The Aston Villa Fan Advisory Board (FAB) is proud to support the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) and its latest call on ticket pricing, set out in a powerful new article: The money exists to Stop Exploiting Loyalty. We would encourage every Villa supporter to read it.
What the FSA is saying
The FSA’s argument is simple. This summer, Premier League clubs are estimated to have spent a record £3.198bn in the transfer window. Yet many of those same clubs are still telling supporters that ticket prices have to rise.
The article also points to figures from the FA showing that top-flight clubs spent more than £406m on agent fees between February 2025 and February 2026. Across the 15.8 million people who attended Premier League games in 2025/26, the FSA calculates that works out at £25.68 from every fan, at every game, going to agents.
Set against sums like these, the FSA argues, the extra money raised by increasing prices for loyal supporters is loose change. Its message to clubs is a clear one: you don’t have to raise prices, you have chosen to.
Loyalty is not a commodity
One point in the article resonates strongly with us. Football is not a supermarket, and supporters are not customers who can simply switch brands if the price goes up. Generations of Villa fans have stood by this club through relegation, hard times and empty stadiums. That loyalty is a big part of what makes Villa Park what it is, and it is exactly why it should never be taken for granted.
The FSA also highlights what can be achieved when supporters and clubs work together. The £30 away ticket cap was won through years of campaigning by the FSA and its member groups, and it shows that clubs do have a choice. The question the FSA asks is why that principle should stop at the away turnstile.
Where the FAB stands
The FAB has been clear throughout the 2026/27 ticket consultation that affordability and fairness for supporters must come first. As we set out in our statement on the 2026/27 ticket pricing consultation, we supported the FSA’s wider calls for restraint on pricing. We also recognise that many supporters were disappointed by the club’s announcement of a 5% increase.
We will continue to work constructively with the club on affordability protections, concessions and access for younger supporters, while pressing the case that any future pricing decisions must be fair, transparent and mindful of the fans who have been there all along.
What you can do
- Read the FSA’s article in full and share it with fellow supporters.
- Join the FAB mailing list to hear about upcoming surveys and consultations, so that your views can shape our conversations with the club.
- Get in touch with us if there is something you would like the FAB to raise.
The money exists. Supporters deserve to see it used to look after the people who make Villa Park what it is.
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