Liverpool's principal owner John Henry risks angering the club's supporters one again with his comments about the next phase of Anfield redevelopment.
The club recently opened the newly-developed Main Stand, which swelled Anfield's capacity by 8,500, but it was not without issues. The club announced a rise in ticket prices for the newly refurbished stand, with some seats costing up to £77 and season tickets over £1,000. This led to a protest at Anfield, and a mass walk-out of more than 10,000 supporters in the 77th minute of a Premier League game against Sunderland. Jamie Carragher was among those who left in solidarity with supporters.
Just four days later, Henry and FSG released a statement to apologise to supporters "for the distress caused by our ticket pricing plan", and freezing ticket prices for the next two years.
The new Main Stand was sold as "phase one" of Anfield's redevelopment, with a plan to add 4,500 seats to the Anfield Road end phase two. That, however, is now in doubt, with Henry saying that the ticket price "issue" putting in jeopardy. Speaking in New York, Henry said that "I don’t know if there is a next step because ticket prices are an issue in England. That may foreclose further expansion. We’ll have to see".
It would seem that Henry is saying that the club would have to bump up ticket prices to make the expansion financially viable, and that, given the fact supporters were unlikely to pay more for tickets, it would not be financially viable.
Some Liverpool fans have argued, however, that to blame ticket prices is to cloud the real reason: namely that there are fewer opportunities to sell expensive corporate seats in the Anfield Road end (beside the away fans with a less than ideal view of the pitch) and that is the reason it's not viable, and not the reason fans would be unwilling to pay for more expensive seats.
Andy Heaton is the editor of The Anfield Wrap:
Jay McKenna is chairman of the Spirit of Shankly supporter group:
In all discussions we had on pricing, the Main Stand only stacked up financially due to hospitality.
— Jay McKenna (@JayMcKenna87) September 28, 2016
Are we really to believe the club can't build a stand that will costs tens of millions of £ because they can't make an extra £2-3m a season?
— Jay McKenna (@JayMcKenna87) September 28, 2016
Dave Phillips has identified some inconsistencies in Henry's public statements:
John Henry 2016: "I don't know if there is a next step because ticket prices are an issue in England. That may foreclose further expansion."
— Dave Phillips (@lovefutebol) September 29, 2016
Nonetheless, four years later, John W. Henry is saying that phase 2 might not go ahead because ticket prices are problematic? #lfc
— Dave Phillips (@lovefutebol) September 29, 2016
FSG have ruled out selling Liverpool in recent months, but have admitted they may sell a minority stake in the club to increase revenue.
Aside from, you know - winning trophies - sounds to me like an admittance from Henry that the asset can be maximised no further.
— Simon Hughes (@Simon_Hughes__) September 29, 2016
From a coldly business angle, John Henry and FSG have hit the jackpot with Liverpool. They acquired the club in circumstances which ex-owner Tom Hicks called "an epic swindle", purchasing it for around £300 million. If they were to sell tomorrow, they would be selling a club with 8,500 extra paying customers every fortnight, and would make a gigantic profit: this excellent in-depth article on This is Anfield.com believes the club may be worth a billion pounds by the end of this season.
Perhaps, with the stadium expansion, Henry believes he has had enough.
See Also: Opinion: Irish Fans Supporting The Anfield Walk-Out Are Hypocrites
