Clubs fuming at price hike for FA Cup semi-final seats
Published 22:45 13/03/10 By Paul Smith Exclusive
Three of the FA Cup semi-finalists have rejected seats for the Wembley showpiece because they are too expensive.
Aston Villa, Chelsea and Portsmouth feared they would be accused of ripping off their fans after being told the prestige seats, in the pitch view dining area, were priced at £499 a-piece.
This price showed an incredible 60 per cent on two years ago when Pompey last appeared in the Wembley semis.
In 2008 the same top price seats cost £299.
Representatives of the three clubs – plus Fulham and Tottenham who are involved in a sixth round replay — met FA officials for an organisation meeting at Wembley last Thursday.
Chelsea and Pompey have also declined to take cheaper executive seats in Club Wembley. Last Thursday they were told that Club Wembley seats, priced at £99 two years ago, would cost £219.
A Pompey spokesperson said: “Given our club’s current situation there was no way we could justify these prices to our fans so we declined to take up the seats.
“We would leave ourselves completely open and be accused of ripping off the Supporters.”
Villa and Chelsea reacted similarly and confirmed this to Sunday Mirror Sport when we contacted them. Fulham and Tottenham have deferred a decision on the tickets until they progress in the tournament.
However, after the FA found out about our investigation they contacted the clubs on Friday and reduced the £219 seats to £119.
Villa are prepared to sell tickets in this area at the lower price.
An FA spokesman said last night: “32,000 tickets have been supplied for the competing clubs supporters.
“Approximately 20,000 tickets are priced at £40 and under. The most expensive non-corporate ticket is £60.
“There are only approximately 356 corporate tickets available to clubs, which amounts to just over 1% of their entire ticket allocation.
“200 of these tickets are priced at £119. The price of the remaining 156 is still to be confirmed.”
There is no suggestion that the prices for standard ickets are being hyper-inflated.
These have been increased by around £5 each over two years ago.
But given the current economic climate, growing unemployment and financial hardship, there will be disappointment that the FA have failed to freeze prices.
Chelsea took up the allocation for last season’s semi-final, but declined to take them up for the Final against Everton after widespread complaints from fans in the dining area.
They complained that the food didn’t arrive until the game started.
