Aston Villa have been criticised for the pricing of tickets for their Premier League clash against Leeds United later this month
Aston Villa host Leeds United later this month
Aston Villa host Leeds United later this month(Image: SmartFrame/Pro Sports Images)
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Aston Villa’s pricing for this month’s home Premier League match against Leeds United has caused confusion and frustration among supporters.
The fixture, which was not played at Villa Park last season, returns on Saturday, February 21, with a 3pm kick-off.
It will be the first home league match at Villa Park to kick off at the traditional 3pm on a Saturday in over a year, since Ipswich Town drew 1-1 in B6 on February 15 last year.
However, fans have questioned ticket prices after the club categorised the game as a Category 3 fixture.
Back in the summer, Villa announced updates to their ticketing policy for the season, including a new categorisation system, which the club said was designed to make access to games fairer and more accessible.
There are two categories for league matches. Category 3 fixtures are described as involving “top Premier League teams and key fixture dates,” while Category 4 covers the “remaining Premier League teams and fixture dates.”
For Category 3 matches, adult ticket prices range from £92 in the 1888 Seats to £58 in Zone 4. Prices in Zone 1 are £82, Zone 2 £77, and Zone 3 £71. Prices for the 1888 Seats and Zone 1 remain unchanged for Over-66s, Armed Forces, Under-21s, and Under-18s.
Category 4 fixtures, meanwhile, cost £69 for the 1888 Seats and £58 in Zone 1 - a category difference of £23 and £24, respectively.
Earlier this season, home matches against Newcastle, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Everton were all Category 3 fixtures, and fans have rightly argued that newly promoted and relegation-threatened Leeds are not a “top Premier League team.”
However, the second part of the club’s explanation for the Category 3 designation provides their justification.
Villa say the fact that this will be the first Saturday 3pm fixture of the season - and the first such kick-off in over a year - was a key reason behind the category selection.
The decision was also informed by pre-sale demand, using information gathered by the club, which showed the Leeds match was tracking to be a high-demand fixture. The first home match and the final match of the season will also be Category 3 fixtures due to demand.
Villa also told BirminghamLive that the home fixture against Wolves earlier this season was downgraded from last season’s Category A (now Category 3) to a Category 4 fixture, meaning tickets were cheaper as a result of pre-sale data.