Ticket prices mean stadiums will be full of 'foreign tourists,' says FSF chief
Football Supporters' Federation chairman Malcolm Clarke has lent weight to Liverpool fans' protests at rising ticket prices in the Premier League, saying it will be detrimental to the famed atmosphere in English stadiums.
Some Reds' support left Saturday's meeting with Sunderland early in protest at match tickets that will soon reach £77 in the Main Stand and some season tickets that will top £1,000. It is an issue that spreads far beyond Merseyside though, with Arsenal and Chelsea among others known for their particularly costly seats.
Related - PHOTOS: Liverpool supporters walk out in 77th minute to protest ticket prices
Speaking to the BBC, Clarke said that teams would "lose the atmosphere and link to the local community" if ticket prices continue to rise, with match-going supporters becoming predominantly made up of "foreign tourists with half-and-half scarves taking selfies of being in an English ground."
The greater expense of a Premier League ticket is made more controversial by the fact that a new £5.1-billion television rights deal is set to be shared evenly between the division's clubs. The money coming into English football is the biggest it has been in its history, but there are still plenty of boardrooms looking to profit further from their fans.
Here are some statistics from the BBC Price of Football survey of 2015:
| Club | Cheapest season ticket | Priciest season ticket | Cheapest matchday ticket | Priciest matchday ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | £1014.00 | £2013.00 | £27.00 | £97.00 |
| Aston Villa | £335.00 | £615.00 | £23.00 | £45.00 |
| Bournemouth | £550.00 | £760.00 | £32.00 | £32.00 |
| Chelsea | £750.00 | £1250.00 | £52.00 | £87.00 |
| Crystal Palace | £420.00 | £680.00 | £23.00 | £45.00 |
| Everton | £444.00 | £719.00 | £35.00 | £49.00 |
| Leicester City | £365.00 | £730.00 | £22.00 | £50.00 |
| Liverpool | £710.00 | £869.00 | £37.00 | £59.00 |
| Manchester City | £299.00 | £900.00 | £42.00 | £58.00 |
| Manchester United | £532.00 | £950.00 | £31.00 | £58.00 |
| Newcastle United | £475.00 | £710.00 | £27.00 | £45.00 |
| Norwich City | £499.50 | £646.00 | £30.00 | £50.00 |
| Southampton | £541.00 | £853.00 | £34.00 | £54.00 |
| Stoke City | £294.00 | £609.00 | £25.00 | £50.00 |
| Sunderland | £370.00 | £525.00 | £25.00 | £40.00 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | £765.00 | £1895.00 | £32.00 | £81.00 |
| Watford | £385.00 | £650.00 | £36.00 | £42.00 |
| West Bromwich Albion | £399.00 | £509.00 | £25.00 | £39.00 |
| West Ham United | £617.50 | £955.00 | £25.00 | £95.00 |
Swansea City refused to take part in the survey.