Manchester United have become the latest Premier League club to raise season ticket prices
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Manchester City fans celebrating 4th goal scored by Jack Grealish np during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Manchester City and Salford City at Etihad Stadium on January 11, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Manchester City fans celebrating 4th goal scored by Jack Grealish np during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Manchester City and Salford City at Etihad Stadium on January 11, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's cost-cutting measures at Manchester United continued this week as he passed more responsibility onto their supporters with an average five per cent rise in ticket prices for next season.
It won't come as a surprise to United fans given Ratcliffe's swinging axe that has covered every area of the club bar the men's playing side. That shiny £2billion stadium with its huge spires and sweeping roof won't fund itself.
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It follows a trend of Premier League clubs raising prices for supporters. Not only have United raised headline prices, but they are turning some of the best seats at Old Trafford into hospitality, reducing the discount for senior concessions and introducing a new £10 charge for supporters re-selling their ticket back to the club if it falls within two weeks of the fixture, and match-by-match price banding has been introduced for the first time.
It is those smaller changes that will frustrate supporters as much as the overarching price rises. It is the narrative that clubs who are buying players and sacking managers for tens of millions of pounds are passing on costs to supporters in a cost of living crisis.
Manchester City are yet to reveal their pricing structure and will look over the city to Old Trafford to see the immediate backlash from United fans as they finalise their own plans.
City's elected fan representative board, City Matters, and other fan groups have written to chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak to call for a price freeze for 2025/26. And when the club committed to a meeting with City Matters over next season's prices, but did not set up any such meeting, six of the board's elected representatives went on strike and will refuse to engage with City until that meeting is arranged.
City have long-insisted that their prices, and previous price rises, are in line with other Premier League clubs. United's five per cent rise, and similar rises for Arsenal (3.7 per cent), Newcastle (five per cent), and Brighton (five per cent) give them a ready-made excuse if increases are in the offing.
Everton have announced huge rises of up to 15 per cent for the first season at their new Bramley Moore Dock Stadium, up from the last season ticket at Goodison Park. Nottingham Forest have also increased prices by five per cent as they dream of Europe and plan an extension of the City Ground in the future.
On the other hand, Liverpool, Tottenham and West Ham have earned deserved praise for freezing prices next season - all stadia with similar capacities to the Etihad Stadium when the new North Stand opens next season. Leicester and Brentford have also frozen prices.
The other top-flight clubs (Chelsea, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Wolves. Bournemouth, Fulham, Ipswich, Southampton) are yet to announce their prices for next season, just like City.
It's fair to say the mood among City fans is one that expects price rises, while almost-unanimously calling for a price freeze that they feel is only fair. The 'Stop Exploiting Loyalty' campaign is working in some quarters but going ignored at other clubs.
There are more issues regarding tickets at City than just the price, although many can be put down to (in part) the price of attending the Etihad Stadium that is the root of many issues. City can help themselves, and help their loyal supporters by freezing prices and not following Ratcliffe's lead.
They'd also be doing the right thing.