WHUST sometimes seems quiet. We believe in trying to work behind the scenes. Sometimes we have some successes, often it’s not enough. This is to update you on the vast amount of work we have been doing on ticketing.

In April we sent the club a document called Ticketing 2024 Discussion Document. This dealt with a huge list of concerns – some the club had asked us to explain; some we felt the need to raise. There were also several questions, as we could not offer solutions without additional information.

The club responded positively to some of this. There were some easy changes they could make, such as correcting spelling mistakes and improving procedures. We were waiting for further responses that never came – or at least have not come yet.

No concessions

The concession price issue was huge for us. We compiled a second document outlining a whole series of alternatives to the club’s blanket ending of concessions to new purchasers in all but the worst seats.
Concession price alternative suggestions

We suggested four specific options:

1.    Immediately permit those with existing concessions to pass on discounted tickets to the next generation within the family – the next child or grandchild.

2.    Reintroduce concession pricing across all bands but restrict the proportion of seats that can be sold at a reduced price.

3.    Reintroduce unrestricted concession pricing to two additional bands, so that concessions are available in 50% (down from 75%) of current ticket bands.

4.    Increase the price of concession seats in the higher bands.

We received no response to our document. However, the club did announce in July:
“We understand the need for our over-66 supporters to have access to concessionary seating within the lower stadium bowl and are therefore making concessionary tickets available for over-66 supporters in Bands 3 and 4. These tickets can be purchased with a 25% concessionary discount, making them some of the cheapest lower-bowl tickets across the Premier League.”

The board’s view is that while this minor row-back by the club should be welcomed, it does not go far enough.

Working with other fans

Within the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), we worked with The Spirit of Shankly (Liverpool supporters’ trust) and others to ensure a combined motion on ticketing included our concerns over concessions and reminded the new minister for sport of her earlier commitment to have the football regulator make ticketing a matter for consultation with fans.

We added the bits underlined to the combined motion:

·       That many clubs are abolishing or reducing concessionary tickets penalising loyal senior fans and pricing out young fans who are the future of the game. Where concessions are being retained, they are often in the least accessible, cheapest seats.

·       That Steph Peacock, who is now Minister for Sport, proposed an amendment to the Conservative government’s Football Governance Bill that would have added ticket prices to the fan engagement standards, against which clubs would be judged.

And:

·       To undertake a review of concessionary rates across the game including running a ‘league wide tracker’ and to bring forward proposals for the adoption of minimum standards across the game. This should keep concessionary ticket prices in most price bands across grounds, not in ghettos

The motion was passed and is now FSA policy.

WHUST may not shout the loudest but it does the leg-work and does make a difference.