There has always been more discontent over prices of Season tickets and entrance fees at Arsenal, not only because we are the most expensive football ground to visit in the world, but because we get less rewards, in terms of trophies, for the outrageous prices our club charges.
There now seems to be more willingness amongst the grass roots of the game to get their feelings heard, and Liverpools mass walkout last week could be just the beginning of more widely orchestrated protests amongst fan groups.
Entrance fees are just a small part of any clubs income, and with the new £5 billion television deal for the Premier League, the Football Supporters’ Federation feel that some of that benefit should be trickled down to real supporters via cheaper entrance fees.
The chairman of the FSF, Kevin Miles, said: “The FSF will be convening a meeting of representatives of supporters’ organisations across the Premier League to discuss the next steps in the campaign. There are a number of options,”
“The Liverpool walkout very successfully highlighted the whole issue of the affordability of football and the clubs need to be made to listen.”
Among the other options the groups will consider is a protest against club sponsors, who Miles said “may be more sensitive to public opinion than some intransigent club owners appear to be.”
It will certainly be interesting to see what ideas they come up with, but with Arsenal fans getting their way over the “Barcelona surcharge” I am sure there will be many Gooners willing to protest at the Emirates…