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Spectator
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Football's beer ban makes no sense
Should football fans be allowed to have a pint in the stands during a game? Luke Charters, the Labour MP for York Outer, certainly thinks so, and is calling for trials to see what impact lifting the ban on booze in the stands might have. 'The days of hooliganism are gone', he said. 'Fans of other sports can drink in the stands but football fans cannot.' The Labour backbencher raised the issue in the House of Commons during a debate on the Football Governance Bill, proposing designated drinking zones in view of the pitch as a potential way forward. He says it is all about allowing fans who want to drink the 'chance to do so responsibly' and that it is an opportunity to give back to fans who support their teams loyally. The Football Supporters' Association has given its backing to allocated drinking zone trials, pointing out: 'In the past, this is actually something many clubs have called for too.' Charters is no revolutionary – just someone who wants to prompt a wider debate.
Scottish Sun
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Let football fans drink alcohol in the stands again, demands Labour MP
The Football Supporters' Association has given its backing to the call 3 PINTS FOR A WIN Let football fans drink alcohol in the stands again, demands Labour MP Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FOOTBALL fans should be allowed to enjoy a pint in the stands while cheering on their team, an MP says. Labour's Luke Charters wants designated drinking zones set aside in stadiums to allow supporters to have alcoholic drinks. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Labour's Luke Charters wants designated drinking zones set aside in stadiums Credit: Supplied And the Football Supporters' Association has given its backing to the call by the MP for York Outer. Booze is currently prohibited from being consumed in sight of the pitch in the Premier League, English Football League and National League. But it is permitted further down the football league pyramid — and in other countries, such as Germany. Mr Charters said: 'I think it's time to reconsider the alcohol ban in view of the pitch, and at least try to run some trials of designated drinking zones. 'You can sit with a beer and watch the Bundesliga — so why can't you have a pint while watching the Prem? 'As a dad, I think it's right that some parts of the ground should probably stay booze-free. 'But let's have a common-sense conversation about what we can do to make the matchday experience better — and back our great local breweries in the process.' The FSA backed Mr Charters' call for drinking zone trials and said: 'In the past, this is actually something many clubs have called for too.' Alcohol can be sold on the concourse at games before and during matches but cannot be taken in to the stands. The ban has been in place in the men's game since 1985. Shock moment 'drunk' football fans bellow crass chants at Ryanair hostess mid-flight and tell her to 'get her t**s out' But trials allowing the consumption of alcohol in view of the pitch have taken place in the women's game, which is not covered by the ban. Southampton, Birmingham City, Bristol City and Newcastle United took part this season. Mr Charters also tore into ticket prices and wants the £30 cap for away fans in the Premier League extended to the EFL and National League. He said: 'Whether it's clubs canning concessions or FA Cup Final ticket prices flying up, this fleecing of fans is blighting our beautiful game.'
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
MP calls for independent football regulator to play role in setting ticket prices
An MP has called for the independent football regulator to play a role in setting ticket prices for games to avoid working-class fans from being priced out. Ian Byrne, the Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, has submitted two amendments to the Football Governance bill, which is looking to introduce an independent regulator to oversee the top five tiers of English football. The new role is intended to ensure clubs are run in a financially sustainable way and to allow fans greater influence in the game. One of those amendments, if passed, would create a role for the regulator in decisions over ticket pricing for games, while the other would give the regulator powers to regularly review prices for concessionary tickets 'to ensure that loyal younger and older fans are not priced out'. Byrne, himself a Liverpool fan, said: 'We need to tackle the issue of the pricing out of working class supporters. 'Of those announced, the majority of prices for 2025-26 have been frozen at Premier League clubs, but that has only happened following a concerted and co-ordinated effort by fan groups, led by the Football Supporters' Association. 'Despite the news that prices are frozen, the reality is that those prices are already too high, especially for younger fans. Thousands of young working-class supporters were priced out of Anfield [as Liverpool won the title on Sunday], as some tickets were going for over £1,000. 'It remains of great concern that we are seeing a gradual reduction in season ticket and general admission numbers in favour of a growing number of hospitality and one-off admissions, at prohibitive costs for the regular fan.' Byrne was speaking at a House of Commons debate during the bill's second reading. The second reading was approved by a majority of 272 on Monday evening and it will be further scruitinised at a late stage. It has already cleared the House of Lords, making its eventual passage as a law more likely. Several clubs, including Manchester United, have looked to cut down on season tickets to make room for expensive hospitality seating packages. Some seats next to the home and away dugouts at Old Trafford are set to be converted into hospitality seats for next season, causing outcry among long-serving fans. Liverpool have frozen prices for the past eight out of 10 years, with the most expensive Kop ticket £45, although prices can be considerably higher on resale sites. Touts advertised tickets for Liverpool's title-winning match against Tottenham at Anfield this weekend for up to £3,000, according to The Athletic. 'We cannot allow the greed of some owners with no idea of how important [the] working class game is to the very communities that it should always serve,' Byrne added. The government's , a media executive, business leader and corporate advisor.
New York Times
06-03-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Arsenal fans are being asked to pay more – but will that money be poured back into the team?
The news that Arsenal have decided to raise ticket prices for 2025-26 was buried by the avalanche of goals they scored in Eindhoven. In the build-up to Tuesday's game, it emerged the club are set to increase men's-team ticket prices by between three and five per cent for next season. Arsenal's official confirmation followed the next day — if there's ever a good time to break bad news, the day after a 7-1 victory in the first leg of a Champions League knockout-phase tie might well be it. Advertisement The headline is that Arsenal have decided to raise prices at a time when some other Premier League clubs have agreed to a freeze. The Football Supporters' Association (FSA) has led a nationwide campaign calling on teams to 'Stop Exploiting Loyalty' and several of them, including Liverpool, Brentford, Wolves and West Ham, have confirmed they will not be raising prices for 2025-26. There will undoubtedly be some frustration among supporters that Arsenal have not followed suit. The cost of a general admission 23-match season ticket in the Emirates Stadium's upper tier will increase by three per cent, and by five per cent in its lower tier. Fans in the upper tier will pay an average of £44 ($56.60) more next season; in the lower tier, it will average out to an additional £56. Arsenal's most expensive general admission season ticket, for 23 home games in the centre of the upper tier, will cost £2,112.50 in 2025-26. A seat behind the goals or in a corner of the lower tier will cost £1,126.50. The club's 2023-24 financial results, released in February, showed revenues increasing from £466.7million to a record £616.6m. Matchday income rose by 28 per cent to £131.7m for last season, taking them above neighbours Tottenham to be second only to Manchester United in the Premier League. This price hike could see income rise again by several million pounds. At a time when the club speak proudly of diverse revenue streams and improving commercial performance, supporters may understandably ask why they are being squeezed. Explanations about the costs of running an elite football club would doubtless fall on more sympathetic ears if they did not follow so soon after a winter transfer window which left many Arsenal fans aggrieved at the club's decision not to buy. The club did engage in considerable dialogue with fans before declaring the price hike. Advertisement Three meetings were held with the Arsenal Advisory Board (AAB) — a group comprised of elected supporter representatives. Managing director Richard Garlick was present at all of those meetings, while executive vice-chair Tim Lewis attended one and co-chairman Josh Kroenke, whose father Stan owns the club, contributed to another. While there was naturally disappointment at the decision to raise the cost of admission, Arsenal did at least engage in meaningful dialogue and show a willingness to adapt plans to address fans' concerns. A poll by the Arsenal Supporters' Trust from May 2024 showed 80 per cent of their members backed the introduction of a 19-game season ticket — that is, one which is for home Premier League matches only. Arsenal have now agreed to meet this long-standing request. This will mean reducing the upfront cost of a season ticket by approximately 20 per cent. A statement from the supporters' trust said they 'recognise the goodwill the club have shown in following up on their commitment last year to carefully review the case for this change'. This tweak will have the added benefit of making more cup-tie tickets available to the club's silver and red members — two different tiers of paid membership schemes which give access to ticket ballots and other perks. Nineteen-game season-ticket holders will be entitled to purchase their seat for domestic cup ties too, but for any European matches these seats will go into the silver member ballot. Arsenal will monitor and review this policy over the course of next season. Alternatively, fans can purchase a 23-game season ticket, which includes four European games as standard, assuming Arsenal qualify for one of the three UEFA competitions. Season-ticket holders of any kind must use or sell their ticket for at least 85 per cent of games, or risk losing their seat for the following season. Arsenal also continue to battle touts. So far this season, they say they have identified and cancelled more than 26,156 accounts attempting to obtain tickets in unauthorised ways. Advertisement One aspect of the Stop Exploiting Loyalty campaign the club did address was fears over the removal of concessions. Arsenal upheld their commitment to concessionary tickets for under-18s, 18-to-24-year-olds, disability access members and seniors. They have also increased the size of the 18-24 allocation by 1,000, enabling 4,000 young adults to attend games at reduced prices. The club will also recognise the 40th anniversary of their Arsenal in the Community charity by making 1,000 tickets available free of charge to local fans. One outstanding issue surrounds the classification of games in the Champions League's opening phase as category A or B matches, assuming Arsenal qualify for that competition. This makes them among the most expensive fixtures to attend, even though many supporters will see qualification to the knockout rounds via the new 36-team league format as little more than a formality. There is good news and bad news, then, amid this ticketing update. Arsenal have undoubtedly made concessions, but it is difficult to look beyond the hard fact of the price increase. The club point to the spiralling costs of competing at the top ends of both the Premier League and Champions League. Those 2023-24 financial results saw the club's overall wage bill balloon by some 40 per cent to £328million but that is still only the fifth highest in the Premier League — Arsenal are aware further investment will be required to make them serial winners again. GO DEEPER What Arsenal's historic win against PSV does and doesn't say about Mikel Arteta's team There may also be a clash of cultures at play here. Arsenal are owned by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, a company which also runs several U.S. sports teams. Compared to the cost of watching live sport in North America, where dynamic pricing models are often in play, the Premier League can appear good value. The average ticket price in the National Football League (NFL) was $120 (£93.30) for the 2023-24 season, according to Statista, and there's been a steady rise in their cost over the past 15 years. That sits at odds with the English tradition of football being an affordable game for working-class people. Advertisement The price hike is yet another factor that adds pressure to a summer at Arsenal that was already going to be under considerable scrutiny. If supporters are being asked to pay more, they will expect to see that outlay turned into considerable investment in the team — and for success to follow.
