FSF fan protest - Norwich City (A)

[Sol thewall Bamba]

If people boycotted and didn't go, someone else will take their place and nothing would change.

I don't get why people can't just get behind things like this, it benefits us all.

[Freeman's Wharfer]

It's not about trying to convince the clubs. We know that the clubs couldn't care less what people think about them filling their grounds at £45-a-pop. It's about sending a message to the relevant football authorities that something needs to be done about this situation.

[Bayfox]

Don't want to get into a debate and while i support the idea and the reasons. After all you only have to look at the WBA thread and see all the 25 quid that's reasonable comments.

I applaud all those trying to make the point and take a stance.

I am afraid I will be remaining firmly in the pub.

[fazzyfox]

Banner with a cartoon picture of Delia Smith grasping cash from a City fans wallet whilst shouting "Come onnnnn, lets be 'avin it"

[ozleicester]

Good effort by FSF. Any effort is to be supported.

 

It surprises me that people are complaining about the way it is being done, what is the alternative, not buying a ticket?... talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.

 

Everyone knows the prices are too high, but the wealthy public schoolboy pigfvckers dont need to worry, they can afford it, and then they have the gumption to sit around and tell others not to complain.

 

Good luck to FSF and UFS.

[Guest]

Liverpool did a protest last season at somewhere (Hull?) Bought kids tickets and didnt go. Cost Hull revenue that way. Not many people would be willing to throw money away to protest though.

Also not sure what sort of missing numbers there were.

[ScouseFox]

Liverpool did a protest last season at somewhere (Hull?) Bought kids tickets and didnt go. Cost Hull revenue that way. Not many people would be willing to throw money away to protest though.

Also not sure what sort of missing numbers there were.

it was still about two thirds full. it just looked a bit like they couldn't be arsed going coz they were shit rather than they were boycotting/protesting.

loads of locals/"high up" fans didn't go but had their tickets bought by Liverpool fans from hull etc as expected. hull wouldn't have given much of a shit really. the same fans who boycotted that paid about £60 for arsenal away on a monday a few months later anyway.

[C-man]

As usual you can't win with these sort of things:

a) a boycott is called. People laugh at the notion, get offended that they are being 'told' (read: asked) what to do and we still sell out. Worse still, LCFC get wind of it, take a smaller allocation and the tickets go to home fans.

If people can't see that the whole reason they are £45 is to encourage away fans not to travel so they can give more matchday tickets to the home fans then they need to give their head a wobble. Norwich have a huge percentage of season ticket holders and want to do everything they can to get more of their irregular fans in the stadium as possible.

b) you attend and make a visual display about the ticket price of the game. You are widely seen as a hypocrite who is only perpetuating the problem. Arguably fairly, too.

c) you attend, make a display about ticket prices IN GENERAL (ie nothing to do with Norwich it would have happened if tickets were £22). Probably has the least direct impact of any of the above. That said, a national protest with all clubs involved will get the media's attention.

We can only hope that the awareness it generates leads to more aggressive action and pressure from the press and we get somewhere. But that's the next step.

If you don't want to help then fine. Just don't moan when you can't afford to take your kids to a game when it's £50 for a five year old in 15 years.

You have a chance to TRY and do something.

[Vicki Vixen]

I'm all for this, well done to those arranging it.

I do wonder though why pick on Norwich. Last year I payed around £50 to watch us play at Chelsea. Pricing starts with the top clubs and filters down. If the likes of Chelsea reduced their prices, other English clubs would be forced to follow. If Norwich reduce their prices, every other club continues to rip off fans regardless.

I agree we need to raise awareness of this. We need to start somewhere. But it's the likes of Chelsea, Man U, etc. that we need to target as they pull the strings in this country.

[AndWhat?]

I'm all for this, well done to those arranging it.

I do wonder though why pick on Norwich. Last year I payed around £50 to watch us play at Chelsea. Pricing starts with the top clubs and filters down. If the likes of Chelsea reduced their prices, other English clubs would be forced to follow. If Norwich reduce their prices, every other club continues to rip off fans regardless.

I agree we need to raise awareness of this. We need to start somewhere. But it's the likes of Chelsea, Man U, etc. that we need to target as they pull the strings in this country.

 

The FSF chose the weekend of the 3rd and 4th of October not Union FS.

[C-man]

I'm all for this, well done to those arranging it.

I do wonder though why pick on Norwich. Last year I payed around £50 to watch us play at Chelsea. Pricing starts with the top clubs and filters down. If the likes of Chelsea reduced their prices, other English clubs would be forced to follow. If Norwich reduce their prices, every other club continues to rip off fans regardless.

I agree we need to raise awareness of this. We need to start somewhere. But it's the likes of Chelsea, Man U, etc. that we need to target as they pull the strings in this country.

They are involved too. This is a national protest not just us!

[Langley]

Any chance of a banner at the ground and hopefully makes it onto MOTD?

[Vicki Vixen]

They are involved too. This is a national protest not just us!

Thanks - sorry I hadn't picked that up. Top work fellas.

[yorkie1999]

Why don't we just charge them 50 quid and put the extra 15 quid back into the fund, that way we end up making a fiver per away fan.

[Jacnah]

http://www.unionfs.co.uk/fsf-fan-protest---norwich--a-.html

On Thursday 27 August, it was announced that Norwich City would charge Leicester City fans £35 for the privilege of visiting Carrow Road in October 2015.

Given the fears surrounding what price Norwich would charge City fans - exacerbated by the £40 plus cash Stoke City and Bournemouth fans have had to part with - the news came somewhat as a relief. It later emerged that Leicester City Football Club had used some of the Away Supporters' Initiative Fund to reduce the cost for each Leicester fan by £10, from the originally listed £45 outlay.

The Club's intentions in doing so were wholly positive and done for the right reasons - to get more Leicester fans to a game. This has certainly been a success and the Club should be thanked for saving over 2,800 fans a tenner.

That said, Union FS find it wholly disheartening that the Club's hands were forced in such a way. The notion of an Away Supporters' Initiative fund is in danger of becoming at best a gimmick and at worst a method of recycling cash from fans' hands into the pockets of Premier League clubs - Norwich have still got their £45.

Furthermore, it is a core belief of Union FS that £35, and definitely £45, is still too much for a game of football, in particular for the away fans who give so much time, money and effort to follow their team and contribute the majority of the atmosphere at professional fixtures in England.

Some fans might not necessarily agree, and individuals should not be told how to spend their hard-earned. As such, calls for total boycotts in the UK are largely unsuccessful.

That said, a solution must be found.

For decades football had a problem with inclusivity, or lack there-of, reflective of society in general and a growing hooligan element.

Football still has a problem with inclusivity. Fans from disadvantaged backgrounds and those on a low-to-medium level of income are completely excluded from many football clubs across the country, as clubs pander to corporate backing and cash cow supporters with endless disposable income.

As a staple part of the community, football clubs must realise their privileged position in being able to do great things for the people of the towns and cities they represent.

The fightback begins on Saturday 3 October, as every set of Premier League fans - led by the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) - will demonstrate against ever increasing ticket prices across the course of the weekend.

As City fans, we call on those making the trip to Norwich to join Union FS and the FSF in this protest, whilst supporting the boys in blue with everything you have.

Union FS are planning to meet in the Compleat Angler (by the train station in Norwich) at 1pm before making the short walk to Carrow Road, together as a group, at around 1.50pm to meet fans of Norwich for a joint show of solidarity. We would love you to join us.

We would encourage you all to take the time to make home made banners for the occasion. Just think, what does high ticket pricing mean to you?

Please contact Union FS via here, social media or e-mail at [email protected] if you would like to take part.

Thank you for your support - enjoy the game tonight.

Union FS

agree with the sentiment but give the protest during the match a miss. Dont detract frtom supporting the players on the pitch in any way.

[Voll Blau]

Why don't we just charge them 50 quid and put the extra 15 quid back into the fund, that way we end up making a fiver per away fan.

 

Great. Ripping off fellow supporters.

 

I'm afraid this is never going to get any better until fans start working together and not trying to one-up each other while the clubs do them over. Like the comments about Man City offering £5 tickets for Euopean matches the other week. They should've been applauded and all they got was ****** saying how tinpot their support is that they had to make prices so low. I mean FFS.

[Nick]

I wouldn't be surprised to see some issues with 'Policing' for this meet up on a match day, albeit in the name of solidarity.

[Sharpe's Fox]

It may be ironic paying high prices to protest about high ticket prices but the fans need a platform for their protest.

[C-man]

agree with the sentiment but give the protest during the match a miss. Dont detract frtom supporting the players on the pitch in any way.

I think they made that clear

'As City fans, we call on those making the trip to Norwich to join Union FS and the FSF in this protest, whilst supporting the boys in blue with everything you have.'

[Kitchandro]

never ever going to be a mass boycott, and if groups of 100 or even 500 somehow managed to get together to protest then another 500 would buy the spare tickets anyway. 

 

"protesting" is better than nothing. good luck. 

 

Agreed.

 

Plus if you're going to boycott Norwich on the principle that you should only be paying £20 you'd have to boycott most games - £35 is a standard price.

[NORFOLK FOX]

Myself and a fellow Norfolk fox couldn't  get away tickets for the Norwich game but have managed to get 2 home tickets....wait for it £50 face value what a bloody joke i haven't  paid that for Wembley games....but we have to do what we have to do even if it means spending stupid money !!! 

[Number 6]

Think the point about supporting fellow fans is a good one and, as we have regular contact with our club, easier to start at home.

What do we charge away fans? Is it possible to persuade our own club to adopt a £20 cap for away fans?

[leicesterseddon]

It depends what kind of role you think football clubs should be playing in society really. 

 

If you think they are just private enterprises like any other, then the price they charge for tickets should simply be whatever allows them to maximise profits whilst matching supply with demand. 

 

If however you think they have a kind of "social" function as community enterprises (as they claim to be for PR purposes), then you could argue they should ensure people of all backgrounds are able to attend the games. 

 

From this point of view, whether they sell the tickets or not is only part of the issue - it's who they are selling them to, and who has access. 

 

More importantly, there is a question of how clubs should be adjusting their pricing policies now that ticket revenue is set to become a smaller proportion of their overall income given the hike in TV money. 

 

I for one am interested in seeing how/if FSF advances these arguments in the coming seasons. 

[AKCJ]

It won't work, and i'm usually an optimist.

 

 

The only way you will reduce prices is via mass boycott.

[inckley fox]

You can pay the fee and still protest, of course you can. Emily Davison was one of the most famous and successful protesters in history but she had to attend the Epsom Derby and pay her fee before she chucked herself at the King's horse. And I'm sure no Leicester fan is going to do anything as heroically symbolic as that, but parting with your money for a cause you disagree with has never invalidated your voice. You can catch a bus run by a private company to protest against Capitalism, you can wear a t-shirt made in China and protest against globalism or, if you like, you can shop in the Polish foods section at Asda and not support immigration. But in this case, while some people might favour a different method of protest, I can't think why anyone wouldn't wish to get behind you.

 

And there's something incredibly sad about people saying 'don't bother protesting, it won't work'. Quite apart from the millions of occasions when it has throughout history, it's that sentiment which tends to stop protests which have widespread popular support from working. If you agree, get behind it.