THST Call to Action: Stand with us in the fight against match day ticket increases

As we are all aware, Tottenham Hotspur has increased the price of match day tickets for the coming season.

​Ticket prices at the Club are already amongst the most expensive in the Premier League and Europe. To make matters worse, full details were hidden in a general statement released by the Club, indicating it is fully aware the decision cannot be justified.
 
The move was made without any consultation with supporters or fan groups and was immediately opposed by the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust and then every elected member of the new Fan Advisory Board at its first meeting in July.
 
If these rises are not opposed, we believe there will be more to come. A corresponding increase in season ticket prices would mean rises of between nine and 13 per cent for the 2023/24 campaign (1), and there is no guarantee that match day ticket prices will not increase further. This is clearly unacceptable so any price increases must be resisted.
 
Supporters should be at the heart of every decision the Club makes, instead, our loyalty is being exploited. Ticket price increases are not an economic necessity for the ninth richest club in world football (2). They are a choice: a choice the Club’s Board has chosen to make against the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis with prices already sky high. We therefore call on all Spurs fans to join us in telling the Club: enough is enough.
 
Key facts

• Match day ticket prices have increased from between £3 and £15 for Category B and Category C games, and between £10 and £17 for Category A games, raising the top price for a single match to an eye-watering £103.
• Premier League fixtures have been re-categorised by the Club to include more matches in higher price bands.
• Tickets in some of the cheaper sections of the stadium have been replaced by higher prices.
• The increase will generate approximately £2.5m (2.4 per cent of match receipt income for the financial year ending June 2022 or 0.6 per cent of the Club’s total income) (3) small change for Spurs but a big hit in the pockets for fans.
• Concessionary pricing areas for younger and older fans are being eroded.

What we want

• A full reversal of the match-day ticket price increases.
• A commitment to genuine fan input on all pricing discussions: to consult THST and the Fan Advisory Board on a fair and sustainable ticketing strategy including junior, young adult and senior ticketing policies.
• A guarantee of no price increases for the 2024/25 season.

What we need to do

• Make ourselves seen and heard both on match days and across social media.
• Push the message that our loyalty is being exploited.
• Put pressure on sponsors and Club’s bankers (Bank of America & Investec) to dissociate themselves from this exploitation. Sponsors include AIA, Nike, Cinch, Getir, HSBC, INEOS Grenadier, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Monster Energy, Kumho Tyre, EA Sports, Science in Sport and Cadbury.

First call to action

• We are coordinating a Ticket Pricing demonstration ahead of the first Premier League home game of the season against Manchester United on Saturday 19 August. Kick-off is at 5.30pm.
• Assemble at 3.45pm opposite the ticket office steps on the High Road for one hour with a clear message to stop ticket price rises and to stop exploiting loyalty.
• We know the Club Board will not be persuaded easily. So, we will need to be prepared to keep taking action, and to step up that action. It is very important that we stick to this clear message – stop ticket price rises, stop exploiting loyalty – and that we ensure any action does not affect the team on the pitch.
• We need to be respectful but determined and we need to persist and build momentum until the Club agrees to our call. Further action will be publicised via fan channels.

Let’s stand together, hold the Club to account and let them know they can no longer take us for granted.

#StopExploitingLoyalty
#StopTicketPriceRises

THST Board
1 August 2023
 
Footnotes
1 From looking at ST prices across the new stadium, 1/19th of ST prices across all price points has always equated to category B pricing in the new stadium. Based on the new category B prices we foresee the above possible price increases.
2 https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/sports-business-group/articles/deloitte-football-money-league.html
3 Figures taken from Financial Results https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/2023/february/financial-results-year-end-30-june-2022/