After Arsenal announced that it will raise ticket prices 6.5% next season, the Arsenal Supporters' Trust said the EPL club is "out of touch with today's economic climate" and guilty of "pricing loyal supporters out" of Emirates Stadium, according to David Hytner of the GUARDIAN. Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis said that “general admission prices in the top and bottom tiers of the ground would go up by a total of 6.5%, mirroring the rise" in 6,700 Club level tickets that had already been announced. Four percent of the increase is “in line with inflation and the additional 2.5% reflects” the VAT (value added tax) rise the U.K. government introduced earlier this year. Arsenal's season-ticket prices “relate to a 26-game package rather than the straight" 19 EPL game deals at some other clubs. Under Arsenal's terms, ticket holders “receive credits for the first seven European and FA Cup” matches (GUARDIAN, 5/4).
COST OF SUCCESS: Manchester United today announced an "across-the-board £1 [US$1.65] per match increase on ticket prices for next season." The EPL club said that the decision came as a "direct result of the increase in VAT to 20 percent, having absorbed the initial rise since the turn of the year" (PA, 5/4). The BBC’s Dan Roan notes ManU, “barring a minor miracle at Old Trafford tonight,” will reach its third UEFA Champions League final in four seasons. They also “remain favourites” for a 19th EPL title, which would be their fourth in five years. It is “when put into this context that the true extent” of ManU manager Sir Alex Ferguson's “achievements become clear.” Roan: “But does it also demand a reappraisal of the club's owners too?” The “hundreds of millions of pounds of debt the Glazers saddled United with were, according to many, sure to bring decline by restricting the club's ability to compete in the transfer market.” But the club continues to “accumulate silverware.” In addition to ManU’s on-field achievements, results “are improving … off the pitch.” ManU in February “revealed overall revenues” of US$258M “for the six months to December, up 8% on a year earlier.” Commercial sales were up 30% to US$83M, despite “calls by the anti-Glazer campaign to boycott club merchandise, virtually ensuring United will become the first club to make £100M [US$165M] a year from commercial revenue alone." The club's “debt was reduced by 9%, albeit to a still considerable” US$809M (BBC.co.uk, 5/4).
