Real Journalism by Leeds Hacks

Leeds United criticised by travelling fans for away ticket prices after relegation

Elland Road
Leeds United have raised eyebrows with their ticket prices for this season and fans have criticized the club for maintaining away ticket fees from the Premier League cap

Football fans have targeted Leeds United on social media after the club announced ticket prices for travelling fans. The Whites released their new price list for the current campaign, with Farke’s side looking to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.

Leeds previously charged visiting supporters £30 each for the privilege of a seat at Elland Road as part of the collective top-flight agreement on a cap. The unanimous decision was taken last summer by Premier League clubs to extend the cap for the next three seasons.

However, Leeds relegation from the top-flight has seen the club’s hierarchy make the call of raising prices in the away section. Opposition fans will either be charged £47 or £45 each, depending on whether their fixture is listed as a Category A or Category B game.

The reason for the high prices is that the away crowd at Elland Road are situated in a section of the West Stand, which is one of the most expensive parts of the stadium for home fans. The EFL instructs its member clubs that prices in one area of a ground should not change and expects a fixed pricing plan to be submitted before the start of each season

Joe Parsons “Leeds United robbing away fans again this season, those prices are criminal, So much for a cost of living crisis…” said QPR fan Jon Armstrong when telling me about his matchday experience.
George Wood The Athletic reported that In Leeds’ last Championship season that was unaffected by COVID-19, 2018-19, gate receipts were a massive 25 per cent of their revenue. In the Premier League in 2021-22, that percentage dropped to 12, from a total income of £189m.
Joe Parsons Without a formal EFL cap, each agreement has to be negotiated individually on a club by club basis. There are no plans for the EFL to introduce a price cap, similar to the Premier Leagues’.
George Wood

Speaking to Liam Jones who works in media and marketing at Leeds United he said: “Certainly, in these testing financial times for many, football ticket prices are once again in the spotlight and there will surely be some that baulk at the thought of paying a minimum of £45 to go and watch their team at Elland Road as a full paying adult.

“As much as our tickets are the most expensive in the league, unfortunately we know people are going to pay it and that’s the brutal truth.

Almost nine in ten (88.2%) of the 10,000 supporters surveyed were in favour of league-wide away price caps in the EFL, and similarly in the FA Cup with 83.3%, the Football Association concluded.

3000 Huddersfield fans travel across the county on Saturday as the terriers sell out their allocation.

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