FREE VIDEO: Gazidis on season-ticket prices

Ivan Gazidis spoke to Arsenal.com following the announcement that the Club is freezing the price of General Admission season tickets for the 2012/13 campaign.

Click on the PLAY button above to watch a free video of the interview. Alternatively, scroll down to read a transcript.

Ivan, you have announced that general season-ticket prices are being held at the same price for next season. What is the thinking here?

We recognise the tough economic environment that our fans are in. Our season-ticket holders are our most loyal fans. We have never priced season tickets according to supply and demand, we have always tried to look at what is fair and balanced. We have this need to drive revenue in order to compete at the highest level but at the same time our relationship with our fans is a long-term one which needs to be managed appropriately and fairly. That is why, in four of the last six years, we have held our season-ticket pricing flat and will be doing that again this year. We think that is appropriate in the economic environment that we are in.

So this is good news for the bulk of our season-ticket holders. However, you are increasing prices for Club Level season tickets.

Yes, we are increasing prices in our Club Level by two per cent, which is a relatively modest, and we think, appropriate increase well below the inflationary rate. Again it does not match with the rising costs that the Club are experiencing, both in terms of off-the-field costs, general operating costs, but also in terms of the continuing, escalating spiral that we see in player costs. We hope that will moderate as we go forward. Part of our broader strategy is to develop our other revenue streams so that we as a Club become less dependent on ticket revenue streams as a major source of income. But again we think this is a balanced, appropriate and relatively modest approach towards our Club Level members.

So you are aware that some season-ticket holders are feeling the pinch right now.

Absolutely. It is a significant sacrifice for season-ticket holders financially, to be able to come to Emirates Stadium, and we recognise that. There are other measures that we are taking beyond holding ticket prices flat for season-ticket holders. We are also looking, for example, to develop our Ticket Exchange programme so that season-ticket holders who choose not to come to a game have a more readily available and an easily accessible secondary market where they can sell their seats to recoup some of the cost of their season ticket. We will be unveiling more details of that in due course.

What about general admission prices for next season?

We have not made a final decision on general admission yet. We have been involved in quite a wide-ranging project relating to general admission ticket prices. The objective there has been to make those tickets more affordable for fans. We have been consulting with our fan groups as we develop those proposals and they will be announced towards the end of the season.

[Thursday, February 23, 2012]