Liverpool fan protest: Fenway Sports Group to continue talks throughout week over ticket prices
Owners understood to be shocked at level of Anfield anger as they urgently consider a restructure of ticket prices
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool will consider a review of their controversial new ticket policy in the wake of Saturday’s protest in which an estimated 10,000 fans walked out of the match against Sunderland.
Fenway Sports Group, the club’s owners, are said to be shocked at the level of protest against the new ticket prices set for the 2016-17 season, which will see some tickets in the new Main Stand priced at £77.
Liverpool fans staged a mass walkout in the 77th minute of the Premier League clash, which Liverpool drew 2-2 having led 2-0 late on.
The Daily Telegraph report that the Liverpool hierarchy held emergency talks at boardroom level immediately after the Sunderland game, discussions which are set to continue through Monday and further through the week as they try to establish if a restructuring of prices is possible.
Liverpool supporters have promised Saturday’s protest is just the beginning, with further responses planned as part of a co-ordinated action.
Liverpool do not play at home again until February 25, against Augsburg in the Europa League, with trips to West Ham United and the first leg against Augsburg before then. They play Chelsea at Anfield in early March, while fans could protest at the Capital One Cup final in which Liverpool play Manchester City on February 28.
The Guardian quote Jay McKenna, the chairman of supporters group Spirit of Shankly, as saying: “We will be taking action because we need to. Yesterday [Saturday] wasn’t about letting off steam, and saying we are a bit angry but we will carry on. We really need Liverpool Football Club, the owners, and the executives to think to themselves: ‘Is this the right approach?’”
Liverpool supporters groups have also started to target the club’s sponsors, urging fans to email Subway to make their feelings clear.
There is some bafflement among Fenway Sports Group, however, at accusations of being ‘greedy’, when they have invested £120m in the new stand, which was funded with an interest-free loan.
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