Sheffield United fans criticise QPR over their ‘disgraceful’ ticket prices, something of which that has just gone on sale.
The Blades have been allocated 1,659 tickets to the game at Loftus Road, which will also be live on Sky Sports at 8pm on January 2nd. This is a bank holiday for the new year, and train strikes on the next day are expected to affect the returns of those who stay overnight in London.
Even though it’s chaotic and live on TV, Sheffield United fans who want to follow their team into the capital could be able to pay up to £36 for an adult ticket with unrestricted views. Adults can purchase restricted view tickets for £34 if they sell out.
A cheaper adult ticket is priced at £30 while Loftus Road offers the option of rail seating, allowing supporters to stand safely in a designated section of the away end. Travel on the official United coaches will be £40.
The Blades themselves also received criticism over their ticket prices, with Huddersfield Town fans slamming the £33 they have been charged for the clash at Bramall Lane.
We have been allocated 1,659 tickets for our trip to QPR on Monday 2nd January, kick-off 8pm.
Tickets go on sale to members with 50,000+ Loyalty Points on Thursday 8th December, 9am. @citytaxis_ | #SUFC 🔴
— Sheffield United Fan Services (@SUFCServices) December 6, 2022
Back in August 2022, Hull City fans also aimed anger at QPR’s ticket prices for the Championship fixture at Loftus Road.
£36 was the cost of adult prices for the upper tier of the School End, while the club have been labelled disgusting at ticket prices for youngsters under the age of 18 around £18 – there are no concessions on premium tickets below the age of 18.
Those aged over 61 or between 18 and 23 were made to pay £26 to sit in what Rangers class as the gold tier seating, and the silver tiered seating is at £30, however Under-8s will be admitted free of charge with a full paying adult providing those tickets are secured before matchday.
Reading made headlines around the world a few months ago for releasing a letter sent to every Championship club offering a reciprocal ticket deal in which away fans would be charged £20 at the SCL Stadium if Reading fans are offered the same in return.
The likes of Cardiff, Huddersfield, Blackburn, Swansea, Watford and Birmingham were among some of the first to accept this and many figures around the football-sphere have come out in support of the initiative, however Simon Jordan took to his radio show to come out against the idea which everyone but him seems to be loving.
Speaking on the show with Trevor Sinclair and host Jim White, he said: “Watch it on iFollow. You can’t have what you want, when you want it, how you want it.
“I want tickets at XYZ stadium because I want it, tough. If you go to a theatre, what do you pay? Y
“You don’t go to away games every other week if you don’t want to, no one has tied your tongue to the back of a bus and dragged you there.
“I don’t see any reason why if the Premier League then the Championship shouldn’t do £30. Football costs money at every level.
“If you’re watching Reading it’s because you value watching Reading in the same way that if you are a Manchester United fan you value watching Manchester United.
“I agree that maybe £40 is a price point that needs to be pushed back against.
“If the Premier League is charging £30 for away tickets and they’ve got 97 per cent attendances, and the Championship has got 60 per cent attendances, then maybe £30 is a fairer concession.”
Jordan owned Crystal Palace between 2000 and 2010 before putting the club into administration.
FSA STATEMENT ON SURVEY
Supporters in the Championship overwhelmingly back a league-wide price cap on away tickets, according to a survey carried out by the Middlesbrough Supporters Forum (MSF).
MSF’s survey, carried out to understand more about why fans do or don’t travel to the Riverside stadium as away fans, showed that 97% of fans want to see an away ticket price cap in the division.
Supporters surveyed said they wanted to see a league-wide price cap somewhere between £20 and £25.
Mark Motley, chair of MSF, said: “We were keen to find out why many fans are reluctant to travel to Boro to follow their team as we have a fairly low away attendance at many games.
“The research showed us that it is a combination of issues, some of which are out of the club’s control – Middlesbrough can’t be geographically moved! However, there are some things including ticket prices and better and comprehensive information for away fans that could be considered.”
When asked if they had travelled to Middlesbrough at any time to watch their team, 26% of responders said no.
The main reasons given were distance, cost of travel and cost of ticket. However, a number of supporters said the ground was difficult to get to on an increasingly expensive public transport network.
“As a fans’ group we are firmly in favour of a price cap on away tickets and that is obviously reflected across all clubs with an overwhelming vote in favour,” Mark said.
“The other, less positive, thing to come out of our survey is the rise in anti-social behaviour.
“This reflects the anecdotal feedback MSF is getting from Boro supporters at away games, and something that we are working with Middlesbrough to understand what can be done to crack down on this.”
Lower ticket prices, better transport links, a guide to Middlesbrough and more to do before and after the match were given as things that could be done to attract bigger away followings.
The MSF research was carried out in June 2022 – with 144 responses from 19 Championship clubs.
What does the FSA think?
A number of clubs in the division are charging away fans some eye-watering prices that put some fans off following their team away.
Previously, the EFL has said it would not introduce a competition-wide price cap, saying that pricing was a matter for each individual club.
The FSA continues to support a cap and urges clubs not to take advantage of away fans visiting their grounds. Away fans are vital to the matchday spectacle and an important part of English football’s matchgoing tradition.
As mentioned, Sheffield United fans among others criticise QPR over their ‘disgraceful’ ticket prices…
@beanland93: Those prices 😭
@jamieg0ugh: 8PM KO on a Monday night, live on Sky, train strike the following day… £36. Have QPR actually been to their own away end? THIRTY SIX
@gcxb: £36??? disgrace @QPR
@jordsufc_x: £36 for QPR away. You robbing bastards @QPR
@MattCasbolt: £36 for a Monday evening game in early January, that’s on Sky. Disgrace.
@Chinamanshead: This is what’s wrong with football. For 8pm kick-off, live on Sky, played bank holiday Monday evening on 2nd January a week after Christmas, when there are rail strikes the following day … those prices are indeed a disgrace, QPR charging Blades fans £36. Championship football.
@Maximoose22_: Phwor that’s me not going qpr with dem prices 😅
@Cobby1889: Prices for QPR are scandalous, just after Christmas! Someone comment with that Warnock video ‘we’re in London aren’t we!’
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