'Deeply concerned' Newcastle United fans plan St James' Park protest v Leicester - official statement issued

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Newcastle United Supporters Trust are planning a protest inside St James’ Park as part of the ‘Stop Exploiting Loyalty’ campaign.

Ahead of Saturday’s Premier League match against Leicester City, a #StopExpoitingLoyalty banner will be revealed inside St James’ Park alongside the usual Wor Flags display. It will be situated at the Strawberry Corner section of the ground.

The Stop Exploiting Loyalty campaign was set up by the Football Supporters Association (FSA) amid rising ticket prices in England. Newcastle are one of the 19 Premier League clubs out of 20 that increased their ticket prices for the 2024-25 campaign.

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The Newcastle United Supporters Trust sent a letter informing the club of the protest earlier this week.

You will be aware that this past month Newcastle United supporters have been participating in the #StopExploitingLoyalty campaign outside St James' Park,” the letter read.

“This campaign transcends tribal loyalties across the league and is something we, as fans, must collectively support. While we have done our best to do so outside the ground, we now feel the time is right to demonstrate our solidarity for the campaign and fellow supporters across the country inside the stadium by displaying the StopExploitingLoyalty banner prior to kick-off this weekend.

“We are deeply concerned and, in some cases, horrified, by what we have witnessed across the league. Since the start of this campaign, the situation has worsened significantly for some supporters.

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“Against the backdrop of a record TV deal, we are seeing cases where children cannot obtain tickets for less than £66 at one club, while others have eliminated concessions entirely or drastically reduced their availability. Combined with near-unanimous price increases across the league, this has left supporters with no choice but to make their voices heard.

“We hope you understand the circumstances that have led to this and appreciate the importance we place, as fans, on speaking out and offering our support. In turn, we urge our club to take the lead and demonstrate that Newcastle United is willing to be the example to other clubs in the league.

“Concrete actions, such as those taken by Brentford with their 'Gen 10 initiative, would exemplify this commitment. We would welcome further discussions on this with you ahead of this weekend, just as we look forward to working with you going forward on this vital matter.”

The cheapest 2024-25 adult season ticket at Newcastle costs £662, a 10.3% increase on the previous season.

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Non-season ticket holders at Newcastle United are required to pay £37 per person for a yearly ‘Mags Membership’ (or £47 for Mags+ Membership) which enables supporters to access home match tickets via a ballot and general sale. Ballot and general sale tickets are then priced at upwards of £40 per adult ticket for a Premier League match.

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