The Demand for Premiership Tickets

Last season, because I have relatives in Liverpool, I purchased one of Liverpool’s membership cards. Without it, you’re unable to buy tickets online or at Anfield stadium (or so they tell you). As it turned out, I didn’t make the trip across the pond but I still retain the card, just in case.

To illustrate the demand for Premiership tickets, yesterday I received a letter in the mail from Liverpool Football Club. The correspondence read:

“I am delighted to invite you to apply for a Priority Ticket Scheme (PTS) membership for the 2006-2007 season. Your membership gives you a 1 in 2 chance to purchase a ticket for each Premiership home fixture in advance of general sales. One PTS membership allows you to apply for one ticket per match. There are 5,000 tickets available for every match and, with 10,000 members, you have a one in two chance of being successful for each match.”

So how much does the Priority Ticket Scheme membership cost you ask? Fifty British pounds, which is $90.

If — and only if — I was a die-hard Liverpool fan who could catch a bunch of Liverpool home matches during the course of the season, then I’d consider it. But $90 is pretty steep just for being granted a 50% chance of getting one ticket. What if I wanted to bring my wife or one of my mates?

I’m curious to know what other Premiership clubs have similar ticket schemes. To me, it feels as if clubs are taking advantage of the loyal football fan and the incredible demand for tickets. What do you think?