LIVERPOOL’S OWNERCS WERE shaken by supporters protesting over a planned rise in ticket prices, chief executive Ian Ayre has said, though he insists the increase would have been justified.
The club had intended to up the highest matchday ticket price to £77 but backed down after thousands of fans staged a walkout during the Premier League game against Sunderland last month.
Ayre revealed Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, were surprised by the reaction to the suggested price rise, and maintains they were not motivated by greed.
“I think the thing that shook the owners and everybody in the club was this perception of greed,” said the chief executive, announcing the club’s latest accounts, which show a 16.5 per cent rise in revenues to £297.9m.
“These results demonstrate a lack of greed. You don’t make a few million more on ticket prices because of greed.
“You do it with the right intention, which was always to reinvest it back into the football club – which ultimately usually means investing it into the team.
“So nobody was taking any money or taking anyone for granted.
“I’ve had lots of people comment since and I think it shows the type of organisation we have as a whole – our fans, our business, our owners, our team here.”
Ayre acknowledged the club misjudged the new ticket strategy, adding: “People are prepared to say when they got it wrong and are prepared to apologise.
“And fans are prepared to say when they don’t like something and that makes for a healthy environment I think.
“We’ve always known in Liverpool that it is a special club with special parts to it. I think this is just a good example of that.”
