Fuck me

[Guest WDP]

Coming soon to Arsenal: the first £100 non-corporate ticket

 

• 20% VAT rate will push ticket over threshold

• Cheapest season ticket at club starts at £893

 

 

Arsenal ticket The club said the rise was an inevitable result of the increase in VAT. Photograph: Christopher Lee/Getty Images

 

Arsenal may have played out five seasons since their last trophy and scotched their 17-year unbeaten home league record against Tottenham Hotspur, but they appear likely to power through a new threshold next year with the launch of football's first £100 non-corporate ticket.

 

The price rise is anticipated to come into place in the new year, when the VAT levy on tickets rises by 2.5% to 20%, taking the cost of the most expensive match day ticket at Emirates Stadium, including a £2.30 booking fee and £2.20 postage, from £98.50 to £100.60.

 

The club was unable to comment but its website has already warned that "with the VAT increase due in January 2011, our matchday ticket prices will be subject to change", giving every indication that the added tax burden will be passed on to consumers.

 

Whether Arsenal fans will be willing to part with £100 for a view of a team that beguiles and frustrates in equal measure and without a whiff of half-time hospitality remains to be seen. The £390m development of the 60,000 Emirates Stadium has given the club unrivalled access to corporate revenue but also laden the club with significant debt. Supporters have been asked to remain patient while the club operates a prudent transfer policy but have had to reach deep into their own pockets. At Arsenal the cheapest season ticket starts at £893, almost enough to buy four equivalent tickets at Blackburn Rovers, while Chelsea – five trophies better off since the Emirates opened its doors in 2006 – charge £560.

 

At Manchester United, where fans have revolted against the ticket price rises which followed the Glazer family's leveraged buyout of the club, the most expensive match day ticket costs £49.

 

Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters' Federation, said: "A £100 ticket in the present climate is ridiculous. It is proof that football is not living in the same world as the rest of us. The game has more money going into it than ever before and it is not helping fans. Football is no longer a game that is readily accessible to all sections of the community."

 

£100 for a normal ticket, not corporate or anything We moan about paying a score for League Cup games. Imagine that though two adults in them seats 2 kids, you're looking at £300 before you've even thought about food. This shows the reason that we will find it hard to compete ever really, because no one in the North East can afford £100 a game, fuckin hell me season tickets only 4 times that, this is why I bang on about types of fans. The type of fan Arsenal attract isn't the type that was going to games 20 years ago, luckily we're in the main all still working class scruffs, but the gap is widening, I think it's obscene though in this economic climate for Arsenal to demand that type of money for a bog standard seat.

[Howay 12496]

Getting like American football now with those prices tbh absolutely ridiculous.

[Sonatine 11542]

The People's Game

[manc-mag 1]

Coming soon to Arsenal: the first £100 non-corporate ticket

 

• 20% VAT rate will push ticket over threshold

• Cheapest season ticket at club starts at £893

 

 

Arsenal ticket The club said the rise was an inevitable result of the increase in VAT. Photograph: Christopher Lee/Getty Images

 

Arsenal may have played out five seasons since their last trophy and scotched their 17-year unbeaten home league record against Tottenham Hotspur, but they appear likely to power through a new threshold next year with the launch of football's first £100 non-corporate ticket.

 

The price rise is anticipated to come into place in the new year, when the VAT levy on tickets rises by 2.5% to 20%, taking the cost of the most expensive match day ticket at Emirates Stadium, including a £2.30 booking fee and £2.20 postage, from £98.50 to £100.60.

 

The club was unable to comment but its website has already warned that "with the VAT increase due in January 2011, our matchday ticket prices will be subject to change", giving every indication that the added tax burden will be passed on to consumers.

 

Whether Arsenal fans will be willing to part with £100 for a view of a team that beguiles and frustrates in equal measure and without a whiff of half-time hospitality remains to be seen. The £390m development of the 60,000 Emirates Stadium has given the club unrivalled access to corporate revenue but also laden the club with significant debt. Supporters have been asked to remain patient while the club operates a prudent transfer policy but have had to reach deep into their own pockets. At Arsenal the cheapest season ticket starts at £893, almost enough to buy four equivalent tickets at Blackburn Rovers, while Chelsea – five trophies better off since the Emirates opened its doors in 2006 – charge £560.

 

At Manchester United, where fans have revolted against the ticket price rises which followed the Glazer family's leveraged buyout of the club, the most expensive match day ticket costs £49.

 

Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters' Federation, said: "A £100 ticket in the present climate is ridiculous. It is proof that football is not living in the same world as the rest of us. The game has more money going into it than ever before and it is not helping fans. Football is no longer a game that is readily accessible to all sections of the community."

 

£100 for a normal ticket, not corporate or anything We moan about paying a score for League Cup games. Imagine that though two adults in them seats 2 kids, you're looking at £300 before you've even thought about food. This shows the reason that we will find it hard to compete ever really, because no one in the North East can afford £100 a game, fuckin hell me season tickets only 4 times that, this is why I bang on about types of fans. The type of fan Arsenal attract isn't the type that was going to games 20 years ago, luckily we're in the main all still working class scruffs, but the gap is widening, I think it's obscene though in this economic climate for Arsenal to demand that type of money for a bog standard seat.

 

 

How do they seek to justify it like? Ignoring the VAT hike I mean. They've got nearly twice the capacity they used to have so their matchday revenues are up anyway, they don't pay absolute top wack wages and unless I'm mistaken a lot of the new stadium costs were covered by naming rights etc. Also arent they in profits due to the Highbury real estate sale?

 

Bandits tbh.

[peasepud 59]

I guess this is the Arsenal model Llambias said he wanted to emulate.

[Holden McGroin 6783]

I guess this is the Arsenal model Llambias said he wanted to emulate.

 

 

Arsenal used to be one of the more reasonably priced London clubs. Certainly at Highbury anyway.

[NJS 4411]

Hall used the argument on increasing our capacity that it would mean prices to suit lower incomes - he lied.

[PaddockLad 17654]

I guess this is the Arsenal model Llambias said he wanted to emulate.

 

 

Arsenal used to be one of the more reasonably priced London clubs. Certainly at Highbury anyway.

 

They certainly were.....I remember 14 quid maybe 10 years ago?

 

Thing is about all this "ooh Arsenal haven't won a trophy for 5 years" bollocks in the media, what really gets on their fan's tits isnt the lack of siverware as such its the fuckin price to watch a team thats miles away from winning the title even this season. In saying that, Wenger's done well to keep them in the champs lge places whilst theyve built, moved to and started to pay for a brand new ground.

[Monkeys Fist 43067]

Fuck you?

No ta Stevie..

Now, your sister…

http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?...st&p=811378

[Tom 14013]

Imagine paying £100 to see your team get beat by two newly promoted teams and then your fierce rivals. Ouch.

 

Or even the pre 20% £98.50!!

[Tom 14013]

Plenty of empty seats at the SOL for £10 a ticket.

[Nobby 0]

Plenty of empty seats at the SOL for £10 a ticket.

 

attendance? was 36,000 v stoke the other week!

[Tom 14013]

37k according to the beeb.

 

To be honest I wish Ashley would adopt a similar approach in regards to pricing, the difference being we'd get 50'000 @ £10.