Sheffield Wednesday fan survey reveals HUGE majority aren’t getting value for money on ticket prices

Having been set up earlier this year, the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust ran a survey taking in a chunk of the Owls fanbase to see what Wednesdayites were thinking.

The SWST, a Community Benefit Society established in March 2020, is a democratic organisation based on the ‘one member, one vote’ principle, and are affiliated to the Football Supporters’ Association and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

On the topic of matchday prices, 92.4% said they were ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ value for money, while just 1.2% said they offered ‘good’ or ‘very good’ value.

Tom Hocking, a member of the interim board, said in a press release, “We have been set up to give fans a clear, effective route into engaging with positively with the club. We believe the fanbase can bring fresh ideas to the table, helping to improve Sheffield Wednesday for everyone involved in it.

“We’ve suspected for a while that ticket prices are a bone of contention with many fans, but these figures really show how strong feelings are. Supporters appreciate that the club have a very difficult balancing act, especially as they are competing against clubs with huge parachute payments from the Premier League – and it’s notable that many Wednesday fans commented on the financial imbalance this causes in the Championship.

“The club’s strategy of driving fans to commit to season tickets rather than attend one-off matches has worked well in the short-term. However, this has not been combined however with a strategy to attract the next generation of fans to Hillsborough. An alarming stat in our survey is that season tickets are seen as poor value for money by 54.1% of Sheffield-based non-season ticket holders who responded. That is surely a core demographic for the club to be targeting if we want to raise attendances.”

He went on to add, “A concern is that those committing to season tickets will drop at some point and won’t be replaced by those willing to pay on the gate because our prices are too high. Matchday ticket prices have been raised to a point where, to many fans and potential fans, going to watch a game at Hillsborough is simply seen as too expensive. Sheffield, like any city, has a wide range of incomes but the constituency of Brightside & Hillsborough (where the ground is located) is the 13th-most deprived in the UK. We believe that the size of our stadium offers huge opportunities for more flexibility on ticket prices.

“Fans have sent in some innovative ideas on how to improve various aspects of the club, which you can read in the full report. We’re really excited about bringing these suggestions to Sheffield Wednesday and opening up constructive, positive dialogue. That’s why we’ve now launched a second survey, focused on the matchday experience and what fans would like to see from the Supporters’ Trust itself. Our sole focus is ensuring fans’ voices get heard.”

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Thank you, Joe.