For over three decades since the formation of the Premier League in 1992, passionate fans have bought tickets to go and see their favourite football teams, week in and week out, whether they are playing at home, or away. They have ardently put money and time to see the team that they love, with some paying for one game, and others paying hundreds of Pounds for season tickets, going to every home again in all competitions they play in. It’s one of the best feelings for any football fan, whether they are in England, Germany or anywhere else in the world. However, as of recent times, many football clubs, especially in England, have been receiving a ton of backlash for upping the prices for football matchday tickets.
One football club that has experienced this drastic rise in change is East London’s own, West Ham United. A club known for its passionate fan base, hanging around the east end of Upton Park and Stratford with a pint and a pie before kick-off, knowing everybody in their section in the stadium. Once known for playing at one of the most iconic football grounds in the history of the Premier League, to now playing at a ground where the club are renting, with most of their fanbase aren’t necessarily happy about the stadium. According to The Athletic, the most expensive season ticket is in the 1966 West Stand which costs £1,720 for adults, concessions and under-21s and under-18, an increase of £100 from 2023-24. The second highest season ticket is the 1966 Billy Bonds Stand, which costs £1,445, an increase of 6.25 per cent.
One fan in particular, Louis Nixon, aged 19, has been a regular season ticket holder since 2016, the same year the club left it’s iconic Boleyn Ground to the London Stadium, has openly said that he is not happy about the rise of the ticket prices for his football club. Although his season ticket hasn’t been upped by a few quid, he thinks that the club doing it for others is something he’s not a fan of, especially with how united the West Ham fan base is.
What are your thoughts on football clubs upping the prices for football fans around the world?
“It does suck for other matchday fans. They have been going to the games, for all their lives. I even know one fan who had a season ticket at our old ground, The Boleyn. He’s not able to go to our games at the London Stadium because he’s been priced out and just isn’t able to afford it.”
What do you think the main factor is why people aren’t able to go to games, bar high prices?
“You’ve seen this with big clubs like Liverpool, most of the time the people who are buying tickets, especially nowadays with hospitality experiences, are tourists. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. But they’re not the ones going week in week out. They’re not the ones passionate about the football club. I’ve seen this club in the pits, losing every week, not putting on performances. They have not.”
With regards to the atmosphere, what are your thoughts on the London Stadium’s vibes and many fans saying it’s the worst stadium when it comes to making noise?
“Our capacity of the London Stadium is 62,000, the third biggest in the Premier League currently. The majority of the fanbase is over towards the east End and Essex. Many of our fans have been open in thinking that the increase of prices is a factor to the atmosphere at the London Stadium not being as loud and raucous, compared to the days of the Boleyn Ground, many years ago.”
What do you suggest the club, not just West Ham but other clubs, should do to make sure atmospheres in football stadiums are back to where they are supposed to be?
“Lower the ticket prices, for real football fans. Make football great again. Nowadays it’s all about greed. Football is meant to be the beautiful game. Nowadays, they are just making it ugly.”
