Apologetic Liverpool abandons ticket price increase

Liverpool has been forced into an about-turn on the ticket pricing that prompted an Anfield walkout, abandoning controversial plans and issuing a full apology to supporters.

Fenway Sports Group’s restructuring of match-day costs has been replaced with a new deal, freezing existing seating prices for the next two seasons and ending the categorization of ticket prices.

The club’s hierarchy had been in emergency talks since Saturday, rattled and appalled by the scale of the demonstration when 10,000 Liverpool fans left the stadium in the 77th minute against Sunderland.

Supporters chose that moment as a symbolic gesture because the most expensive seat next season was initially set at $112 US.

Liverpool argued that only 1,200 tickets were to be sold at that price over the year, but many thousands more were to be put on sale well in excess of $85 US — the current highest price for a seat on a match day. That $85 US ceiling has now been restored.

Owner John W. Henry, chairman Tom Werner and president Mike Gordon tried to repair the damage in a letter.

“It has been a tumultuous week. On behalf of everyone at Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool Football Club we would like to apologize for the distress caused by our ticket pricing plan for the 2016-17 season.”

Fans’ groups welcomed the club’s swift change of position.

“We did not expect this,” Jay McKenna, the Spirit of Shankly spokesman, said. “It is unprecedented that they have apologized, remarkable, but it is the right approach.”