English football clubs required to consult fans on ticket pricing under updated bill

English football clubs will be legally required to consult with fans over ticket pricing under “strengthened” legislation that will establish an Independent Football Regulator.

The Football Governance Bill, published last year to address the issues facing the financial sustainability of elite men’s football in England, has been significantly altered and reintroduced in the House of Lords today (Thursday).

In major changes to the previous draft of the Football Governance Bill, the newly established regulator will now explicitly require clubs to provide “effective engagement” with their supporters on changes to ticket prices, and any proposals to relocate their home ground. The regulator will also now have the power to compel clubs to democratically select the fan representatives the club must engage with, rather than clubs making a unilateral decision.

The Government said the bill, originally introduced under the previous administration, delivers on Labour’s manifesto commitments.

Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock said: “Football would be nothing without its fans, and this strengthened bill will deliver an Independent Regulator that puts them firmly back at the centre of the game.

“From protecting club heritage such as shirt colours and badges that mean so much to so many of us, to requiring clubs to consult fans on changes to ticket prices, the regulator will help make the game the best it can be.

“Working side by side with the football authorities, the regulator will protect clubs and make sure they’re kept at the heart of their communities, where they belong.”

The regulator will also now be given the remit to include parachute payments, through the backstop mechanism, when assessing finances across the game. Excluding these payments, the government said, would have “significantly reduced” the ability of the regulator to take a full view of financial stability and resilience across the football pyramid.

Fundamental governance problems

The Government said: “The bill comes at a critical juncture for English football, following the attempted breakaway European Super League, and a series of high profile cases of clubs being financially mismanaged. In recent years we’ve seen the devastating impact of the collapse of clubs like Bury and Macclesfield. These cases came about as a result of fundamental governance problems in the game that have led to excessive and reckless risk-taking, with many clubs living way beyond their means.”

Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters’ Association, said: “The regulator has the potential to protect our historic community clubs and stop them being run into-the-ground by bad owners, rebalance the game’s finances, protect the heritage of all clubs, give supporters a bigger say in the running of the game and block any domestic clubs from joining a breakaway European Super League. The FSA wholeheartedly backs its creation.”

Earlier this week, English Premier League giants Liverpool announced it is consulting fans over its ticketing strategy via a survey.

The club has developed a new set of ticketing principles, which will help guide development over the next few seasons, along with feedback from fans. The ticketing principles have been created in consultation with the Supporters Board, and include the ambition of making ticket access a realistic goal for all supporters while continuing to recognise loyalty. The principles also include goals around transparent data, protection against misuse and a considered pricing approach.