Tickets for the final games at Goodison and Anfield are on sale on some sites for over £1,000
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There is high demand for tickets for the final ever game at Goodison Park in May
There is high demand for tickets for the final ever game at Goodison Park in May
(Image: Everton FC official photo)
Both Everton and Liverpool Football Club have issued warnings to supporters ahead of the final games at Goddison Park and Anfield this season.
These two matches are set to be momentous occasions for both clubs. On Sunday May 18, Everton will face Southampton in what will be their last ever game at Goodison before moving to the new Everton Stadium next season at Bramley-Moore Dock.
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Liverpool’s last game at Anfield this season is on the final day where they will play Crystal Palace on Sunday May 25. With the Reds currently 12 points clear at the top of the table, it is likely they will lift a league title in front of a full crowd for the first time in 35 years.
This huge interest means demand for both games is extremely high. A quick search online reveals the enormous amount of third-party sites offering tickets for the game.
Two of these, Live Football Tickets and Football Ticket Net, have tickets available to buy for both of them, many of them priced at over £1,000, which is way over face value prices.
Both clubs have confirmed that neither of these sites are authorised sellers of its match tickets. Everton have listed both sites on its public "unauthorised sellers list”. The club urges fans to “exercise extreme caution” when dealing with websites on this list.
When buying through Everton's and Liverpool's websites, non-corporate tickets for Premier League games tend to range from £35 to £55 for adults, with varying discounts in place for young people, over-65s and disabled people.
The ECHO has reached out to both sites on whether these tickets are legitimate and why they list tickets for these prices. Both argue on their websites that they are marketplaces, with the sellers of tickets responsible for prices.
A notice on Live Football Tickets states: “We're the most trusted secondary marketplace for football tickets. Prices are set by sellers and may be above or below face value.”
This is a similar message on Football Ticket Net which says: “Football Ticket Net is the world's leading football secondary ticket marketplace. Prices are set by sellers & may be above or below face value.”
This raises questions on what actions are being taken for Everton and Liverpool supporters who are selling their tickets on for inflated prices on websites such as these.
A spokesperson for Everton said fans should use the ticket transfer functionality or the club’s ticket resale platform if they are unable to attend the match. The club then re-sells that ticket at face value. More information can be found here.
The spokesperson referred the ECHO to its list of measures it has been deploying this season to protect supporters from touting. The club says it can only verify the authenticity of tickets purchased from authorised sources.
The spokesperson added that individuals found in possession of unlawfully purchased tickets will be refused entry to the stadium or removed from it. If you have been the victim of touting, or have information on unauthorised ticketing activities, you can contact servicedesk@evertonfc.com.
A spokesperson for Liverpool FC referred the ECHO to an announcement last year where the club said it had taken “decisive action against ticket touting, shutting down close to 100,000 fake ticketing accounts, while issuing 75 lifetime bans and 136 indefinite suspensions last season alone.”
They added that neither site are official resellers and warned any supporter caught selling their tickets on Live Football Tickets and Football Ticket Net will be subject to its sanction process.
Liverpool FC says it has taken 'decisive action' on ticket touting
Liverpool FC says it has taken 'decisive action' on ticket touting
In its terms and conditions, Live Football Tickets adds: “Since supply and demand are what drive the prices, today the prices can be low and tomorrow they may be higher, it can always change.
“When purchasing a ticket on our website, you are purchasing a ticket or tickets directly from individuals or companies selling these tickets on the website (the “sellers”).
“We provide services to both the sellers and to you, the buyer, including marketing, search functions, logistics, and transaction services which allow you to safely and securely purchase tickets from sellers.
“Ticket prices on our site are determined solely by the sellers. Due to supply and demand, tickets may be sold higher than face value - especially for events that are high in demand and/or for which there are no tickets available on the primary market.
In its terms and conditions, Football Ticket Net states: “The price you will be charged is that indicated on the site on the date and time of affecting the purchase.
"The company reserves the right to alter prices of items and/or services as displayed on the site and it may do so at any time even without prior notice. It is possible that the price you will be charged will be higher than the price printed on the ticket you purchased.
“Football Ticket Net operates as a marketplace that facilitates transactions between buyers and sellers. We do not own, produce, sell, or manage any of the products listed by sellers on our platform. Accordingly, we are not liable for any actions, products, content, or services provided by third parties, including but not limited to sellers and their employees.
“Users acknowledge and agree that Football Ticket Net is not responsible for the behaviour, actions, or inactions of any seller or their employees.
“Any claims of damage, injury, or other legal action resulting from a seller's or their employee's act or omission must be directed towards the respective seller and not Football Ticket Net.”