It has been revealed today that the popular Priority Ticket Scheme will be removed, leaving further questions as to what direction the club is moving in.
The Priority Ticket Scheme comprised of around 10,000 fans and allowed the said number to gain exclusive access to 2,500 tickets, giving them a one in four chance of going to the game. This came at a price of course and due to it’s popularity applications have not been accepted for a number of years.
Today the man who has come into replace the now gone Rick Parry, Ian Ayre, sent out letters to all members to tell them that the PTS is no more. This leaves me asking the question, do the club really care about their loyal support?
Many would argue that Liverpool Football Club is no longer a source of pride for the community as it once was and is now just a money making business for our American owners. Many more people may become angry with the club if it is found that the tickets taken from PTS members are given to Thomas Cook for corporate sales, which it is very likely they will be.
Spirit of Shankly, The Liverpool Supporters Union, released a statements asking for all members to express their view on the matter. I made immediate contact with the Union to tell them of my disgrace at the action taken by the club and that at a bare minimum they should be pressured to ensure some of these tickets taken from PTS members go towards grass root scheme’s to ensure Liverpool Football Club continues to gain support from those in the city and not just the relatively well off who can afford tickets from outside of the L postcode.
It is very likely Ian Ayre will come under pressure for this, if the tickets are put into the ‘belong’ general sale he stands to earn yet more money at the expense of the livelihood of loyal fans from around the country.
M. Owen
In what way is it a ‘money making business for our American owners’? We have made a loss again and the owners have put more of their personal money in again. ‘Loyal’ fans cry out for quality signings and expect the resultant rise in transfer fees and wages to be paid by charitable donation.
Surely the PTS was a money making exercise, so its’ scrapping is hardly likely to be lining the pockets of any Americans. Since the introduction of the Fan Card system, ticket sales have been based on an ‘attendance at previous matches’ system. This is surely the fairest way of rewarding loyalty.
If we want to compete in the transfer market and have a shiny new stadium to increase revenue, then we are going to have to pay for it somehow.
Ian Ayre will have to drag the club into a modern era – one that Parry sadly neglected. We have been left behind by Utd and there is going to be some pain in catching up. We have the manager, we have the fans and support, we now need a stadium and the financial nowse to start progress.
Nik if I am not mistaken the club did make a profit however the debts increased.
The club made a profit this year. We are in debt, and the debt has doubled this year however we did make a profit.
The American owners have barely put a penny into the club, the club was bought on borrowed money and survives on what it generates, not what the ‘Yanks have put into it.
Correction, the club did make a profit however the parent company made a loss.