Two influential Everton fan groups have written to the Premier League to request a two-year freeze on ticket prices, but a similarly weighty issue has – according to one football finance expert – not got the attention it deserves.
While we won’t discover the full impact of the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Everton’s finance until the accounts for 2025-26 are released in the spring of 2027, the new stadium is already transforming the club.
Everton were less restrained in the transfer market in the summer. They finished the window with a net spend of over £100m, and the suggestion is that they could be active in January, with a new right-back and perhaps a centre-forward the main priorities for David Moyes.
One of the first actions taken by Dan Friedkin was to reorganise the club’s debt, most of which is related to the stadium. Now, with a more favourable, longer-term repayment structure, the Toffees are able to fully realise the benefits of their new home at Bramley Moore Dock.
A general interior view of Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium
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Crucially, Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) are not an immediate concern. And from next season, they will be replaced with a Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) system which should favour Everton in the long term.
On the pitch meanwhile, Everton are finding their feet in a congested Premier League mid-table, though last night’s win at Bournemouth has – at least for 24 hours – propelled them into the top four.
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To make progress, maintaining a united front (fans, players, staff, owners) will be key.
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Keeping loyal, bedrock fans on-side must not be overlooked.
If you needed an example, just look at what is happening at Tottenham, where fans seemingly feel alienated in their own new stadium.
Last week, the Everton Fan Forum and Fan Advisory Board were among over 100 signatories of a letter delivered to the Premier League requesting a two-year freeze on ticket prices.
For The Friedkin Group, this is a particularly complex issue.
Whether through developing their pricing structure, increasing dwell time at the stadium or focusing even more on the hospitality market, maximising revenue at the Hill Dickinson Stadium is central to their business plan on Merseyside.
Chart showing Everton's matchday income plotted against inflation
Everton matchday income, inflation-adjusted Credit: Adam Williams/Everton News/GRV Media
“I was talking to someone from a fan advisory board – not of Everton – who signed the FSA letter a few days ago, and they got a telling off from the club,” says University of Liverpool football finance lecturer Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Everton News.
“Times are tough for everybody. But if this is going to be applied, it has to be applied on a broad basis. If you’re going to freeze ticket prices for two years, is that season tickets, general admission, seniors and juniors?
*“But the way most people consume football is via broadcasters, so why isn’t there a campaign for there to be a two-year freeze on your subscription to Sky Sports and TNT Sports?*“
The Premier League’s domestic TV deal, which is worth £6.7bn over its current cycle, is still easily the biggest revenue driver for the vast majority of the league.
Up-close look at the Premier League logo on a black background
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Everton’s media income in 2023-24, the last published financial year, was £129m. That represented 69 per cent of their total revenue of £187m.
“Equally,” continued Maguire, “I accept the FSA’s argument that it’s the fans who attend the matches, create the atmosphere and the spectacle.
“Everton’s hardcore fanbase will be firmly behind the FSA’s position on this. From a demographic point of view, Liverpool is not a wealthy city, so to expect the fans to bear extra costs would be harsh.
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“They do have to be careful, however, because while they are selling out at present, can they guarantee that in two years? To do that, they need to deliver on the pitch, which means investing in the squad. From an SCR point of view, they need higher revenues.
“So there are a number of moving parts here. I understand the FSA’s position, but at the same time it is we as fans who want our clubs to invest in players, so where else is the money going to come from?
“I have suggested in the past that we should move towards an NFL-style model of matchday income distribution whereby 60 per cent goes to the home team and 40 per cent is pooled and shared among clubs, but I was met with short shrift.”
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