Encouraging news from the Guardian:
As the recession took hold, analysts pointed to this summer’s season-ticket sales as an indicator that might reveal the soft underbelly beneath the Premier League boom. Many, then, will be surprised by figures showing that just four clubs – Portsmouth, West Ham, Bolton and Aston Villa – have seen a reduction on sales so far. Others – such as Sunderland, Fulham and Blackburn – have recorded impressive increases through innovative marketing and straightforward price cuts. Blackburn have seen a rise of 25% to 17,500 after cutting the price of their cheapest ticket from £249 to £199. Sunderland have seen numbers swell to 27,000. Riding a wave of optimism, newcomers Burnley have doubled the number of season ticket holders from 8,000 to 16,000 – which will go some way to making up for the fact that all of those who have renewed are receiving theirs for free following the chairman Barry Kilby’s somewhat rash promise to fans at the beginning of last season.
