******

Heart as Big as Liverpool ‘Under the Libyan Sun’

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Liverpool fans’ success in getting the club to re-think elements of their ticketing strategy will resonate across football. Most clubs have done their ticketing announcements but will note Liverpool’s climbdown. Fans of other clubs will see that well-organised protests work, especially those designed for maximum exposure and embarrassment. Others already have: West Ham fans conducted a successful campaign over the club’s attack on concessions.

Some boards’ behaviour, treating crowds as cash cows, is offensive and counter-productive. It’s wrong for boards to ignore that many fans are hurting given the cost-of-living crisis. It’s wrong to go for multi-year increases. It’s morally wrong and commercially naïve to alienate your most loyal fans. Respect them and they will spend more in the store. Think.

It’s hypocritical when clubs emerged from lockdown, and the soulless, soundless games behind closed doors, promising to appreciate fans more. They did - for a while. It’s also stupid of boards to price out fans who generate the backdrop in sound and vision that TV pays fortunes for. Fans are part of the Premier League spectacle. Tourists are good for the club shop but not for atmosphere. Fans should lobby broadcasters to make clubs see sense.

Clubs brief that hikes are required to cover fees and wages of the stars that fans crave, to improve facilities in the stadium and to guard against PSR breaches. It’s spin. Liverpool would be generating only a reported £1.5m to £2m extra a year from the original planned increases at a club which spent £33m on agents’ fees in a year. That raked in £174.9m from Premier League prize money. That had revenue of £703m last year.

Liverpool fans, ably organised and mobilised by Spirit of Shankly, firmly made their point to club owners Fenway Sports Group with banners “FSG GR££D” and “NO TO TICKET PRICE INCREASES” along the bottom of the Kop during the recent Crystal Palace game. Fans held up yellow cards (75,000 were printed apparently) carrying messages about Fenway. Pictures were immediately posted on social media and beamed by TV around the world. Messaging is instant nowadays.

The campaign was sophisticated. Organisers also targeted club coffers with their “not a pound in the ground” campaign to encourage fans to spend their match-day money away from Anfield. During games, they chanted “you greedy b*st*rds, enough is enough”. It was a PR disaster for FSG and the club. And probably expensive financially given fans’ snubbing of in-stadium outlets.

A club historically celebrated for its bond with fans looked unthinking and unfeeling. It needs acknowledging that, overall, John W Henry and FSG have proved good owners – they’ve redeveloped Anfield, added to the squad and to the trophy cabinet. But they occasionally fail to read the room. They fail to listen to good advice.

They have made this mistake fairly spectacularly before – on the high ticket prices in the redeveloped Main Stand in 2016, seeing 12,000 fans walk out during a game in protest, and backing the European Super League in 2021, bringing a backlash from fans (and players). They backtracked on both. Now they have spoken to fans, heard the concerns and made a U-turn. GA prices will rise 3% for 26/27, but are frozen for 27/28, instead of three seasons fixed to inflation.

Clubs have to understand that many fans are feeling the pinch, that even the movement of a kick-off time has a knock-on effect to travel plans and costs, that even geo-politics affects those driving to games with petrol more expensive. Fans are also having to pay for more subscription channels.

A club’s own costs would be slightly more manageable if they were collectively more sensible in resisting wage inflation – make salaries even more performance-related - and more clubs made the pathway easier from academy to first team. And listen to fans’ groups before risking own goals. You’re on the same side. #LFC

[Spion Kop 1906 @SpionKop1906]

We welcome @LFC decision to no longer proceed with its previously announced three-year ticket pricing model. Thank you to everyone who helped support action during this.

[Gareth Roberts @robbohuyton]

Can everyone share and get behind this letter to @John_W_Henry now?

Yesterday showed this isn’t “some fans”. That was Anfield.

If you backed it, add your name and share.

The more people who do, the harder this is to ignore.

https://t.co/bUTobFNuse

[Gareth Roberts @robbohuyton]

A brilliant effort yesterday by everyone and a massive thanks to all who helped and supported.

It’s a message the club surely has to listen to now.

This isn’t going away.

Being the only club to shut down a conversation with its own supporters by locking in general admission price rises for three years is tone deaf, however it’s spun.

Three years. No annual say. No accountability.

Normalising price rises when there is already widespread concern about the direction of the game is all business and no heart.

And that’s the clash.

Fans love their clubs and give everything to supporting them.

Give something back, instead of seeing what more you can wring out of them.

[Sam Millne @sam_millne]

Would love to know why @BBCMOTD didn’t deem the highly-visible ticket price protests worthy of the Liverpool vs. Palace highlights.

One of the game’s main talking points as 50,000 fans visibly and audibly protest, not for the first time, and it is not even given a mention.

[Spion Kop 1906 @SpionKop1906]

We Speak For The Minority

[Liverpool FC Supporters Board @_lfcsb]

It’s not just the Supporters Board or some supporter groups. It’s not just some supporters, or just the Kop.

It’s Anfield and supporters made their feelings clear.

LFC, please listen to your supporters.

[The Anfield Wrap @TheAnfieldWrap]

Not a minority 👏

Anfield shows its support for the protest against ticket price increases.

[Spion Kop 1906 @SpionKop1906]

“Some fans” - is that right Billy?

Thanks for everyones support today. It really is appreciated. Today has shown the majority are against multi year price increases.

Balls in your court @LFC

[****** @iphobin]

@DKingTelegraph still think it’s a minority?

[Jay McKenna @JayMcKenna87]

So today, take a yellow card. Take some to give to people by you.

Don’t spend in the ground. Tell your mates and family.

Make yourself seen and heard in the 13th minute.

And let’s hope after today, further action and escalation isn’t necessary

Unity is strength ✊

[Liverpool FC Supporters Board @_lfcsb]

We’ve been clear that we think the decision to raise ticket prices over multiple seasons is wrong. We told the club this and supporters have too.

We’ve asked them to reconsider and like the captain said, find a solution. They haven’t.

We ask supporters to make themselves heard

[Spirit of Shankly @spiritofshankly]

Morning @DKingTelegraph

The protest is backed by @SpionKop1906, @LFC_LGBT, @culturedlfc, @_lfcsb, @LFCWSC & multiple branches of Official Liverpool Supporters Club.

The SB is made up of 16 elected representatives, collectively representing millions of Liverpool supporters.

[Spirit of Shankly @spiritofshankly]

This “small group”, “some fans” narrative has been peddled repeatedly by the club’s communications department to downplay supporter feeling.

Today’s the day to show them otherwise…

[Spion Kop 1906 @SpionKop1906]

🟨 Show FSG The Yellow Card - hold your card up on 13 mins

📍 Can you help? Midday at the foodbank van, flagpole corner.

❌ Not A Pound In The Ground

❌ No To Multi-Year Price Increases

[Spirit of Shankly @spiritofshankly]

Big chance to send a message to Boston tomorrow - play your part at Anfield or elsewhere ✊🏼

🟨 Show FSG The Yellow Card

❌ Not A Pound In The Ground

🔎 Details: https://t.co/KvUBNLBjbN

[Spirit of Shankly @spiritofshankly]

📰 Liverpool Echo, Friday, April 24.

🟨 Show FSG The Yellow Card

❌ Not A Pound In The Ground

❌ No To Multi-Year Price Increases

🔗 https://t.co/KvUBNLBjbN

[****** @iphobin]

‘In order for us to compete’ the classic @LFC rhetoric.

City have been our biggest competitors for a decade.

‘Operating cost’ the classic @LFC rhetoric

City due to open a new stand with increased operating cost.

Do @LFC really need to increase prices to compete?

[Spirit of Shankly @spiritofshankly]

Manchester City: “The Club has taken the approach in recognition of the extraordinary accumulated impact of the current cost of living pressures on fans and their families.”

Er, @John_W_Henry?

You listening, John?

John?

[Spirit of Shankly @spiritofshankly]

Manchester City: “The Club has taken the approach in recognition of the extraordinary accumulated impact of the current cost of living pressures on fans and their families.”

Er, @John_W_Henry?

You listening, John?

John?

[Spion Kop 1906 @SpionKop1906]

Crystal Palace (H) - NO TO TICKET PRICE INCREASES