Fans’ fury prompts Arsenal to back down on Barcelona surcharge for season ticket holders
Arsenal has backed down on plans to include a surcharge in their 2016-17 season tickets following a furious response from fans.
Some Emirates Stadium season ticket holders reacted angrily after receiving an email on Thursday evening informing them they would face an additional cost of up to £30 on next season's renewal prices if they chose to attend this month's Champions League tie against Barcelona.
Tim Payton, a spokesman from the Arsenal Supporters' Trust suggested the club had shown "contempt" towards their fans with the move and suggested fans could join Leicester City supporters in boycotting the first five minutes of next Sunday's Premier League fixture in protest.
Read more: Arsenal boss Wenger suggests huge transfer fees prevent clubs from lowering ticket prices
In response, Arsenal said it had taken the fans' feelings on board and has scrapped plans for a surcharge.
Yesterday, season ticket holders were sent the following statement in an email:
"We have listened to our fans and recognise that there is confusion about the basis of our long standing policy on season ticket charges for our seven cup matches in our season ticket package. We believe that this policy, which last year resulted in a refund to fans and this year would result in a surcharge, is the fairest of the possible alternatives but we accept, on the basis of the reaction to our recent announcement, that we need to improve our supporters’ understanding of how the system works.
"It was never our intention that we would upset those fans who are amongst our most loyal supporters. Having listened to feedback, we are announcing on this occasion that we will not ask fans to pay the additional amount due under our season ticket conditions for the game on February 23rd.
"The feedback since our communication last night has demonstrated that we need to find a way to create a better understanding for season ticket holders on how their season ticket is structured. We will commit ourselves to communicating this, and the rationale, very clearly to our fans going forward so that there is no such confusion in the future. Work has already started to address this."