Matt Maher: Aston Villa's ticket pricing raises both income and pressure
This month’s visit from Leeds will be the first 3pm Saturday kick-off at Villa Park in more than a year.
When the scheduling was announced, it was cause for joy among supporters who, owing to their club’s participation in the Europa League, have become accustomed to Sunday being the new Saturday.
Doubtless some will feel very different, now they’ve seen how much it will cost to attend.
Despite Leeds being newly-promoted and currently sitting 16th in the Premier League table, Villa have decided to put the fixture in the top pricing bracket typically reserved for the most high-profile matches.
That means, for adults, the cheapest match ticket can be bought at £58, an increase of £11 on the lower category pricing.
There are far bigger jumps in other areas of the stadium. To sit, or stand, at the back of the upper tier of the Holte End costs £77, a rise of £24 on the lower pricing bracket. The most expensive adult ticket, meanwhile, clocks in at £92. Cheap, it ain’t.
Last summer, when announcing ticket prices for the current season Villa claimed the top category would be reserved for matches involving “top Premier League teams and key fixture dates”.
Leeds haven’t been a top Premier League team for nearly a quarter of a century.
