Category A soccer games have always been costly than other matches for live spectators, but this time Arsenal seem to be in record breaking mood when they set a £62 ticket price for their Sunday home clash with Manchester City. The price being asked has received much criticism from around the world, preferably considering the monopolistic strategy being followed by Wenger team for their home game. Showing the dissimilarity; City has returned almost a third of its allocated tickets back to Arsenal citing they are too expensive for their fans. The match is also going to be telecasted live on Sky Sports; hence fans would like to watch on TVs rather accepting arbitrary quotation. The situation has now turned into a dramatic form, coz Arsenal has already closed further selling of tickets and City has returned almost 912 tickets back to them, which means there would be around one thousand seats laying blank on the showdown day, which is very surprising considering the importance of this match; perhaps this is also a way to protect against an illogical ticket pricing.
Moreover, a survey’s results are also in support of high tickets pricing being quoted by Arsenal. Survey results show that Arsenal has the most expensive match day ticket along with season ticket in EPL this year. Last year, Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis was heavily criticized by his own fans who were asking for a justification about ticketing policy, and the same allegations are now levied on City by its fans.
Commenting about his extreme discomfort, general secretary of the Manchester City Supporters Club: Kevin Parker said, “It’s the most expensive amount I can ever remember paying for a ticket in my life, for a Sunday afternoon game which is live on satellite television.
“And it’s not as if finding a television to watch the game on is difficult nowadays. Even if the game wasn’t live, to charge £62 to watch it is ridiculous, but to charge that amount when people can see it live on TV is crazy.
“It just shows that football clubs are out of touch with reality. If City supporters are travelling on a supporters’ club coach it will cost £30 per person. That’s £92 before they have even done anything; add in a programme, food, drink and you are looking at £125-£130 per person.”