Liverpool respond to Anfield protest, freeze ticket prices

Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring his side’s second goal of the game during the Barclays Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool.

Liverpool have responded to their fans’ walkout protest at Anfield last week by freezing ticket prices at the current level.

Thousands of Liverpool fans walked out in the 77th minute of their 2-2 draw with Sunderland on Saturday in protest at the price rise to £77 of the most expensive general admission tickets. There was also talk of raising season ticket prices to more than £1 000.

The club has now moved to placate its supporters in an open letter from owners Fenway Sports Group, signed by John W. Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon.

“It has been a tumultuous week. On behalf of everyone at Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool Football Club we would like to apologise for the distress caused by our ticket pricing plan for the 2016/17 season,” the letter read.

“The three of us have been particularly troubled by the perception that we don’t care about our supporters, that we are greedy, and that we are attempting to extract personal profits at the club’s expense. Quite the opposite is true…”

A summary of the changes:

• Removal of game categorisation – regardless of the opposition fans will pay the same price for matchday tickets.

• The pricing of tickets will be readjusted to result in zero revenue growth from GA ticketing on a like for like basis.

• Though individual ticket prices may move marginally from this season, we are freezing our 2016/17 GA ticket revenue at the 2015/16 level exclusive of newly added seats in the new Main Stand.

• The price of our highest General Admission ticket will be frozen at the 2015/16 level – £59.

• The price of our highest Season Ticket will be frozen at the 2015/16 level – £869. The lowest price reducing a further £25 from the 2015/16 level to £685, as well as all other tiers being frozen or reduced.

• £9 GA seats will be offered for each and every Premier League match, an allocation of more than 10,000 tickets across the season. Kickoff.com