Finance Expert questions Leeds United ticket prices amid ‘much broader issue’
Kieran Maguire has questioned the reasoning behind Leeds United charging £47 for an away ticket for the travelling Ipswich Town supporters, amid claims of a broader issue in the EFL.
The finance expert explained that Leeds are only charging the away fans the same price they charge their home fans, but instead, considering they are in the second tier, the tickets are very expensive.
Maguire then went on to question why EFL owners can’t come to the same agreement as the Premier League to cap away ticket prices at £30, recognising what away fans bring to the atmosphere on a matchday.
Speaking on The Price of Football podcast [7 December], Maguire explained: “They [Ipswich] are going to Elland Road shortly, and Leeds have said ‘Looking forward to meeting you, you’re more than welcome, £47 for a ticket.’
“Ipswich Town fans are going ‘You what?’. Now, the reason why this is the case, and I’ll first and foremost put the preface in from a Leeds United point of view – Leeds are the biggest club in the Championship, in my opinion.
“They say, as a result of that, they’ve always had to pay premium prices when they’ve gone away, and therefore unless they can get the opposition to agree reciprocal prices, they’re going to charge what they charge their own fans to pay for a walk-up ticket.
“Ipswich fans are unhappy. Leeds fans are being, it’s fair to say, quite defensive of their club. I think it’s a much broader issue – this is second-tier football. I don’t care whether Leeds are charging £47 for home fans or away fans. It strikes me as that’s a lot of money.
“I understand the decision, but the Premier League has had this cap at £30 for some time. It asks a much broader question – why is it that club owners and executives in the EFL cannot acknowledge what away fans bring? Why can’t they just agree, as Premier League owners have done, to say £30, £35, as the upper limit?”
Tickets are extremely overpriced
At Championship level, no ticket should cost £47. Regardless of the size of Leeds United compared to other clubs at this level, a match ticket at that price is ridiculous – both for home fans and away fans. Especially when you consider these prices are capped in the Premier League.
If anything, the most lucrative football league in the world would be the one you’d expect to be presenting extortionate ticket prices, and they do on occasion, but away tickets capped at £30 are a huge incentive for travelling fans.
With Ipswich’s trip to Elland Road now costing fans £47, those fans will be less likely to attend. The away end will still likely be packed, but any who were considering whether to go or not were likely pushed to the side of not.
The cap on away ticket prices should be extended to the EFL, with the away fans a crucial part of every matchday atmosphere, and for that matter – the home tickets should be cheaper too, regardless of the relative size of the club or fanbase.
In other Leeds United news, one player could be handed his first Leeds start at the weekend.