League Championship side Leeds United Owner Massimo Cellino's "controversial" £5 ($7.26) ticket increase this season was introduced "because he did not like fans drinking beer outside Elland Road, according to an interview where the Italian is shown laughing about the incident," according to James Riach of the London GUARDIAN. In December, Leeds increased prices in one section of its ground, with tickets in the South stand rising by £5 but "allowing fans to redeem their extra payment for hot food or a drink inside the stadium." It was dubbed the "pie tax" by supporters. A video shows Cellino, who bought Leeds in April '14 and is awaiting punishment for a second Football League disqualification as owner, "discussing how a section of the supporters were chanting against him during a home match with Blackburn Rovers this season." He "then says that he was unhappy about fans drinking beer outside Elland Road." Cellino said, "At some point someone told me, 'Cellino, Cellino' -- 20 supporters of my team -- ‘Time to go.’ I said, ‘But why don’t you go away?’ And the supporters [said], ‘We pay.’ So I said, ‘No, you pay to see the game. To criticize me you need to pay extra,' and I put £5 more for each ticket." Cellino said that he "had not put up the price in response to criticism." He said, "It was just a joke. I never could do anything like that" (GUARDIAN, 2/10).
