The Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) has warned that it is possible some tickets being offered for thousands of pounds on the secondary market for Liverpool’s potential Premier League title celebration may not even exist.
Liverpool could lift their first league title in 29 years when Wolverhampton Wanderers visit Anfield on the final day of the season in May.
And hundreds of general admission tickets of up for sale on one secondary marketplace, with prices starting in excess of £1000 and going up to nearly £6000.
The face value of tickets for Premier League matches at Anfield range between £9 (in small areas) and £59.
“The FSF is opposed to touting and exploitative secondary ticketing sites selling matchday tickets for vastly-inflated sums,” an FSF spokesperson told ESPN FC.
“We have long promoted ethical and consumer-friendly alternatives such as in-house ticket exchanges where fans can swap tickets at face value.
“If the title goes down to the wire, demand for tickets will be high, but buyers should beware. With the fixture still some way away, it’s possible tickets listed on secondary sites don’t even exist.”
Liverpool said they do no comment on individual cases and referred ESPN FC to its position on touting.
The club urge supporters not to buy tickets from unofficial sources and have been working with private investigators who specialise in ticket touting to help them combat the issue.
“Behind the scenes we are working extremely hard to try and eradicate ticketing touting to protect our supporters from getting caught out with fake or unofficial tickets,” CEO Peter Moore said last year.
“We will continue this work and are committed to looking at new ways how we can help to stop this illegal trading.”
Some Liverpool supporters cannot afford the costs of tickets on unofficial channels, but will still hope to celebrate the title victory on Merseyside.
Richard Ridsdale is travelling over from Abu Dhabi without a ticket, having explored various options to secure one.
“It’s a joke, but expected,” he said. “I have a few mates with season tickets, but obviously no spares. I tried to get hospitality and was even prepared to do a package with Thomas Cook. But when I looked over Christmas it was already sold out.
“I’ll just get around the ground and into town later.”
Ken Corcoran, from Cork, Ireland, is one fan who has paid over the odds for a ticket, but ultimately wants to be in attendance for what could be a historic occasion.
“I paid €400 for the ticket. I have paid more in the past for tickets,” he said. “I bought it before Christmas. But of course I’m not happy about it, it’s a rip-off.
“I’m 39 years old and have been following the Reds since I was five or six. So the past 29 years have been a tough watch, especially 2013-14.
“I’ve full faith in this team doing it and I want be there to witness it. I don’t want to miss out on potential history.”
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