We have noted before on this site that football supporters can be considerably more patient than we are ever given credit for. Indeed, some might even say that we are too patient. In recent years, we have put up with increasing ticket prices, the desecration of the atmosphere inside grounds and policing methods that would raise an eyebrow were they to be practiced in a totalitarian state.

by Andrew Crawford

Having even the remotest interest in Shanghai Shenhua should probably come with a health warning. When I die a decade prematurely, blame it on the side from the Hongkou stadium for weakening my heart and badly damaging my sanity. Shenhua is a dangerous interest to have. Believe me, its lots of fun but if you can, enjoy it in moderation.

There remains a sense of great expectations surrounding Leeds United. To get a feel for the root cause for this, we only need to spin back four decades, when Don Revie's team lost out on the Football League Championship to Derby County but managed a little solace in winning the FA Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley.

After reducing our allocation for this weekend's FA Cup game at The United Stadium, Manchester City still haven't managed to sell out their home section. The tickets are on general sale (the only criteria being you have bought one match day ticket from City already this season) yet just days before kick-off, they still have tickets available.

As we have done every year since starting this site, we think it is time to take a look at holiday ticket promotions around Major League Soccer. This year we will run similar posts over the next couple of weeks to cover the efforts of multiple teams to sell tickets over the holidays. We'll start with Colorado, where the Rapids are offering a Holiday 5 Pack which includes 5 of the most sought after matches, including the home opener, July 4th and the Galaxy visit combined with a free gift from adidas.

Is it necessary to have 70,000 seat stadiums? Can 50-55,000 do the trick?
It's common knowledge that people aren't always in the mood to rush out to the stadium fighting traffic, paying parking and high ticket prices.

I must say I always enjoy it when a German club comes to town. They invariably bring loads of fans, make lots of noise and have a cracking time. Marseille and Arsenal might still be in the driving seats in this group, but Dortmund's win on Matchday 4* means they are very much back in it, and if that fact hasn't been drummed into the team throughout this week in training then I'm a goalscoring Dutchman.

Earlier Scott Johnston and I debated the Old Firm leaving Scottish football. As a wee bonus here's Stewart Weir (@sweirz) with his take on the issue:
It's usually an argument made by those who don't support the Old Firm.
But if Celtic and Rangers (in alphabetical order only) departed Scotland and went elsewhere, Scotland wouldn't have the Old Firm.

Malaysia limped past Myanmar 1-0, Indonesia huffed and puffed before defeating Vietnam 2-0 (Patrick Wanggai, Titus Bonai) so the SEA Games Final in Jakarta tomorrow night is a rerun of last year's AFF Cup Final between Indonesia and Malaysia.
Expect another sell out crowd at the Bung Karno as the ticket prices and rain are doing nothing to dampen Indonesian's enthusiasm for, finally, following a winning team.

Ticket prices for the up coming friendly between LA Galaxy and an Indonesian team of sorts are as follows
VIP West - 750,000 IDRVIP East - 500,000 IDRCategory 1 - 250,000 IDRCategory 2 - 150,000 IDRCategory 3 - 75,000 IDR
Again it will be interesting to see what kind of crowd the game draws following the SEA Games campaign

Nash break

I have long developed an extraordinary capacity to completely switch off from Arsenal during international breaks. I practically went into hibernation the moment the final whistle blew against West Brom and it's only now that I'm kicking my cocoon open so I can peer out.

We are one week into the SEA Games football competition and the games have been marked by pitifully low attendances so far. While Timor Leste attracted plenty of supporters for their games at Lebak Bulus Cambodia have been followed by a few embassy staff and teams like Thailand and Singapore have seen their support swallowed up by the cavernous Bung Karno Stadium.

There was never any doubt, was there. Group B was a formality for Vietnam and Myanmar, just a kick around ahead of the semis.
Myanmar technically looked good but a lack of pace up front held them back most of the game. They may argue they won 4-0 but it was the Philippines they were playing, not Brazil.

After the uproar of the announcement this morning and much discussion with the lads at work, I've come to the feeling that Ashley has completely lost any trust that he has managed to claw back over the past few months. As a previous nufcblog.org article has already pointed out, Derek Llambias has previously gone on [.

Keane: Will appear pending wife's approvalWhile the Los Angeles Galaxy will have their sights set squarely on the MLS Cup Final in a couple of weeks, TFC are more concerned with their following fixture. This afternoon, somewhere in the lilywhite, corruption-free bowels of CONCACAF's New York headquarters, the draw for the Champions League Quarterfinals was made and The Reds will indeed face their MLS counterparts Galaxy.

I'm sat in the pub. Nothing odd in that except I should be watching the opening game of the SEA Gamess between Vietnam and the Philippines. But some smart alec with the IQ of a mentally retarded stick insect decided to increase the ticket prices and tell no one. 150,000, 350,000 and 500,000 for group games in a regional under 23 competition is taking the piss.

Gunners continue ticket reduction policy for Man City clash

Arsenal offer tickets from only £5 for Carling Cup tie

Arsenal Football Club has announced that it is continuing its reduced ticket price approach for the forthcoming Carling Cup Quarter Final clash with Manchester City.

Two venues being used in Jakarta for this year's SEA Games. These are the prices for the Group Stage at each venue
Bung Karno Stadium (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand)
VVIP - 250,000 IDRWest VIP - 150,000 IDREast Vip - 100,000 IDRCategory 1 - 75,000 IDRCategory 2 - 50,000 IDRCategory 3 - 25,000 IDRCategory 4 - 15,000 IDR
Lebak Bulus Stadium (Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Timor Leste, Vietnam)
Class 1 - 100,000 IDRClass 2 - 75,000 IDRClass 3 - 50,000 IDRClass 4 - 25,000 IDR
Opening games are at Bung Karno with Vietnam v Philippines at 4pm and Laos v Myanmar kick off 7pm.

Two venues being used in Jakarta for this year's SEA Games. These are the prices for the Group Stage at each venue
Bung Karno Stadium (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand)
VVIP - 250,000 IDRWest VIP - 150,000 IDREast Vip - 100,000 IDRCategory 1 - 75,000 IDRCategory 2 - 50,000 IDRCategory 3 - 25,000 IDRCategory 4 - 15,000 IDR
Lebak Bulus Stadium (Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Timor Leste, Vietnam)
Class 1 - 100,000 IDRClass 2 - 75,000 IDRClass 3 - 50,000 IDRClass 4 - 25,000 IDR
Opening games are at Bung Karno with Vietnam v Philippines at 4pm and Laos v Myanmar kick off 7pm.

Not a headline you're ever gonna read in England.
There was widespread disappointment in Malaysia when it was announced ticket prices for today's Malaysia Cup Final between Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu were set at 50 RM, compared to 30 RM for last year's showpiece.
Fans protested on line and off and there were threats the game would be boycotted.

7:1 win vs Adelaide last night. Oh yes oh yes oh yes. Ra ra ra. We actually are the best in the World and everyone else is, slowly but surely, learning to live with it.
The question being repeated everywhere is, how come only eleven and a half thousand people saw one of the greatest football spectacles we might expect to see in club football?

Facing the crowd

What kind of title is that? Ask Stan Kroenke. That's the first word and the greeting that the biggest shareholder in Arsenal PLC said during the Annual General Meeting that was held on Thursday. It's the much anticipated meeting that has been delayed time and time again. I doubt that the club did take into consideration the improving results when trying to schedule this meeting.

So another Arsenal AGM passes with more waffle than you would find in Belgium.

One thing we did learn was the need to oust Peter Hill-Wood from his role as chairman because, from what I saw, he was a joke.

I mean the old boy could barely read out the resolutions of the meeting from his notes and he missed out the agenda of re-electing Stan Kroenke, the majority shareholder, on to the board.

In the wake of Newcastle United's 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon, Managing Director, Derek Llambias, has released another club statement. The statement onve sgsin highlights the clubs finances, summer transfers, youth development, managing / coaching staff, training facilities and supporters.

The Museum & Stadium Tour of Manchester United's Old Trafford ground, the self-styled "Theatre of Dreams" is hugely popular with football fans from all over the world, not just Manchester United supporters.
Participants of our tour included visitors from Hong Kong and Russia as well as Swansea City supporters in Manchester for their team's Monday night game with Manchester City.

England cut ticket prices for friendly

Seats for Sweden clash next month to cost as little as £10

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-10-13 21:08:26 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Why I'm not rejoicing over Premier League TV ruling

I am not a fan of some of the things the Premier League stands for and I understand the accusations of greed that are often levelled against it but I cannot quite bring myself to join in the rejoicing over its defeat by a Portsmouth pub landlady yesterday.

The average attendance figures from across Europe for the previous season popped up in a few places this week and, to no Chelsea supporter's surprise, the club remain firmly in the middle.

Sold out

Chelsea rose three places to 28th on the continent with an average attendance of 41,435.

Arsenal 2-1 Olympiacos

Whaddya mean, why can't Arsenal do things the easy way? When did we ever do things the easy way? No no no, we can't possibly put the game to bed at the earliest opportunity. Much better to give us all real value for our sky-high ticket prices by keeping the outcome of the game up in the air until the very last minute.

"I think this is a team game and unfortunately there isn't an equal level between my teammates and I." -Rafa Marquez

I'm not an athlete, I've never been one so my understanding on the locker room dynamic is limited. However, as a human who has engaged in a variety of relationships in the last 31 years (I'm dating myself) I think I understand the importance of not selling out people you work with.

So the AC Milan old farts beat the Indonesian old farts 5-1 yesterday at the Bung Karno in a game that raised an astonishingly feeble 60,000 USD for charity. That works out about 1 USD per person went to charity. When you consider these were the ticket prices then you don't need to be a genius to work out that most of the money raised was never intended to go to any charity.

The Portland Timbers play a reserve match on September 1 while awaiting their next MLS match on Septmber 10 in Philadelphia. The team has made some big news off the pitch by releasing their planned ticket prices for 2012 ahead of the season ticket renewal process that begins next week. JELD-WEN Field also launched a new website focusing on all events happening on site.

Fox Soccer may have lost the rights to MLS for 2012, but the Fox family of networks is showing a willingness to throw its weight behind soccer in other ways. According to a press release from Wednesday afternoon, Fox will air four EPL matches on its broadcast network during the NFL season. The network will pair three EPL games with stand alone NFL games and show a fourth game on Superbowl Sunday.

It's not the indecent amounts of cash swilling around the game, or that we're all now at Sky's beck and call. Not obscene ticket prices, not even the player's loyalty to the one thing that truly matters, their bank account. No, I've discovered what's crucifying football 5-0 victories. Absolutely fatal.

Who Exactly will Pick Up The Tab?

One of this site's readers made a comment about how NESV (now FSG) have raised ticket prices tremendously at Fenway Park following their investments into the Red Sox' infrastructure and team. I must confess it is an area that concerns me in regards to Liverpool Football Club.

I've been thinking about Newcastle United's membership policy on away matches. Now, I'm sure you remember our first match of pre-season, where a few morons decided to invade the pitch at Darlington, inciting trouble between both sets of fans. If you can't remember what I'm referring to, check out Thump's piece from July, when United [.

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Deja vu could well be the most commonly used phrase by Arsenal fans during the summer break (among other slightly more inappropriate ones). It was supposed to be the summer that Arsene Wenger finally opened his famously closed eyes, the summer that he addressed the weaknesses within the Arsenal squad, that appear to be obvious to all but the Frenchman.

With football financial fair play rules on he horizon a warning once again has been sent out to football clubs about the potential financial disaster awaiting those who don't curb their wild spending.
A new report by José María Gay de Liébana - football finance specialist at the University of Barcelona - this month warns a "football bubble crash" across Europe if clubs don't start acting responsibly.

Here are tables for the prices of football across England's four leagues and the Scottish Premier League, courtesy of the BBC. I have yet to see if there's a correlation between price and success, but it's interesting stuff nonetheless.