The Liverpool Thread

[Scouseinthehouse]

A purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a professional Muay Thai record of 1-0.

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And of that doesn't work he'll just say **** it and go all scall on yer ****.

DON'T make him go all scall on yer. We've just finally got the paint to cover the **** that was left behind the last time he was forced into that.

 

[LFCMarshall]

Fantastic news.

The club have scrapped plans to change the pricing system and frozen ticket prices for two seasons. Nothing reduced but that's a start!

Very happy to be wrong regarding the protests having no effect

 

[Tezzz]

Fantastic news.

The club have scrapped plans to change the pricing system and frozen ticket prices for two seasons. Nothing reduced but that's a start!

Very happy to be wrong regarding the protests having no effect

Fantastic news. Other clubs should take note of how we handle things!!

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Fantastic news.

The club have scrapped plans to change the pricing system and frozen ticket prices for two seasons. Nothing reduced but that's a start!

Very happy to be wrong regarding the protests having no effect

Just reading through this. WOW!

Anyone care to argue again that protesting is pointless and fans can't win?


Principal Owner John W Henry, Chairman Tom Werner and President Mike Gordon have tonight issued the following message to Liverpool supporters...

Dear Liverpool supporters,

It has been a tumultuous week. On behalf of everyone at Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool Football Club, we would like to apologise for the distress caused by our ticket pricing plan for the 2016-17 season.

The three of us have been particularly troubled by the perception that we don’t care about our supporters, that we are greedy, and that we are attempting to extract personal profits at the club’s expense. Quite the opposite is true.

From our first days as owners we have understood that serving as custodians of this incredible institution is a distinct privilege and as such, we have been driven solely by the desire to return LFC to the pinnacle of football. In the world of modern football, growing the club in a sustainable way is essential to realising this objective.

To that end, we have never taken a single penny out of the football club. Instead we have injected vast sums of our own money to improve the playing squad and modernise LFC’s infrastructure - exemplified by the £120million advance from FSG to build the new Main Stand. This massive undertaking was made in order to provide more supporters access to Anfield and also to produce additional revenue to help us compete financially with clubs that have greater resources. When it opens in August this year, the stand will accomplish those goals, thereby fulfilling a promise we made upon acquiring LFC in 2010.

We were strongly engaged in the process to develop the ticketing plan for 2016-17. We met directly with representatives of LFC’s Supporters’ Committee and along with LFC management, wholeheartedly agreed with major concerns raised, notably: access for local and young supporters; engagement and access to Anfield for local children; access to Premier League matches for those in Liverpool most challenged by affordability.

We believe the plan successfully addressed these concerns and are disappointed that these elements have been either lost or, worse, characterised as cynical attempts to mask profiteering in the plan as a whole. Rather, we prefer to look at them as the parts of the ticketing plan we got right.

On the other hand, part of the ticketing plan we got wrong.

In addition to the other elements of the plan we proposed price increases on a number of tickets. These pricing actions generated growth in general admission ticketing revenue on a like-for-like basis exclusive of revenue from newly-added GA seats.

We believed by delivering a vastly improved seat offering in what will be the newest stand in English football, concentrating the price increases on those tickets typically purchased by fans least sensitive to affordability, and for LFC to begin repaying the £120million advance from FSG for the new Main Stand that these increases were supportable even in the context of growth in revenues from the new Premier League TV deal.

However, the widespread opposition to this element of the plan has made it clear that we were mistaken.

A great many of you have objected strongly to the £77 price level of our most expensive GA seats and expressed a clear expectation that the club should forego any increased revenue from raising prices on GA tickets in the current environment.

Message received.

After an intense period of consultation with LFC management we have decided to make major revisions to our ticketing structure for 2016-17:

• Removal of game categorisation – regardless of the opposition fans will pay the same price for matchday tickets.
• The pricing of tickets will be readjusted to result in zero revenue growth from GA ticketing on a like-for-like basis.
• Though individual ticket prices may move marginally from this season, we are freezing our 2016-17 GA ticket revenue at the 2015-16 level exclusive of newly-added seats in the new Main Stand.
• The price of our highest general admission ticket will be frozen at the 2015-16 level - £59.
• The price of our highest season ticket will be frozen at the 2015-16 level - £869. The lowest price reducing a further £25 from the 2015-16 level to £685, as well as all other tiers being frozen or reduced.
• £9 GA seats will be offered for each and every Premier League match, an allocation of more than 10,000 tickets across the season.

We would hasten to add that the other initiatives announced last week in the 2016-17 plan will remain:

• 17-21 young adult concession – 20,000 tickets across the Premier League season available at a 50 per cent reduction for young people.
• 1,000 tickets to Premier League matches across the season will be given away free of charge to Liverpool schoolchildren based on merit, as recommended by their teachers.

As a sign of our commitment to this improved ticketing structure, we are further announcing that this plan shall be in effect for both the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. For the next two seasons, LFC will not earn a single additional pound from increasing general admission ticket prices.

We believe we have demonstrated a willingness to listen carefully, reconsider our position, and act decisively. The unique and sacred relationship between Liverpool Football Club and its supporters has always been foremost in our minds. It represents the heartbeat of this extraordinary football club.

More than any other factor by far, that bond is what drives us to work tirelessly on behalf of the club and its future. We have great conviction in our world-class manager and our young, talented squad and know that in time the on-pitch success we all crave will be realised.

We look forward to sharing in that success with you.

John W Henry, Tom Werner, Mike Gordon


Full credit to FSG for accepting their monumental **** up. MASSIVE credit to the SOS and in particular Spion Kop 1906 for organising last Saturday and getting such a response at 48 hours notice.

I want to write on this but I'm just dumbstruck to get SUCH a turnaround SO quick.

To everyone who walked out of Anfield last Saturday with me, give yourselves a MASSIVE pat on the back for standing as one, thinking of your fellow supporters and all the generations to come. and saying NO! Enough is ENOUGH!

To every other club's fans who doubted just what you can achieve when you're unified and stand as one; don't doubt anymore! Get out there and do the same! Without you, there is NO game!

Can't tell you the pride I'm feeling in most of our support right now.

Just WOW! AND YES! As one of my City's favourite sons believed and sung, 'POWER TO THE PEOPLE!'

 

[Tyton]

Well done boys.

I also had my doubts that it will work. But evidently the sheer amount of people walking out made the difference. They realized that with 15,000 walking out, this isn't something that will just die out. Some people would have given up, but many would keep protesting and giving the board terrible PR, probably for months.

Must have been a couple of days of nervous diarrhea at FSG.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Well done boys.

I also had my doubts that it will work. But evidently the sheer amount of people walking out made the difference. They realized that with 15,000 walking out, this isn't something that will just die out. Some people would have given up, but many would keep protesting and giving the board terrible PR, probably for months.

Must have been a couple of days of nervous diarrhea at FSG.

Thank you man.

A MASSIVE first step. Next (hopefully) comes far better dialogue and working with us to ultimately bring prices down over the next few years to a far more accessible fee.

It's only a step. But WHAT a step. And again, credit to the owners for admitting they got this monumentally wrong and for apologising for it.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Will you continue with protest with other clubs also? I understanded u planned something to walk out with other clubs also?

I see no reason why, if every other club planned to protest, we wouldn't stand alongside them. The SOS in particular has continually lead the way in the fight against the greed on ticket prices and safeguarding the future of the game. This isn't a Liverpool thing. This is a FOOTBALL thing. And if Liverpool fans had laid down and accepted the latest disgrace off the back of the mega billion's set to roll in through the new TV deal, then every other set of fans would of been screwed too.

The fight to ultimately bring prices down to affordable levels for all now and in the future will continue.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Just realised I'm loosing at as I was actually getting a reduction under the initial 'proposal' for where my ST is.

But we aren't about the 'I'm alright Jack' attitude which has been the crux of most of the absolutely disgraceful social media comments. ('Stop moaning. Get educated, get a better job and you can pay the money' was my favourite.).

As was deafening Sat'day just prior to the walkout and just what can be achieved when this group stands as one ..... 'WE ARE THE FAMOUS, THE FAMOUS KOPITES!'

 

[mersk]

Gotta hand it to FSG this time, they handled this protest in the best possible way. Props.

 

[Subtle]

"Hey Dave, there's growing discontent over one of our soccer franchises, a club in England. The ticket prices are pretty high and the fans are starting to get annoyed."
"Alright, invent a believable but greedy figure, release it as a price hike for next year, wait a bit, then release a press statement freezing ticket prices and praising fans, their community etc. That way they'll forget all about the fact that current rates are already ridiculous, we can feed their delusions about actually mattering and we might even come of it looking better than we started thanks to our willingness to compromise. If we don't, we'll blame it cultural misunderstandings and they won't do jackshit anyway."

This conversation or at least one like this will have definitely happened some time in the past few weeks. Epic Terrorist and I were literally just talking about this exact thing happening in Skype yesterday. It's pretty textbook PR and spin. The fact that you're not only swallowing it but patting yourselves on the back for a job well done will have the champagne corks popping tonight.

 

[Tyton]

It's a possibility. They gave up far too quick.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

"Hey Dave, there's growing discontent over one of our soccer franchises, a club in England. The ticket prices are pretty high and the fans are starting to get annoyed."
"Alright, invent a believable but greedy figure, release it as a price hike for next year, wait a bit, then release a press statement freezing ticket prices and praising fans, their community etc. That way they'll forget all about the fact that current rates are already ridiculous, we can feed their delusions about actually mattering and we might even come of it looking better than we started thanks to our willingness to compromise. If we don't, we'll blame it cultural misunderstandings and they won't do jackshit anyway."

This conversation or at least one like this will have definitely happened some time in the past few weeks. Epic Terrorist and I were literally just talking about this exact thing happening in Skype yesterday. It's pretty textbook PR and spin. The fact that you're not only swallowing it but patting yourselves on the back for a job well done will have the champagne corks popping tonight.

You are a very bitter little man Sir.

And one who leaves the title 'football fan' with a LOT to be desired.

 

[Subtle]

You are a very bitter little man Sir.

And one who leaves the title 'football fan' with a LOT to be desired.

No, I just know the kind of people that will have devised, refined then implemented this move. I work with them when I write copy and press releases, and against them when I'm doing investigative journalism. I see them a lot and am, for better or for worse, fairly immersed in their social and professional world. Which is why it's not bitterness, just realism about how these things work. There are exceptionally well paid people whose entire job it is to manipulate and to massage the truth. If you think your club, my club or pretty much any club of standing doesn't employ them then you're sadly mistaken. The thing is, you don't even need that sort of specialist for something like this, it's a classic. Politicians make great use of it for example. Say you'll only let 100 refugees in-> wait for public outrage-> let 1000 in just as you had always intended-> look like you're both tough on immigration and still compassionate/willing to compromise-> reap the benefits.

 

[Tezzz]

You are a very bitter little man Sir.

And one who leaves the title 'football fan' with a LOT to be desired.

Any news on the Wembley Ballot? It's two ******* weeks away how do they expect me to sort travel arrangements!!

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

No, I just know the kind of people that will have devised, refined then implemented this move. I work with them when I write copy and press releases, and against them when I'm doing investigative journalism. I see them a lot and am, for better or for worse, fairly immersed in their social and professional world. Which is why it's not bitterness, just realism about how these things work. There are exceptionally well paid people whose entire job it is to manipulate and to massage the truth. If you think your club, my club or pretty much any club of standing doesn't employ them then you're sadly mistaken. The thing is, you don't even need that sort of specialist for something like this, it's a classic.

VERY bitter. And even more cynical.

You've just seen 'realism' in action. An unprecedented climb down from an ownership and public apology to jib £2 million that they were gonna' make off the support. But we're just being 'manipulated.' Everything we stood up for we got. The club NOT making ANY more profit out of fans. They aren't gaining ANYTHING from the supporters. From £2 million to nothing. THAT was the main crux. But we're 'forgetting' the current prices. If they just wanted to play a smoke and mirrors game they'd of just scrapped the plans they had without the unprecedented VERY public climbdown and apology.

And if you happen to come to Anfield any time soon, thank us for doing away with categorisation so Chelsea fans won't be skanked more than the majority of other fans as you'll ALL pay the same.

But stick with the boneheads who don't realise this wasn't about Liverpool fans. It was about EVERY football fan.

We'll sit happy that we've created something that has NEVER happened before through sheer fan power of doing what was right for their fellow fan.

 

[epic terrorist]

As a football fan I am totally behind and believe in what you guys was protesting against, we are at a tipping point and as a fan or more importantly a match going fan this news is important because once one club reaches a say 100 pound tickets they will become common place and there will be no way back.

But and this is a massive but

As someone who is fairly cynical, has a degree in psychology and studied media psychology at length, I am in agreement with Subtle, in essence when you look at it objectively it is either no victory or somewhat very small because you have actually kept the status quo and the prices stay the same (which to me seem high as it is 59 quid that is a lot, out of interest what is the cheapest ticket or average ticket price Tezz/scouse know you guys go regular?).

A real victory imo at least is they would have been reduced, I think Marshall mentioned that the increased profits would be 2 million? you cannot buy this kind of good publicity and good feeling in the fan base for that much. We will never knw but I really would not be surprised at all if this was all concocted in the PR department and boardroom.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Any news on the Wembley Ballot? It's two ******* weeks away how do they expect me to sort travel arrangements!!

Only got our tickets today mate on the first day of sale. (Still one short which is creating a massive headache.).

What was the ballot? 5th wave? What's that? Next Tuesday?

 

[Subtle]

As a football fan I am totally behind and believe in what you guys was protesting against, we are at a tipping point and as a fan or more importantly a match going fan this news is important because once one club reaches a say 100 pound tickets they will become common place and there will be no way back.

They definitely did the right thing. Some groups are so apathetic that they will get absolutely walked over even when things are absurd. Politics in the UK right now being a great example of that. They absolutely should be protesting the clear and outrageous attack on them.

Just a shame they can't see the less obvious threats.

 

[Subtle]

VERY bitter. And even more cynical.
[...]

Cynical perhaps, but how bitter? Genuinely curious.

 

[epic terrorist]

They definitely did the right thing. Some groups are so apathetic that they will get absolutely walked over even when things are absurd. Politics in the UK right now being a great example of that. They absolutely should be protesting the clear and outrageous attack on them.

Just a shame they can't see the less obvious threats.

The political landscape and some of the rhetoric that is going on right now is insane, but you are right that people just don't see it, and I think htat is more scary