We have always been about transparency and inclusion and ensuring our fanbase is kept in the loop with updates, regardless of consequences.
We have been outraged for a whole host of reasons with regards the latest price hikes. If you check our socials and media updates, this goes far beyond just ticket prices. It’s an attack on football, it’s an attack on heritage and rivalries. The start of an erosion of the very fabric of football culture in our country.
We will be protesting as part of the #StopExploitingLoyalty campaign being an associated member of the FSA. This was at the request of other members who felt our fanbase was not being represented, nor given the focus by other groups. We will change that.Â
Details of our protest.
PROTEST DETAILS FOR EVERTON, 12:30 TRINITY STATUE@WeAreTheFSA #StopExploitingLoyalty
— The 1958 (@The__1958) November 26, 2024
As an associated member of the FSA and together with Everton supporters group, we will be protesting (peacefully) on Sunday before the game to support their current #StopExploitingLoyalty… pic.twitter.com/tT1cKYUbkW
This morning we also sent a strongly worded email to the club and we will be following this up with further action if this is ignored.Â
The email is outlined below for transparency:
Dear Omar,
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We contacted recently about our intentions to form the largest independent fan coalition in our fanbase and to also facilitate a meeting. We had the initial meeting with Rick & Collette and we have formally launched FC58 (our fan coalition) to widespread positivity across our fanbase. We are currently recruiting for roles and intend to deliver best in class, independent fan representation.
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We are contacting you today to express our anger and disappointment at the recent announcement on ticket charges that have increased to a minimum £66 per ticket per game for members from the Ipswich game onwards. This is a clear exploitation of our loyal fan base. The most disappointing fact is that the minimum price includes under 16’s, Youth, OAP’s and disabled fans. This is a disgusting low blow from the club and we will be campaigning through our members, the fan base and all our media contacts to get this removed.
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A United season ticket holder will sell back their ticket to the club. The club will then resell the ticket at a higher price. This is ‘corporate touting’ at its finest and simply unacceptable. It is the clubs first step towards dynamic pricing.
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The youth supporters in our fan base are the future. The next generation is who will provide the atmosphere within the stadium for decades to come. This ticket charging system will alienate the younger generation as parents will not have the expendable cash to take their children to a game. The club should be doing everything in it’s power to make football affordable for every fan. But the priority should be youth. Otherwise we lose everything this great club was built on.
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We have received thousands of messages and emails about this from fans. If you in know anything about us we are sure you are aware that generational fans, communities, families and youth are our biggest motivation. We have always been about protecting the future of our club and ensuring fit and proper ownership so we can pass the baton on to the next generation (like our families did for us). This is unacceptable and we will be protesting at the Everton game in conjunction with the FSA and also Everton fans. This is an endemic issue across football whereby the loyal generational fans are nothing more than an after thought.
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With issues like this, or match scheduling up and down the country. We also contacted the club for permission to take an FSA banner into the ground in support of their #StopExploitingLoyalty campaign. Other premier league clubs have allowed this and we didn’t even get the courtesy of a reply.
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We are asking the club to reconsider this first step towards dynamic pricing for all the reasons mentioned above and remove it straight away.
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Otherwise football at Old Trafford will be nothing but ageing supporters and a drab americanised atmosphere. This is not how our club was built.
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We will be asking for another meeting with Rick and Collette. Fan engagement is not just a tick box exercise and delivered through one meeting. Open and expedient dialogue is needed. We are all busy people, everyone in our group has day jobs and families. It’s really disappointing that in close to 2 weeks (with reminders) we didn’t even get a reply granting or denying our request.
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FC58
