Relegation-haunted Sunderland to reduce cost of season tickets
Relegation-threatened Sunderland have followed the lead of fellow Premier League side West Ham by announcing reductions to season-ticket prices for the 2016-17 campaign.
Adult season tickets at the Stadium of Light next term will start at £350, down by £20, and the move follows widespread supporter unrest at the growing cost of attending top-level matches in light of next season’s increase in television income.
“Keeping the cost of watching football at a realistic level is something that is very topical at present,” said Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne.
Football Association chiefs announced on Monday that all tickets for the FA Cup final at Wembley will be reduced by £5, while seats at the two semi-finals in April will be cut to 2014 prices.
Such moves follow the outcries by Liverpool and Arsenal supporters which forced their respective clubs to retreat from planned price increases or surcharges on ticket prices this month.
Liverpool backed down from a top-priced ticket of £77 in their main stand next season after a staged supporter protest in their 2-2 draw with Sunderland. The dearest ticket will now cost £59, while the highest season-ticket price at Anfield has been frozen.
Arsenal, meanwhile, scrapped plans to levy a surcharge to season-ticket holders following anger among Gunners fan.