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Ian Ayre responds to Liverpool ticket price criticism

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The LFC chief executive has responded to Liverpool fan's anger

The LFC chief executive has responded to Liverpool fan’s anger

Announcing the new ticket prices for the 2016-17 season ahead of the game away to Leicester City this week was, in hindsight, probably not the best move to make by the club.

Fans were already appalled at the rate of some of the increases, and seeing the current team limp to defeat to the side that are – quite miraculously – leading the Premier League table, has only compounded the issue, with many asking what, exactly, it is that they’re paying to watch.

The biggest bone of contention though, seems to be the top price of a ticket in the new Main Stand of £77; something that many fans are planning to protest against at Anfield tomorrow afternoon, by staging a walkout in the 77th minute.

But Liverpool chief executive, Ian Ayre, has chosen to respond to these claims, saying that fans really need to look at the facts before agreeing to walk out on Saturday.

Speaking via Liverpoolfc.com, Ayre said: “At the top of the announcement is a 64 per cent freeze or decrease in prices for our season ticket holders, then in addition 45 per cent of our matchday tickets will decrease.

“Then, in addition to that, we’ve worked on a number of initiatives around local fans and young fans, so local fans will be given priority access to around 20,000 tickets from next season, we’ll have our first £9 full-price ticket for category C games, which we believe will be one of the cheapest full-price tickets in the Premier League, and our new young adult pricing will allow 17 to 21-year-olds a concession price.”

While such initiatives would otherwise be welcomed, many feel that this is simply a smokescreen to attempt to ease in the ticket increases, considering that 20,000 tickets for a single season wouldn’t even fill half of the current Anfield for a single match.

Fans have reacted angrily, with many claiming the club are pricing normal fans out of attending matches, with the fans having to foot the bill for the new Main Stand redevelopment.

However, Ayre feels that such initiatives are moving the club in the right direction, saying that there are as many tickets being priced down, as up. He went on: “The building of the new Main Stand is a huge investment by Fenway Sports Group and we have to pay that back, but I think the reflection of the prices shows that we’re moving as many tickets as we can in the right direction downwards, but then at the same time providing something for everyone.

“I think when we had our discussions with the ticketing working group around affordability, we fairly established that what affordability means for one person is different to another.

“That’s why in recent years we’ve moved to a stretched pricing model where there is something for everyone – something at the top end for those people that can afford it and now there’s really something at the bottom end, and at £9 for a full-price ticket for a category C game I think that’s affordable to most – if not all – people.”

Regardless of Ayre’s claims, many fans will feel aggrieved at what is seen as a ‘missed opportunity’ for the club to show that it isn’t all about the profit margins, particularly with the new TV deal money increasing hugely.

How do you feel about the increases; do you plan on joining the walkout tomorrow afternoon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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I'm a 32 year old Liverpool fan, living in the heart of the City Centre. I've supported the club since the day I was born and have been writing articles for L4L for over 3 years, writing close over 350 articles in that time. My favorite player of the past generation is Sami Hyypia.

I am the current editor for L4L, with my day job being in R&D for the NHS.