A lot has been said
about the outrageous ticket price that Manchester City fans had to
cough up in order to see their heroes play away at Arsenal. £62 is a
disgrace to see just 90 minutes of entertainment, especially when the
game is live on TV and can be seen for 3 pints of lager at any
nationwide pub. Maybe I'm just drinking too slow. A fact is that City
are now a 'class A' club in every away game due of their sudden
wealth, but unfortunately the fans itself aren't the ones who got
rich as well. It is still a working class team, a big loyal 'family',
who has to dig deep in order to see their beloved club live whenever
possible.
City's origin is about
Manchester, and never had to deal with glory hunters swamping in from
other parts of the country or overseas, like the sudden flow coming
over from Holland who discovered City's welfare. Those new plastic
fans are most happy to pay for any price stated on a ticket, but the
real fans – who were there when the team wasn't winning any honours
– are in this way being pushed out of the market.
Money blind club owners
simply want to maximize cash flows from every game and the hell with
once a season visiting fans. Calls to introduce a cap on ticket
prices for travelling fans has my full support. All tickets to be
sold directly via the visiting club and no sales on the day itself
could see prices drop to 'normal standards'. I can hear a romantic
violin now playing in the background.
There has been a
worrying escalation in ticket prices. It was only two seasons ago a
ticket for a City fan at Arsenal was £33 compared to £62 – an
increase of 87% in only a very short time. No doubt other fans are as
well in the same boat, but because sent back unsold tickets only now
it became a public debate.
Let me outline
something important to you: Arsenal's owners want to make a profit,
they're businessmen and refuse to live beyond their means, they want
to squeeze out whoever they can. They charge a staggering £985 for
their CHEAPEST season ticket, with £1955 for their most expensive. I
understood that such a card gave you unlimited drinks in their
corporate lounge, but after yet again another season without
trophies.
Arsenal are a team
without on-field ambition, they appear to be more interested in
generating income off field. Of course every season is a new one, and
the young squad – carefully scouted at low transfer fees – will
fancy their chances. Surely this one will be their year?
Unfortunately, Arsenal are now a selling club. Big money has been
paid for the likes of Kolo Toure, Adebayor, Fabregas, Nasri, Clichy
and Van Persie. Just to name some. Arsenal are making a profit this
way, with qualification for the Champions League another vital
component. Wenger plays his part by achieving that important 4th
place each year. His job is safe, even after the home defeat against
Manchester City last Sunday. There are some people who doubt it, but
how else could a manager of a football club remain in his position if
you've not won any trophy for SEVEN seasons on the trot, with an
eight successive season winking from the corner of doom. Wenger is
playing it safe with his bosses when he proclaims 'finishing top 4 is
a trophy in itself' because it means the money continues to flow. He
defended the policy, saying people 'can decline buying a ticket to
the theatre', referring to a home game.
It's another example of
how he seeks to appease his paymaster. People simply need to realise
that Arsenal are now a company, a business that is about making a
profit, they are no longer a football club. Yes, they play football,
but as long spectators come through the turnstiles paying
extortionate prices, the revenue streams will continue and nothing
shall ever change.
In
the meantime, the
odds for Wenger to be the next Premier League manager to be sacked
stand at something like 500/1. Nice work if you can get it.
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