Season Ticket Prices - The Myth

Suddenly the newspapers have reallied that Arsenal season ticket prices have increased. Season ticket holders were informed of this fact in May and season tickets had to be renewed by 1 June or your season ticket would be sold to someone else.

The press have gone price crazy quoting the the increase from £885 to £925 for the cheapest tickets. This is not a true reflection, as the price paid every season for a season ticket depends upon the previous season's cup campaigns.

The Arsenal season ticket includes seven cup credits, the cost of these cup games are included in the price. If Arsenal play in more than seven home cup-ties, excluding the Carling Cup, then the extra games are added to the following year's season ticket price and if there are less than seven cup games, then the price is reduced accordingly.

The media then jump on the band wagon quoting the time old stereotype of how can a father afford to take his children to football with such exorbitant prices. What they do not realise is that Junior Gunners are able to attend matches from as little as £13, this is the charge for nearly all home games. Obtaining a ticket is easy as they go on sale eight weeks prior to the fixture, making a trip to a football match for a dad plus child about £50, whilst a trip to the theatre will cost upwards of £70 for the two (if you are lucky).

In an interview with Arsenal TV Online Danny Fiszman defended the clubs increase this season saying that the tickets remain value for money given they include European and domestic cup fixtures.
"We've held the prices for four years but there is substantial inflation in football," he told Arsenal TV Online.
"Rather than keep holding prices back and then having a huge increase, we think it's better to have a small, steady increase rather than a big jump.
"Quite often there are comparisons made about the prices of our season tickets and we seem to be expensive.
"But in terms of comparison it's never apples for apples. Our season tickets include cup and Champions League games, which other competing clubs in London charge extra for.
"In fact they charge a premium for them. Our prices should be judged in that way rather than on the pure top line number."