Newcastle United have announced Champions League prices for next season and it’s safe to say it’s divided supporters.
Am I the only one surprised that we’re not all united on this issue?
We knew the Champions League wouldn’t come at a cut price, but £55 each for a minimum of six games is a lot. That’s an extra £330 expenditure between September and December on ticket prices alone if, like myself, you plan on going to the away games too. Even £165 for the home games is steep.
What’s baffling me the most is the people not only defending it, but insisting they’d be willing to pay more. And attacking anyone who disagrees.
The price announcement ignited fierce arguments on Twitter. Many supporters, including myself, lamented the high cost. There’s no getting away from the fact that football is already an expensive hobby, but that’s quite the additional chunk of money required to watch your team.
On the flipside, we had people telling us that if we didn’t like it, don’t bother coming. Bit extreme.
There’s a strange opinion that you cannot disagree with the price and still come. It doesn’t work that way. Am I happy about the prospect of an extra £330 on tickets alone before the end of this year? No. Am I going to pay it? Yes, because I’m absolutely obsessed with Newcastle United.
Of course, I’m in the fortuitous position of being able to afford it by making cutbacks in my personal life. Not everyone is in the same boat.
The prevailing argument of the price bootlickers is that if I and others don’t go, someone else will. Of course they will. We’re not stupid. But why would you actively want someone taking the place of a lifelong, committed supporter? Because we know who’ll take our place – glory hunters with money to burn.
It all feels a bit Super League, legacy fans to me. Tickets to the highest bidder. Football has been getting less affordable for years but we’re reaching the point where it’s becoming almost completely inaccessible to the average working supporter.
You’re not better than any other supporter because you can afford the Champions League, and neither am I for being able to afford it by cutting down on other expenses.
You’re not better than any other supporter because you’ve got the money to pay even more than £55 a ticket. You can afford it? Good for you. You can afford to pay more, and you’re telling the club you want to pay more? Good for you, but also sod you.
The elitism is appalling. Why would you willingly price your fellow supporters out of watching their club in Europe? The club that they’ve followed for years through thick and thin? Why would you want a rich part-timer taking their place?
The cost-of-living argument has divided people too. You shouldn’t be going to the football if you can’t afford to because of it. And while that’s true, I’m a strong believer in the idea that nobody should simply exist. We need to be able to live. For me, living is following my team.
Plus, it’s ignorant to suggest that the cost of living can’t affect people who already go to the football. Essentials are so expensive that yes, believe it or not, a lot of people are having to cut out these luxuries. So when those luxuries go up in price too, it’s untenable.
Some have brought the FFP argument into it. It’s been rebuffed instantly; if tickets were £40 (expensive, but less eye-watering), the club would only make £2.5 million less. That’s not exactly going to buy James 54679o0pp, is it?
So yes, you’ll see me at the Champions League games. But you won’t see me justifying the prices. Considering the wealth of the club, tickets are not a big income generator and supporters deserve better in this one area.
Other than that, naturally, we’re on cloud nine!
For those of us missing out on season tickets after making a stand against Ashley by boycotting, Champions League is our most realistic chance of attending matches.
No, we are not glory hunters but if we have to ration ourselves, then let people boycott the Champions League matches and give those of us who were principled a chance.
RexN(Quote)
That’s your definition of principled. That doesn’t mean it’s right. Some will say we’re unprincipled for even going under the new ownership.
Natasha(Quote)
I doubt very much that our Champions League ticket prices are higher than any other qualifying club. We cry shame when Ashley rubbishes the club, we rejoice when we have new owners who commit to the club and spend big, well guess what, we have great owners but they aren’t a charity, the HAVE to raise revenue or we shan’t be able to buy the players that fans want to grace our pitch…. It’s the same with everything in life, not everyone can afford everything. I’m reduced to having to watch our Premier League games on Telly, I only wish that I had a season ticket, but I haven’t so I don’t winge.
Yeoman Keith Phillip(Quote)
Thought bond holders got cl tickets in there contract with the club wen ask to pay 3k in 93/94 season sure we got them under sir John & keegan don’t get them now apparently can any light be shone on this with other bond holders as I mite b wrong don’t think so tho
J kemp(Quote)
Aren’t the average price of champs tickets in the league £62? Like I sorta get it but 55 seems pretty fair to me? I paid 36 for our last European game which as we all know was donkies ago and Europa?
Sean.(Quote)
“ well guess what, we have great owners but they aren’t a charity, the HAVE to raise revenue or we shan’t be able to buy the players that fans want to grace our pitch”
You think this money will raise the finances to buy even a single player of quality? I’d love to see your maths!
Natasha(Quote)
Well if they raise an extra £2.5 million then they can put £12.5 million towards a player signed on a 5 year contract, pretty sure that was enough to buy Trippier.
English Noodles(Quote)
I don’t live anywhere Newcastle so can’t justify a season ticket, and as such it’s going to be nigh on impossible to get any CL tickets. I’d happily pay at least £330 to go to all six, so poor you.
Alex(Quote)
Yep, I’m sure we’ll get a Trippier every season. £12.5m in our new world is nothing. Esp over five years!
Natasha(Quote)
It seems you want top level football but would prefer someone else to subsidise it for you.
Graeme(Quote)
Yes Let those without a backbone who excepted Ashley’s **** and rolled over for him for 14 years while he pulled their pants down keep claiming to be life long supporters, If it wasn’t for those that walked he would still.be there with the saps
V(Quote)
Principled? 😆 I think you mean accepted Ashley’s s***. No, we did what Luton fans did. What Sheff Wed fans, Leeds etc – we stuck by the club because that’s what fans do. Let me guess? Started supporting Newcastle when Keegan and Sir John took over? We were there before that, when we, actually were s***. Bottom end, second tier. Why can’t you face it? We were so bad you didn’t want to go. We get that, but talking about principled when you mean you’ll support them when they’re good….
Nobody without a ST can whine. The option was there, you decided not to take it. You were a plastic fan mate, don’t call loyal fans who stuck with the team unprincipled and spineless. You made that choice, we made ours. Live with it and stop whining it’s pathetic.
Bobbybee(Quote)
Well it would have covered the combined fees for Harrison Ashby, Garang Kuol, Yankuba Minteh, and then left enough to purchase another Harrison Ashby.
The bottom line is the club need to raise funds in order to re-invest and grow. If you don’t realise raising revenue helps grow the club then I’m not sure what can be said. Personally I hope there is a big increase in season ticket prices over the net 5 years or so, the club need to increase revenue as much as possible as quickly as possible to be sustainably competitive.
English Noodles(Quote)
Me too
Paul Harrison(Quote)
It seems to me if the club were only charging £40 instead of £55 this wouldn’t have been a Twitter spat turned into an article for this site.
It’s all a bit pathetic really. It’s the cost of success – a real first world problem the price of a champions league ticket isn’t it?!.
I don’t remember the same disgruntlement at the cost of the Carabao Cup tickets – meaning 1 or 2 things. It was either an acceptable cost or the competition wasn’t important enough to bother about 🤷🏼♂️.
From a personal perspective, I went to my first NUFC game in the late 80s – before sir John Hall & Kevin Keegan. A time when you could pay at the turnstile on the day – a time when we were truly sh!te. But the atmosphere, the fans, the walking through SJP & seeing that pitch for the first time.
Me & 4 of my friends went on to have a share in 3 season tickets – 1 to share the cost & 2 cost we couldn’t all make every weekend.
But there came a time in my life when a house & family and the expense of it came before NUFC – around SBR time. Did that mean I loved the club any less than those continuing to go – only a moron would suggest so.
What you decide to spend your money on is your business – if £55 is too much, don’t spend it. If it’s not, then spend it 🤷🏼♂️ but for blame other fans for the decisions you make.
To bring cost of living into it is just distasteful & suggestions you have no clue about the really hardships some people face.
People who are truly suffering couldnt afford a champions league program let alone a ticket.
If you are in a position to be able to afford a season ticket & still be able to afford champions league tickets, be proud of the hard work that has got you in the position you find yourself in 🤷🏼♂️.
Sharpy17(Quote)