‘Message received’: Liverpool owners apologise and back down on proposed ticket increases

Liverpool’s owners have performed a U-turn on proposed ticket increases.

‘Message received’: Liverpool owners apologise and back down on proposed ticket increases

Liverpool’s owners have performed a U-turn on proposed ticket increases after apologising to fans for getting their plans wrong.

Principal owner and John W Henry and chairman Tom Werner were understood to be shocked at the sight of an estimated 10,000 fans walking out of Saturday’s Premier League match against Sunderland in the 77th minute in protest at increases next season which included a new £77 match ticket and the club’s first £1,000 season ticket.

They were also surprised by the level of abuse directed at them, according to Press Association Sport, as fans chanted ’You greedy b******s, enough is enough’ before walking out.

It is understood Henry and Werner were keen to stress they believe the connection between supporters is “unique and sacred” and that is the reason they have acted so swiftly to prevent further damage to their relationship with the fanbase.

Having promised an immediate review the American-based owners have listened to the concerns of fans and moved quickly to try to rectify the situation.

As a result they have announced a number of changes to their initial proposals in a structure which will also remain for the 2017/18 season.

Revenue generated from ticket prices will be frozen at 2015-16 levels; this means the highest match-day price for a general admission ticket will remain at £59 – the lowest will be £9 and these tickets will be offered for every match with an allocation of 10,000 across the season.

The highest season ticket price will be frozen at £869 and the lowest £685.

Liverpool’s owners have also announced the removal of game categorisations, so regardless of the opposition, supporters will pay the same price for match day tickets.

“It has been a tumultuous week,” said an open letter jointly signed by Henry and Werner.

“On behalf of everyone at Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool Football Club we would like to apologise for the distress caused by our ticket pricing plan for the 2016/17 season.

“We were strongly engaged in the process to develop the ticketing plan for 2016/2017.

“We met directly with representatives of LFC’s Supporters’ Committee and along with LFC management, wholeheartedly agreed with major concerns raised, notably: access for local and young supporters; engagement and access to Anfield for local children; access to Premier League matches for those in Liverpool most challenged by affordability.

“We believe the plan successfully addressed these concerns and are disappointed that these elements have been either lost or, worse, characterised as cynical attempts to mask profiteering in the plan as a whole.

“Rather, we prefer to look at them as the parts of the ticketing plan we got right.

“On the other hand, part of the ticketing plan we got wrong.”

Open letter to Liverpool supporters from Fenway Sports Group

Dear Liverpool Supporters:

It has been a tumultuous week. On behalf of everyone at Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool Football Club we would like to apologize for the distress caused by our ticket pricing plan for the 2016/17 season.

The three of us have been particularly troubled by the perception that we don’t care about our supporters, that we are greedy, and that we are attempting to extract personal profits at the club’s expense. Quite the opposite is true.

From our first days as owners we have understood that serving as custodians of this incredible institution is a distinct privilege and as such, we have been driven solely by the desire to return LFC to the pinnacle of football. In the world of modern football, growing the club in a sustainable way is essential to realizing this objective.

To that end, we have never taken a single penny out of the football club. Instead we have injected vast sums of our own money to improve the playing squad and modernize LFC’s infrastructure-exemplified by the £120million advance from FSG to build the new Main Stand. This massive undertaking was made in order to provide more supporters access to Anfield and also to produce additional revenue to help us compete financially with clubs that have greater resources. When it opens in August this year the stand will accomplish those goals thereby fulfilling a promise we made upon acquiring LFC in 2010.

We were strongly engaged in the process to develop the ticketing plan for 2016/2017. We met directly with representatives of LFC’s Supporters’ Committee and along with LFC management, wholeheartedly agreed with major concerns raised, notably: access for local and young supporters; engagement and access to Anfield for local children; access to Premier League matches for those in Liverpool most challenged by affordability.

We believe the plan successfully addressed these concerns and are disappointed that these elements have been either lost or, worse, characterized as cynical attempts to mask profiteering in the plan as a whole. Rather, we prefer to look at them as the parts of the ticketing plan we got right.

On the other hand, part of the ticketing plan we got wrong.

In addition to the other elements of the plan we proposed price increases on a number of tickets. These pricing actions generated growth in General Admission ticketing revenue on a like for like basis exclusive of revenue from newly added GA seats.

We believed by delivering a vastly improved seat offering in what will be the newest stand in English football, concentrating the price increases on those tickets typically purchased by fans least sensitive to affordability, and for LFC to begin repaying the £120million advance from FSG for the new Main Stand that these increases were supportable even in the context of growth in revenues from the new Premier League TV deal.

However, the widespread opposition to this element of the plan has made it clear that we were mistaken.

A great many of you have objected strongly to the £77 price level of our most expensive GA seats and expressed a clear expectation that the club should forego any increased revenue from raising prices on GA tickets in the current environment.

Message received.

After an intense period of consultation with LFC management we have decided to make major revisions to our ticketing structure for 2016/17:

  • Removal of game categorisation – regardless of the opposition fans will pay the same price for matchday tickets.
  • The pricing of tickets will be readjusted to result in zero revenue growth from GA ticketing on a like for like basis.
  • Though individual ticket prices may move marginally from this season, we are freezing our 2016/17 GA ticket revenue at the 2015/16 level exclusive of newly added seats in the new Main Stand.
  • The price of our highest General Admission ticket will be frozen at the 2015/16 level – £59.
  • The price of our highest Season Ticket will be frozen at the 2015/16 level - £869. The lowest price reducing a further £25 from the 2015/16 level to £685, as well as all other tiers being frozen or reduced.
  • £9 GA seats will be offered for each and every Premier League match, an allocation of more than 10,000 tickets across the season.

We would hasten to add that the other initiatives announced last week in the 2016/17 plan will remain:

  • 17-21 young adult concession – 20,000 tickets across the Premier League season available at a 50% reduction for young people.
  • 1,000 tickets to Premier League matches across the season will be given away free of charge to Liverpool schoolchildren based on merit, as recommended by their teachers.

As a sign of our commitment to this improved ticketing structure, we are further announcing that this plan shall be in effect for both the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons. For the next two seasons, LFC will not earn a single additional pound from increasing General Admission ticket prices.

We believe we have demonstrated a willingness to listen carefully, reconsider our position, and act decisively. The unique and sacred relationship between Liverpool Football Club and its supporters has always been foremost in our minds. It represents the heartbeat of this extraordinary football club.

More than any other factor by far, that bond is what drives us to work tirelessly on behalf of the club and its future. We have great conviction in our world class manager and our young, talented squad and know that in time the on-pitch success we all crave will be realized.

We look forward to sharing in that success with you.

John W Henry, Tom Werner, Mike Gordon.

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