Barry Izbak
U.T.A.
The Football Supporters Association are co-ordinating a campaign to stop Premier League Clubs increasing ticket prices and making changes to their concessionary ticket pricing.
They met with the Premier League this week to discuss the issue
thefsa.org.uk
As a member of the Premier League Network on behalf of the BHASC, we were asked to add our support to the campaign by agreeing to hold a protest at our home game with Wolves for which they will provide a banner like the one shown here (at Liverpool v West Ham)
After consulting with all the other fan groups, we had no reason to think that this was something we wanted to do at Brighton.
Therefore we have taken the difficult decision NOT to take an active part in these protests, because we felt that The Albion are not exploiting its fans (e.g. Europa League match pack, ST price increases, no changes to concessions)
This is a difficult decision because we were so humbled to receive support from the wider football family in the 1990s, indeed Fans United started in Brighton, so to specifically not support fellow fans who are protesting does not sit well.
However, for Albion supporters to display a banner like this at The Amex would in our opinion be ridiculous. The media would have a field day as the supporters of the "best run club" could not be seen to have anything to complain about. However much we might say we were protesting only on behalf of fans who do have very legitimate complaints, the message would be lost.
There are two National weekends of planned protests. You may well see these banners in the media, and wonder why Brighton are not involved. Hence this post.
The two weekends are our home game with Wolves and away at Liverpool. There will undoubtedly be a protest at Liverpool and we are actively encouraging Albion fans to join the protests there in support of the Anfield club's fans.
Brighton were not the only club who's fans who had the same outlook. We were the only ones singled out for criticism from the fan group who initiated the campaign.
We will be supporting the campaign through social media, with the message that we are lucky to be run by a fan, to have regular communication with the club, whilst being vigilant about this issue in the future.
If you haven't joined the FSA, you should. Its free and you'd get this information first hand https://thefsa.org.uk/join/
The guy at the FSA who runs the Premier League network is a Newcastle fan. I'm going to have a drink with him on Saturday and explain again our stance.
Your feedback would be invaluable. Did we get this right?
They met with the Premier League this week to discuss the issue
FSA statement: Supporter representatives meet Premier League on concessionary issue - Football Supporters' Association
Recently we met with the Premier League along with supporter representatives from our Premier League Network to discuss the issue of ticket pricing and concessionary pricing in the division. Following that meeting we have released the following statement:
As a member of the Premier League Network on behalf of the BHASC, we were asked to add our support to the campaign by agreeing to hold a protest at our home game with Wolves for which they will provide a banner like the one shown here (at Liverpool v West Ham)
After consulting with all the other fan groups, we had no reason to think that this was something we wanted to do at Brighton.
Therefore we have taken the difficult decision NOT to take an active part in these protests, because we felt that The Albion are not exploiting its fans (e.g. Europa League match pack, ST price increases, no changes to concessions)
This is a difficult decision because we were so humbled to receive support from the wider football family in the 1990s, indeed Fans United started in Brighton, so to specifically not support fellow fans who are protesting does not sit well.
However, for Albion supporters to display a banner like this at The Amex would in our opinion be ridiculous. The media would have a field day as the supporters of the "best run club" could not be seen to have anything to complain about. However much we might say we were protesting only on behalf of fans who do have very legitimate complaints, the message would be lost.
There are two National weekends of planned protests. You may well see these banners in the media, and wonder why Brighton are not involved. Hence this post.
The two weekends are our home game with Wolves and away at Liverpool. There will undoubtedly be a protest at Liverpool and we are actively encouraging Albion fans to join the protests there in support of the Anfield club's fans.
Brighton were not the only club who's fans who had the same outlook. We were the only ones singled out for criticism from the fan group who initiated the campaign.
We will be supporting the campaign through social media, with the message that we are lucky to be run by a fan, to have regular communication with the club, whilst being vigilant about this issue in the future.
If you haven't joined the FSA, you should. Its free and you'd get this information first hand https://thefsa.org.uk/join/
The guy at the FSA who runs the Premier League network is a Newcastle fan. I'm going to have a drink with him on Saturday and explain again our stance.
Your feedback would be invaluable. Did we get this right?
