SURVEY: Liverpool’s 7% ticket price hike means only Arsenal’s prices higher

By Nick Harris

9 June 2010

Liverpool have hiked prices of season tickets by seven per cent, meaning the lowest cost of a standard adult season ticket at Anfield for the 2010-11 season is £680, and it is only that low if booked via the internet.

An adult ticket in the main stand is £732 and the costliest ticket costs £785 (the same seat bought at a later date).

Liverpool fans are sure to be furious, not least as there is already a groundswell of anti-owner feeling against the Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett, who have put Liverpool up for sale after saddling the club with massive debts and failing to deliver on promises including a new stadium.

A club spokesman said “prices remain extraordinarily competitive, particularly compared with other clubs in the top half of the table”, but a sportingintelligence survey today of all 20 clubs in next season’s Premier League shows this isn’t the case.

Liverpool’s lowest-priced adult season ticket is more expensive than the lowest option at any club except Arsenal, where the lowest price is £893. Liverpool finished seventh in the league last season.

Our table below shows basic “as advertised” pricing of season tickets, as available today, for next season.

There are variations on what fans receive for their money, for example Arsenal’s price covers 26 games for next season (£34 per game), whereas most season tickets cover 19 Premier League games.

If fans or clubs themselves would like to email us with specific details, outlining how these prices are better or worse than they seem, please do so by clicking this link, or posting in the comments box, and we will amend and update this story as new information comes in.

Fan / club feedback (to be continuously updated, and please also see comments box)

Arsenal’s prices include 19 Premier League games and seven other home games, including Champions League
Liverpool’s price of £680 is applicable to 25 June. Costliest ticket of £785 is after 25 June (£732 before). Thanks to Gary D.
Many Wolves fans benefitted from ‘early bird’ prices, for example £370 for a ticket (not on offer now). See comment from Paul below.
more to follow . . . (if, as, and when submitted)

Manchester United fans, for example, justifiably point out that their season tickets, costing as low as £513 per game, actually cost more because purchase of a season ticket includes mandatory purchase of cup match tickets. This has typically inflated outlay by 10 extra tickets per season in recent campaigns, albeit for extra games.

After Arsenal and Liverpool, Tottenham and West Ham have the next most expensive “entry level” prices, followed by Chelsea, and then, somewhat surprisingly, Wolves, ahead of Manchester United.

At the other end, the cheapest standard adult season ticket in the Premier League next season can be had at Blackburn (£224 including mandatory charges related to payment method), and then Wigan (£250).