Tickets for Arsenal’s final game of the Premier League season against Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly re-selling for truly eye-watering figures. According to reports, these tickets are being sold for an astronomical £53,000, more than the average yearly wage in the UK.
The Gunners, who are currently 8 points clear at the top of the Premier League table with 10 games left to play this season, have been one of the most consistent teams in the league for the 2022/2023 campaign. Their impressive performances have attracted a large number of fans who are eager to watch them play live, something that seems to especially be the case with their final Premier League fixture against Wolves.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with popular events, the demand for tickets far outweighs the supply. This has led to the sale of tickets for the Arsenal vs Wolverhampton Wanderers game for unbelievable amounts of money on resale sites. The most expensive ticket bought directly from the club is only £131, which makes the £53,000 price tag all the more shocking.
The exorbitant price of these tickets raises several important questions about the ethics of ticket resale, particularly when it comes to events as popular as Premier League football matches. Should tickets be treated as commodities that can be bought and sold at a profit, or should they be considered an essential part of the sporting experience that should be accessible to all fans, regardless of their financial status? We’re sure that many fans would lean towards the latter.
Absolutely ridiculous. Been impossible to get tickets this season as an Arsenal silver member, which should almost guarantee home match tickets. Serious problem with BOTS and @Arsenal don’t seem remotely interested in resolving it all listening to fans 😭😫
— 🇺🇦🌍🇺🇦🌏🇺🇦 🌎🇺🇦 (@gunnergirdler) March 30, 2023
In recent years, there have been many calls to regulate the secondary ticket market to prevent the exploitation of fans, however, these efforts have not been entirely successful. It is also worth noting that the resale of football tickets specifically has been banned since 1994. This measure, outlined in Section 166 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, was introduced to prevent opposing fans from being contained within the same areas as one another.
Regardless of whether the resale of tickets should be legalised or not, we are sure that most will agree with us that £53,000 is a ridiculous price tag to put on a single football game, even if it is to watch Arsenal (potentially) secure their first Premier League title in 19 years!
