Youth Season Ticket prices.

Youth Season Ticket prices.

Further to the release of season ticket prices for season 2024/25 we have engaged in further discussion with the club regarding the cost of season tickets for youths. Below is the email we sent to the club with potential solutions. We will continue to engage with the club on this and seek to gain a satisfactory outcome.

Whilst most seemed ok or happy with the new price of their ticket, those who received the 20% increase on concessions were less so. We accept that to standardise ticket pricing and make it fair for all, this had to be done, but it does seem a big leap, which may be one that supporters will struggle to afford.

Particularly affected were parents of children who had turned 16 last year, had a big increase already from the £70 they were paying in the family stand to £399 last year and now £475. It’s worth noting that since 2015 all school leavers legally have to stay in some form of higher education until the age of 18. Accordingly, the age for youth tickets should be increased to U18 instead of U16 as that is more relevant. Whilst some children may leave school at 16 and take up an apprenticeship, only a very small number do and the pay they receive is minimal.

If the club wants to encourage young people to continue as fans at the club, we would strongly urge the club to think about offering a special price for 16–19-year-olds in full time education, or they may risk losing fans in that age group. Having had a quick look; Arsenal as an example offers 50% off tickets to under 18s and then 25% off to those aged 18-24 who are very often either on a lower income or continuing education – University etc. Liverpool offers a ‘young person’ rate, Man City offers an 18-21 rate, Man United tapers it with a 16-17 rate and then an 18-20. Some clubs simply count young people in the children rate until 18. We are aware that currently they receive a concession, but it does not seem fair that it’s the same concession as for pensioners, when it’s very likely that the young people’s parents will have to pay for their tickets, as well as their own adult ticket.

We offer the following solutions:

1. Raise the U16 concession to U18 to reflect the legal status of school age children.
2. Offer a Young person’s membership, similar to Junior Cherries, for the 17-21 age group, this would then also cover university students, with a 50% discount on Season tickets.
3. Offer a student membership, for the 21-24 age group, for college and/or university students, proof of attending college or university to be provided to be eligible, with a 25% discount on Season tickets.
4. Introduce a 5-year plan between age 17-21, with a smaller increase each year to bring them up to full adult price at the age of 21.

Please note an alternative is #2 could be ages 16-18 and #3 ages 18-21/24 purely for college and/or university students with proof of course acceptance as a criterion for eligibility. These above rates could also apply to match day tickets.

It should also be noted that in the release it states that U8 season tickets are complimentary. This is surely out of date information now as there have been no new season tickets issued for the past 10 years and therefore there can no longer be any U8 season ticket holders.

Should you have anything you wish to raise with the Trust – comments, suggestions, complaints then please email the Trust SLO on info@cherriestrust.co.uk or via the general enquiries@cherriestrust.co.uk email address.

UTCIAD.