Some Championship clubs charged as much as £35 for visiting fans last season
Reading FC has pledged to cap tickets for away fans at £20 for the 2022/23 season, as long as other clubs promise to do the same.
The Royals narrowly avoided relegation last time out and will be looking to build some momentum under Paul Ince when the new season gets underway on 30th July – a week earlier than usual due to the winter World Cup.
With the cost-of-living crisis making it harder than ever for people to make it to sporting events, the club has put out a call to the rest of the league to cap the price of games to £20.
But so far, only three of the 23 other clubs competing in the league have responded in kind.
We wrote to the other 23 @SkyBetChamp clubs to offer a reciprocal ticketing arrangement: their fans can have away ticket prices capped at £20 at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, if our supporters can have the same at their ground.
We've already had three teams take it up…
— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) July 5, 2022
“This season, our consistent stance on Twenty’s Plenty now firmly places the emphasis on the opposition clubs,” the club explained in a statement on their website.
“Since 2016, we have championed Twenty’s Plenty. However, despite our best efforts, very few other clubs in the Championship have followed suit in their pricing strategy.
“That has resulted in our travelling fans routinely paying well in excess of £20 for the privilege of watching the Royals on the road, while opposing clubs’ travelling fans have all paid £20 or less to follow their team to the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
“For clarity’s sake, clubs are only allowed to charge away fans the equivalent price that they charge their own supporters in a comparable section of their stadium. So by keeping matchday ticket prices so low at Reading, we have also been committed to keeping prices for visiting supporters at the same level.
“In 2022-23, adult matchday ticket prices will, in some sections, be elevated slightly above the £20 mark – meaning we will now be permitted to set the equivalent price to away fans.
“However, every single Championship club will be given the opportunity to offer their fans £20 tickets when their team visits RG2…but only if they commit in advance to a reciprocal arrangement for our loyal away fans in the reverse fixture.
“And this is the communication we have sent to all 23 clubs in the division…”
Cardiff, Blackburn and Huddersfield supporters will all pay no more than £20 per ticket when they visit RG2 – our fans will get the same deal on our away trips in the new year!
Full info 👇https://t.co/bKqlGYdIOu
— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) July 5, 2022
The Berkshire club have confirmed that so far Cardiff City, Huddersfield Town and Blackburn Rovers have agreed to take them up on the offer.
The hope will certainly be that other teams follow suit, and could come under pressure from their own fans as cost of living pressures mount.
Watch this space.
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