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Mirror UKArsenal face fan fury over rise in ticket price
Published 23:00 15/03/11 By John Cross
Arsenal fans are being hit with big ticket price increases - even though the club still refuse to splash out on players.
Seven thousand club-level supporters at the Emirates, who already pay some of the most expensive prices in the Premier League, have been told there will be a 6.5 per cent increase for next season.
It is now feared that the club will impose an across-the-board rise when the rest of the ticket prices are announced in April and May. Supporters' groups have criticised the club's decision to take such a step in tough economic times.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who is set to re-sign veteran keeper Jens Lehmann, 41, as emergency cover, has steadfastly refused to pay big fees for players and yet the club has among the highest priced tickets in England.
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Club-level ticket holder Pete Wood has seen his pair of seats rise from £5,200 to £5,540 and claimed it is bad timing for Arsenal to be putting up prices after going out of three competitions in just over a fortnight.
"It just seems a bit rich," said Wood, who runs Le Grove fans' website. "When you look at the cost of tickets compared to the number of trophies, then we must be the most expensive club in the world.
"It's a slap in the face for supporters. We would like to see a few more signings and yet they take the easiest, most unimaginative way of trying to make ends meet - just put up prices and make their supporters pay."
Tim Payton, of the Arsenal Shareholders' Trust, added: "The AST is very concerned at the impact a price rise will have on fans in these tough economic times. We have urged the club to focus on raising revenue from other sources such as overseas tours and new commercial deals.
"The wider football community also has a responsibility as the continuing spiraling upwards of players' wages is ultimately paid for by supporters."
Arsenal insisted yesterday that the rise was just four per cent, but was made bigger by the rise in VAT. They also said it was the first increase since the 2008-09 season.
"No decision has been taken on the other prices across the board for tickets next year," said a spokesman. "But our pricing structure is always done with a lot of thought."
Meanwhile, Arsenal's Johan Djourou was yesterday at the centre of a bizarre club versus country row which ended with the Swiss FA issuing an apology.
Swiss FA chiefs claimed the defender could even be fit for their Euro 2012 qualifier with Bulgaria on March 26 and his shoulder injury - suffered at Manchester United on Saturday - was not as bad as first feared.
But Djourou is out for at least three months, may undergo surgery later this week and the Swiss FA contacted Arsenal last night to apologise for suggesting otherwise.
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WHAT PRICE LOYALTY? PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON TICKET PRICES 2010-2011
Arsenal: £893-£1,825
Liverpool: £680-£785
Tottenham: £650-£1,175
West Ham: £585-£830
Chelsea: £550-£1,210
Wolves: £522-£630
Manchester United: £513-£931
Everton: £443-£631
Manchester City: £420-£515
West Brom: £399-£499
Stoke: £399-£599
Sunderland: £395-£845
Blackpool: £382-£440
Bolton: £369-£399
Fulham: £369-£899
Birmingham: £360-£580
Aston Villa: £350-£550
Newcastle: £330-£975
Wigan: £250-£295
Blackburn: £224-£393
