Champions League ‘Group Stages’ – Ticket Prices
Four years ago this month saw the nadir of the Abramovich era as Rosenborg snatched a draw in what turned out to be Jose Mourinho’s last game as manager.
The attendance that day was 24,973, Chelsea’s lowest for four years, as supporters baulked at £48 tickets for a group game against far from glamorous opposition.
Taking heed of fans voting with their feet the regime in charge at the time sensibly decided to cut the prices for Champion’s League group games in half and tickets the following season were £25, and had remained reasonably priced until this season (£30 last season), where in their infinite wisdom, and despite the global recession which occurred k between the Rosenborg game and these group stage matches, that on top of season ticket hikes and an increase to domestic cup games they’d up the price by a third and charge supporters £40 for a ticket for this season’s group stage games.
The Copenhagen game last season has been cited as an important factor in the clubs thinking, despite tickets cost upwards of £50 and Chelsea being virtually through thanks to a 2-0 win in Denmark, the game was a near sell out, so it is important that as supporters we don’t make the same mistake twice.
Genk has been highlighted as perhaps the least glamorous of our fixtures in this year’s group stage, (Leverkusen have former favourite Ballack amongst their number and Valencia have at points during the past decade been one of Europe’s top sides) and has as such been highlighted by those who wish to make a stand against the clubs ticketing policy as a game to boycott, and many are hopefully of another crowd below 25,000.
Football has long been seen as the working class game, a sport for the man in the street, but he will be entirely priced out before long if supporters are unwilling to take a stand against the continuing inflating prices, the Champion’s League group stages may be a small battle in the grand scheme of things with regards to issues with pricing, but it is certainly a start.
Those who agree with the boycott can show their support here
Posted by Callum West
Im a Arsenal fan but that article is spot on.All fans from EVERY club need to be worried that football is becoming a “rich” mans play thing.But what all these billionaires dont realise is the true depth of feeling from a football supporter towards ts club.Take me for instance fresh from a 8-2 drubbing i still cant wait to get the train with my pals to the football tomorrow.
I back you and would like this to be done around the country
Fair article and well pointed out. But still, it would have taken you three seconds to google ‘Rosenberg’, and found out that the name is actually ‘Rosenborg’. That is an ‘o’, instead of an ‘e’. It would be the same as calling Liverpool ‘Laverpool’. Not quite the same ring to it, eh?
But in all seriousness, thanks for an insightful article. Well put.
Amended, thanks for your comments. Ed.
I’m sorry for spelling the name of the club wrong, I wrote the article quickly as it was important to get it out, I’m glad you found it interesting, I went to Trondheim (googled to insure it’s spelt correctly) to watch Chelsea and meant no disrespect to the club.
Its about time us fans all made a collective stand against being ripped off, clubs can charge what they like knowing fans will still pay it no matter the cost, where is it going to end?, the day that Chelsea & Arsenal for example charge away fans £70 a ticket isnt that far away, i give it 3/4 years time, i’d love to see an away end with 3,000 empty seats & see what the clubs & media make of it.
I’ve been priced out of PL games now & only do the cheap cup games, now i cant justify paying £40+ for a group game in the CL v some european no mark.
Hopefully we’ll see 1,000s of empty seats but sadly i just cant see it.
Stand up & be counted before we’re all priced out totally from supporting our club.
Man City are charging £25 for their group fixtures against pretty high class opposition: Napoli, Villarreal and Bayern Munchen. Arsenal includes the first seven cup ties (FAC and Champions League)in with the season ticket, hence their high attendances for these games. Man United almost always sell out no matter what the game. So many tourists want to see them, the quality of opposition seems irrelevant. Good luck with it Chelsea fans. We’re going to reach a stage soon where the season ticket is almost non-existent. We’ll only be able to afford a six game package or a midweek package deal or similar …
Fair enough but remember Arsenal season tickets are far more expensive than ours…
A couple of things from an Arsenal fan:
1) You go to football to watch your team, not the opposition, the glamour of the other team should be irrelevant.
2) Boycotting the “least glamorous” opponent, in a game that might not have sold out anyway tends to make you look fickle, not principled.
In principle I support what you’re trying to do, but do it properly. Boycott a big game to show it means something, not some minnows half of you might have skipped anyway.
Difficult to boycott the big games as so many tickets are sold up front via season tickets and fans won’t boycott something they’ve already paid for. Take CFC v AFC at SB this season only 8-10000 tickets will be up for grabs but 40000 v Genk as not on our season tickets. Not targetted the Fulham Carling game as it’s a fair price at £25.
I wrote this and I can assure the ‘glamour’ of the opposition does little to affect my choice to attend, however it has always affected the pricing for clubs, which is why there have always been different category games.
Im personally boycotting ALL the group stage games , last year it was a chance to take my school aged son and his mate .. yet another game CFC have priced me out of , thanks chelsea fc ‘ i was there when we were shit ‘ but thanks to you not any longer.