Blackpool FC board issues U-turn on children's season ticket prices after criticism from fans

Fans expressed concern about the children’s price of £75 being restricted to the new Family Stand in the South West corner of Bloomfield Road.

Under the original pricing policy, those youngsters who wished to be seated elsewhere in the ground will have been charged a much higher price of £149.

Fans believed this was far too high, especially as the club are looking to regain a generation of young supporters who have missed out during the boycott.

The interim board initially indicated they would not budge on its new pricing policy, but following further feedback from supporters, they’ve now made it £75 for children aged between five and 11 whether they sit in the Family Stand or not.

“We have noted the comments made regarding the club's season tickets for 2019/20," the board said in a statement.

“Season ticket pricing is a critical part of the balancing of a club's books, it is a complicated process, and will never satisfy everybody.

“However, it was never our intention to force family groups to split up and we do recognise that it should be left to parents to determine in which part of the stadium they wish to sit with their children.

“We would though ask all families to give consideration to the possibility of moving to the Family Stand.

“It will be the only area designed with children and families in mind, and without critical mass it will not operate with the energy and vitality we, or the Fans' Forum on March 27, were intending.”

Season tickets for children aged under five will remain free, while those aged between five and 11 will now be set at £75.

This applies to the entire stadium excluding blocks L, M and N in the West Stand, where season tickets for under five's are priced at £50 and £125 for those aged between five and 11.

The price for a standard adult season ticket has been set at £299, although this is reduced to the early bird price of £269 as long as the ticket is purchased before the Friday, May 31 deadline.

That applies for everywhere in the ground other than the centre blocks in the West Stand, which will become prime location areas on the halfway line, with tickets starting from £319 for an adult.

A new 17-21 concession category has been created, while the age band for the senior concession charge has been lifted from 60 to 65.

The price of a standard match-day ticket has been reduced from £22 to £20 to fall in line with the '20 is plenty' campaign.

The club has stressed these positive changes would not have been possible without making certain other changes, such as increasing the price of senior concession.

Supporters are able to utilise a payment plan which will see payments staggered over a nine-month period.

More information regarding this option will be announced in due course as a deal with a finance partner is currently being finalised.