In recent days, a Nottingham Forest season ticket price rise has been announced by the club as the Premier League outfit becomes the latest in a long line of clubs to ramp up ticket prices for the 2024/25 season.
Season ticket prices are set to increase by an average of 24% at the City Ground despite the club still very much at risk of being relegated from the Premier League. The most expensive season tickets at the City Ground will now cost £850 – a huge increase on the £660 maximum this season.
Meanwhile, the cheapest adult Nottingham Forest season ticket will now cost £550, up from £465. Junior prices didn't survive the price hike, with child season ticket prices set to more than double. This season, they were priced at £90 but for the 2024/25 season, they will cost £190.
The club have also adjusted price brackets ahead of next season to try and make more people pay premium prices for season tickets. Only 14-17-year-olds will be eligible for youth season tickets from next season, while this season that particular season ticket was on offer to 12-19-year-olds.
The price changes are expected to generate around £2m for Nottingham Forest, whose financial woes have been well-documented this season. They were docked four points in March for breaching financial rules and are in danger of losing out on PL money if they are relegated to the Championship.
Nottingham Forest Supporters' Trust slam season ticket rise
Upon announcing the price hike, club chairman Tom Cartledge said:
“We aspire to keep our season cards amongst the most affordable in the league. At the same time, it is imperative that the club continues to grow financially in order to remain competitive, particularly in light of the forthcoming squad cost ratio rules which will cap spending as a percentage of club revenues.”
The price hike and the reasons given by Cartledge for them haven't gone down well with Nottingham Forest fans and the Supporters' Trust (NFST) have issued the following statement:
“NFST notes the announcement by the club today of very substantial price increases in season card prices for all sections of the City Ground. We bitterly regret both the scale of these increases and the fact that the fan groups making up the new Fan Advisory Board (FAB) have not been properly consulted in advance.”
“It is accepted that season card pricing at Forest has been at the lower end of that at other Premier League clubs, however such extreme increases over a single season, during the ongoing cost of living crisis, will massively impact a large number of loyal fans and undoubtedly mean that many will now be priced out of renewing.”
“The average price increases actually imposed are totally disproportionate to the current inflation rate and the significant restriction of youth pricing concessions will impose massive increases on that section of our support who should be being nurtured as the future fanbase of our club.”