Arsenal board clarifies ticket price rises

Wed 4th May 2011 | Money & Finance

Arsenal chief executive, Ivan Gazidis responded to the questions posed by Arsenal Supporters Trust (AST) to clarify the clubs position on the recent ticket price rises introduced for next season.

Ticket prices are set to rise by 6.5% with Gazidis citing the current rate of inflation and the Government’s 2.5% rise in VAT as the main factors for the increase.

However, the Arsenal Supporters Trust feel the rise will price loyal fans out of the Emirates Stadium.

Gazidis has pledged to "undertake an entire review of the approach to ticketing", accepting the increase was a difficult call to make.

The AST, whose collective interest of minority shareholders own approximately 12% of the club, first raised the issue in February and last week wrote to the Arsenal board calling for the proposals to be put on hold.

A statement from AST, released through Press Association Sport, read: "The AST is very disappointed at this increase.

"The Arsenal board are clearly out of touch with today's economic climate and have taken a decision which will price loyal supporters out of the Emirates.

"The AST does welcome Ivan Gazidis' acknowledgement to us that prices are too high, and that he will work with us over the next year on a thorough review of all ticketing strategies and prices at Emirates Stadium."

Responding in a letter to AST, Gazidis wrote; “The Board and I understand your concerns.”

“As you know, the club has never approached ticket pricing decisions by reference only to supply and demand economics, but has always taken into account a wide range of factors, with the effect on our loyal fans very important in our thinking.

“This is why, despite the long waiting lists and rising operational and player costs, and in contrast to other clubs, we have held ticket prices absolutely flat, with no adjustments even for inflation, in all but one of the last five seasons since we moved to our new stadium.

“Those decisions mean that our ticket pricing has in fact decreased significantly in real terms since we moved to our new home.”

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