BIAS met with representatives of the Club and Bees United last week. It was part of an ongoing dialogue after matchday price rises and changes to ticket eligibility for category B away games.
We are pleased that following the meeting the club have announced that they are no longer increasing prices for U18’s and that they have agreed to track category B away sales and change policy if required. However it remains a disappointment that despite voicing our opposition, the Club did not change their stance on Adult and Senior prices.
Raising matchday admission across the board is a blunt instrument. It affects those poorer in society, especially in the current cost-of-living crisis. And it won’t bridge the gap between Brentford and the so-called Premier League big clubs. We calculate that the money raised by admission prices this season amounts to fewer than 0.5 per cent of the Club’s projected turnover.
BIAS believes these type of increases are the thin edge of the wedge to further ones in 12 months’ time. We also called on the club to be more imaginative in how it markets products classed as discretionary spend (all non turnstile related income, not including player sales). This will lighten the financial load for those less well off Brentford fans.
The Club promised further dialogue on a more formal basis for this coming season, and we welcome this.
We are the only Brentford supporters’ group campaigning against wholesale price rises.
Join BIAS today for free at bias.org.uk/join
Russell Wallman
As a BIAS member, I sympathise with anxiety about increased admission prices.
However, freezing admission prices during a period of high inflation would be bound to make it even more difficult for Brentford to compete.
The facts are that admission prices are pretty low by Premier League standards and that the ground sells out every match. A modest increase in prices seems entirely reasonable to me.
And at least we don’t need to shell out for a new red and white replica shirt.