Clubs are moving on from the ‘circus’ business model but long-term fans are in danger of being squeezed out

At first glance it was not obvious why Manchester City fans were so upset about the announcement at the end of last month that the club had signed a multi-year agreement with Viagogo. After all, the difference between their previous tally of eight ticket resale partners and nine is pretty marginal and, besides, it was stipulated that tickets would not be taken from ordinary fans but from the existing allocation of hospitality seats. But the story touched a nerve and at the next home game thousands responded to the call from three supporters’ groups to leave their seats empty until the ninth minute.

“These resellers, they don’t offer anything of value,” Chris Neville, secretary of one of the fan groups, Trade Union Blues, told the BBC. “They have a completely parasitical business model where they take something that already exists and sell it for a profit. We’re loyal fans. We don’t object to people who want to come to Manchester and have a good time and take in a City game. What we object to is the fact the club now seems to be prioritising these fans over longstanding loyal fans.”

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