Manchester City supporters are planning a demonstration against the club’s ticketing policies during next week’s home game against Leicester City.
The Premier League champions have been heavily criticised for signing an official club partnership deal with third-party ticket agency Viagogo towards the end of a season that has been pockmarked by unrest from home fans.
A call to action from three fan groups has asked those attending Wednesday’s league clash to stay away from their seats for the opening nine minutes — nine signifying the number of external ticketing partners City use.
Fans insist that tickets sold on those websites, often at inflated prices, are proving detrimental to the experience of attending home games at the Etihad Stadium. And they claim that re-sold tickets are not reaching those of a City persuasion.
One Real Madrid supporter was seen receiving a haircut in the stands on the night of their Champions League knockout match, while a Liverpool fan was attacked in the home end of their 2-0 victory in February.
‘We’ve seen record numbers of away fans in home and away ends, many of which who have used third-party agencies to obtain tickets at inflated prices,’ read the statement from 1894, Trade Union Blues and the MCFC Fans’ Foodbank.
It has been a difficult season for manager Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side
A fan was seen getting a haircut in the stands before Man City’s defeat by Real Madrid
Supporters insist that tickets sold on such sites endanger fans and ruin matchday experience
‘This has caused safety issues, and distrust amongst supporters who are unwilling to use the club’s Ticket Exchange in fears of where their ticket will end up – yet another ticket partner may only add to this.’
City have an emergency meeting with the club’s fan advisory board, City Matters, a day after the Leicester fixture ahead of announcing next season’s ticket prices.
All but two of the Etihad’s blocks still have available seats for Leicester. Prices range from £30 to £68 for general admission, although only two blocks offer the cheapest tickets.
City insist that all tickets listed on Viagogo will be hospitality packages, and not general admission, and will be subject to a fixed price cap.
The Football Supporters’ Association said: ‘Plenty of clubs run their own in-house ticket resale platforms allowing supporters to pass on tickets to one another at face value.
‘Why does any club need to engage a third-party company whose only reason for existence is to push up prices and profit from matchgoers?
‘It feels instinctively unfair for clubs to penalise supporters for passing on tickets at face value to friends or family members while cosying up to these companies.’
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