Premier League fan groups join forces to deliver #StopExploitingLoyalty message
From the official FSA.Org website:
Supporters’ groups from across the league joined forces this weekend for the FSA’s #StopExploitingLoyalty campaign – and there’s more to follow next week.
With 19 out of 20 top-flight clubs raising prices over the summer, and a widespread attack on concessions for supporters at both the younger and older end of the spectrum, many of the FSA’s supporters’ groups were hungry to make their views known.
Ahead of Premier League matches this weekend they met up pre-match to display banners and share stories about the situation at their clubs. By coming together fan groups are building connections and experiences to drive forward the growing #StopExploitingLoyalty campaign.
Brighton and Hove Albion’s Dogma fanzine helped organise their joint action with Wolves 1877 Trust and said they planned a repeat next week with Liverpool fan groups when they visit Anfield. Wolves supporter Neil Dady thanked Dogma and said it was “good to have a visible display of our collective support for the FSA campaign”.
Elsewhere, members of the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) and the Tottenham Hotspur’s Save Our Seniors campaign joined the Crystal Palace Independent Supporters Association before Sunday’s game at Selhurst Park.
Save Our Seniors: “While Spurs have increased prices by 6% this season and begun to erode senior concessions, Palace were the only club not to raise prices, so it was great to get backing from Eagles fans.”
“Props also to the THST board member who turned up to back the protest despite not getting a ticket for the game!” added Save Our Seniors.
FSA-member supporter groups tell us Premier League prices have gone up by around 7% since last season although that varies club-by-club. Alongside that, concessionary rates for younger and older fans are looking increasingly endangered.
Nottingham Forest bumped up ticket prices by 20% and rewrote their rules on tickets for young adults meaning an 18-year-old could see their ticket jump from £190 to £850. At West Ham United 20,000 have so far backed a petition against rises, as did 15,000 Wolves supporters.
Supporter groups also reject the half-baked hypothesis that price hikes are needed to pay spiralling wages and transfer fees. Matchday incomes make up as little as 7% of a top-flight club’s income and squeezing fans for every penny makes next to no difference to a club’s bottom line.
Football has a spending problem, not an income problem.
- There are more joint protests planned next week and the FSA’s supporter groups at top-flight clubs would love to hear from supporters who want to get involved – contact the FSA and we’ll pass on your details to the relevant supporter reps.
The FSA is by fans, for fans – join for free here…
‘Chelsea Supporters Group’ can also be found on X and Facebook