The Football Supporters’ Federation yesterday (Thursday 7th January 2016) wrote to the FA calling on them to cut the number of FA Cup final tickets redistributed to the football family in half. The letter has been signed by Level Playing Field.
This would free up 10,000 tickets every year for loyal, match-going fans.
The FA has responded to the letter saying: “Ticket allocation at The Emirates FA Cup Final is being reviewed by The FA Board. In so doing, it is important to strike a balance between the fans of the finalists and those grassroots volunteers who richly deserve to be rewarded for their tireless efforts throughout the season. Without pre-empting the outcome of the review, it is hoped a solution can be found that provides more tickets for competing clubs.”
The letter has been co-signed by 90 different supporters’ organisations – if you’d like to retrospectively add your fans’ group to the list, email info@fsf.org.uk.
FSF letter to the FA (Thursday 7th January 2016):
Dear FA,
The FA Cup has supplied countless special memories across generations of fans and, with the Third Round only days away, we’ll see many of those famous images again and again.
We’re sure many more FA Cup memories will be created in the years ahead but, unless the FA act, tens of thousands of supporters will see those scenes on TV rather than from their seat at Wembley.
That is because season-after-season thousands of loyal fans miss out on final tickets. Wembley holds 90,000 yet only 25,000 tickets are given to each competing club. The remaining 40,000 are redistributed to the “football family” and Club Wembley.
Every year the FA Cup’s reputation takes a blow because of this.
All-too-often supporters who have followed their side through the early rounds of the FA Cup and the semi-final miss out on the big day or are forced to pay extortionate prices for tickets which have been sold on the black market. Those tickets should be going directly into the hands of fans.
The Football Supporters’ Federation and all our affiliates and associates listed below call upon the FA to listen to supporters and increase the number of tickets it gives to fans of competing clubs.
If the FA cut the number of FA Cup final tickets it redistributed to the football family in half, this would free up at least 10,000 tickets every year for loyal, match-going fans.
We understand that the FA must convince its members to voluntarily take fewer tickets but we also believe that this is the right thing to do for both the good of the game and the long-term health of a competition that we all love.
Yours sincerely,Kevin MilesChief Executive,The Football Supporters’ Federation
Read more here.