this one, and pay the high price, to improve their chances of getting to a good game further in the competition?

If that is so it makes sense to charge say £25 and pointing out that future game attendance will be dependant on having the stubs for this game. For the £25 at 41,000 attendance they would generate £1,025,000. An extra £65k for the coffers and, as you say, a much improved atmosphere!

In theory you could lower tickets to £23 to have same revenues, or even further, given that in stadium sales (pies, ale etc.) would increase!

1 reply · active 793 weeks ago

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robbohuyton 61p · 793 weeks ago

I knew that business brain of yours would come in handy eventually...

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rocky · 793 weeks ago

i think

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Fagan · 793 weeks ago

The prices for this sort of game is stupid, 1st it will never sell out 2nd it prices familys out of the game. Look at the Reading game, it was never going to sell out and a lot of kids got priceded out. If they did the same as Reading at £15 and like what Arsenal did in the league cup(£10) you would get a sell out and also have good sales for food, drinks, programmes and shop.
If the club does'nt start lowering the prices for some games then it will lose another generation of fans.
£20 - £25 for this sort of game against an unheard of team is fair but £32 na sod that.

Wednesday, 20 January 2010