It seems that Swansea City fans have been put a very poor second to the finances of the club for the away fixture at Leeds United on Wednesday 29th November. The Elland Road club are offering fellow Championship clubs a cut price deal on tickets halving the matchday cost if the deal is reciprocated for the reverse fixture.
That would have meant that the Swans would have seen their ticket price slashed so more could attend what is a long journey on a midweek night with the usual traffic restrictions at this time of year. For Swansea based Jacks that would mean around a five hundred and forty mile round trip to see the game. Swans fans based in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire where the club has a huge following would face even longer journeys.
The offer which Leeds announced at the start of the season was welcomed by the football supporters association which Swansea Independent is a member of. All clubs were offered a big reduction on their tickets. Swansea City we are told ‘failed to reach any agreement’ ( we will add if there was a discussion ) and the reasoning is that on a midweek fixture the Swans would take around seven hundred for this fixture to Elland Road. Leeds come to Swansea on Monday 13th February next year for a 7.45pm kick off. For that fixture the Swans can now fill their boots and charge a far higher fee for a match ticket than if they agreed to the subsidised deal. It’s hard to see why the Swans didn’t agree to the ‘ticket deal’ which as it stands leaves travelling Jacks having to fork out £45 for an adult match ticket. Any subsidy would have been more than welcome. Two people travelling together to this Cat B game will have little change left from £100 from the ticket charge and booking fee’s. Then there’s travel, refreshment and incidental costs which will see the average travelling couple having to pay around £200 for the opportunity to see the Swans at Elland Road.
Swansea Chairman Andrew Coleman has to get to the bottom of this issue. The communication lines at Swansea City have gradually got worse over the last year with a lack of information on important matters such as this. The club seems to be reversing back to its inward looking and parochial view at a time when attendances are falling and far more important issues are affecting leisure activities. The alarm bells should be ringing at Swansea City FC who are at best very average payers when it comes to their staff which is also reflected locally in the city. That alone should give the powers that be, who are exceptionally well paid by any comparison that a ripple effect is happening right in front of their eyes.
Well, that’s what we are doing right now.
We expect this matter with Leeds United to be managed quickly, appropriately and in favour of the tremendous Jack Army - regardless of the costs the Swans will lose if they too reduce ticket prices for Leeds fans in February. Hopefully ….
Today will bring some news on this matter.