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Fans of Manchester City and Liverpool are seen sharing a banner which reads #Stop Exploiting Loyalty as they protest against the price of tickets inside the stadium prior to the Premier League match at Anfield on December 01, 2024(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images))

Spirit of Shankly have said they look forward to seeing if Liverpool FC "live up to their word" over more meaningful fan engagement as the LFC Supporters' Board prepares to meet with the club on Monday to discuss ticket prices for next season.

And the influential supporters' union have also highlighted what is claimed to be a rise of 875% in ticket prices since the formation of the Premier League back in 1992, believing further increases are unsustainable for many supporters who are experiencing a cost-of-living crisis.

On Friday, the club's managing director Andy Hughes was sent a letter directly from a number of fan groups, including Spirit of Shankly, who combined to warn that Liverpool are at risk of 'killing the Kop' with their price rises, the most recent of which was a 2% hike that was announced last spring.



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Consultation between Liverpool and its fan-group representatives last took place in April 2024, which came shortly after a blackout on the Kop was organised for the 3-0 defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League in protest of the 2% rise.

Anfield chiefs put the decision down to a "significant increase in costs" at the time, while CEO Billy Hogan said on the pre-season tour of the United States that utilities had increased 100% across the previous 12 months.

And before the meeting between the LFC Supporters' Board - a 16-person group that engages with Liverpool on key off-the-field matters - on Monday, Spirit of Shankly chair, Paul Khan, has told the ECHO he is hoping to see the club keep their promise of more productive dialogue on issues such as ticketing.

Mr Khan's statement, sent on behalf of SOS, read: “A total of 92.1% of our members have expressed a clear desire for us to campaign for lower season ticket and general admission prices.

This gives us a strong mandate to engage with the club on this issue.

"With ticket prices having risen by 875% since 1992, such increases are simply unsustainable for ordinary match-going fans, especially in light of the current cost of living crisis.

"We are pleased to see that groups like Spion Kop 1906, the Official Liverpool Supporters' Club, Kop Outs, Liverpool Women Supporters club and cultuRED - an independent organisation representing and uniting faith, culture and ethnicity work share our concerns.

"Last time, we were merely informed of the price increase; however, the club has promised meaningful engagement with the Supporters' Board this year.

We look forward to seeing whether they will live up to their word."

A Liverpool FC spokesperson told the ECHO: “We will be fully respectful of the engagement process with supporters and will not be commenting publicly before or during those important discussions.”

The Supporters' Board are asking for the prices of general admission and season tickets to be reduced in time for next season, while a demand for a stronger commitment towards meaningful engagement is also made.

Finally, officials are asked to make a "recognition of supporters as the cornerstone of Liverpool FC's culture", with the belief that continual rises prices out fans who have helped establish the stadium's enduring reputation as one of the cathedrals of the world game.

The letter to managing director Andy Hughes read: "We write to you regarding the forthcoming discussions about ticket pricing at Liverpool Football Club.

As representatives of the match-going community and many more supporters worldwide, we feel it is vital to emphasise the importance of preserving the identity, accessibility, and cultural significance of Liverpool FC for all its fans, at home and abroad.

"The club’s success has been built on, and continues to be fuelled by, a unique relationship between the supporters and the team – a relationship that has cultivated the iconic atmosphere of Anfield, inspired generations of fans, and contributed significantly to the global appeal of Liverpool FC, not to mention many of the landmark victories at Anfield and beyond.

Liverpool FC is in Anfield, and should be of Anfield; a Premier League match should not be off limits to a supporter growing up in the same postcode as the club.

"We know the club will argue that every penny generated is reinvested, but the revenue from ticket price increases for general admission and season ticket holders represents a fraction of the club’s overall income.

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"With the club now having a bigger stadium, an 11,000-strong corporate offer, more matches in the extended Champions League format (and greater income from the competition), plus the prospect of a greater share from the new £12.25bn TV rights deal, this further lessens the impact of year-on-year price rises – the impact of which on loyal supporters, many of whom are already stretched, would be profound."

Speaking in Philadelphia in early August, Reds CEO Mr Hogan said: "In this case, [the pros and cons of a price rise] is something we always consider.
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