Sunderland issue new update and explanation on controversial ticket policy after fan criticism

Sunderland have issued a statement saying they will look to reach a ‘reasonable conclusion’ on a case-by-case basis after supporters heavily criticised a new ticketing initiative.

The club announced their pricing structure for 2025/26 season tickets on Wednesday, and revealed a new policy where junior tickets not used for 70% of fixtures were at risk of being cancelled. The policy was met with heavy criticism online, with prominent supporter representive group the Red & White Army contacting the club on Thursday to register their concern.

The club issued an update on Thursday afternoon stating that night fixtures would not be part of the policy, and hinted at a softer approach to enforcement. The club insist action is needed with demand for tickets growing, but have acknowledged the concerns raised in light of the sheer number of matches now moving away from the Saturday 3pm slot.

The statement said: “A significant number of these tickets have not been redeemed during the 2024-25 campaign, with an average of 32% of junior tickets not being used each matchday.

“Next season, fans aged 14 and under must use or forward their ticket for at least 70% of daytime fixtures to guarantee access to future loyalty pricing. Fans aged 14 and under that fail to attend at least 70% of daytime fixtures also risk having their season ticket cancelled.

“In these instances, the ticketing team will contact the account holder directly to discuss the supporters’ circumstances and ensure a reasonable conclusion is reached. These measures aim to reduce the number of unused seats and ensure all supporters, including season ticket holders, can access a wider range of seats on a game-by-game and seasonal basis.

“Demand is continually increasing for match tickets and availability for supporters wishing to purchase multiple seats is now extremely limited, especially in the lower bowl.”

Sunderland fan organisation Red and White Army had earlier “raised concerns” with the club regarding measures surrounding changes to season tickets, with many supporters also criticising the decision online.

Earlier this week, the Black Cats announced their season ticket prices for the 2025/26 campaign, with supporters facing a rise of around 10% in total. Ahead of the new campaign, the cheapest season ticket available in the earlybird phase will be £460, up from £420 in the same purchase period last year. That was, in itself, a 7% rise from the previous campaign. The most expensive season ticket for renewals in the earlybird phase is priced at £620, with a middle tier of £580.

A club statement explained the rise in prices, stating: "2024-25 season ticket holders can take advantage of an exclusive loyalty price until 5pm on 11 April, offering them the best possible value for the 2025-26 campaign.

"Like all businesses, the club faces rising costs, and this is reflected by an increase in pricing for the 2025-26 season. A small increase ranging from £1.74 to £2.39 per game has been applied to adult tickets, with junior tickets remaining extremely competitive, priced from just £3.48 per game.

"As the club works to minimise the impact on supporters and ensure football on Wearside remains accessible to all, fans can also now spread the cost of their ticket across six equal instalments."

But away from the increased costs, many supporters expressed their dissatisfaction at the new policy to either use or forward their junior season tickets for at least 70% of fixtures.

A statement from Sunderland on the website read: “Following a significant number of junior tickets not being redeemed during 2024-25 and previous seasons, fans must now use or forward their ticket for at least 70% of fixtures to be entitled to future loyalty pricing and risk having their Season Ticket cancelled if persistently not attending games.”

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Several supporters subsequently argued that an increased number of matches being moved away from the traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off time makes it difficult for junior season ticket holders to consistently attend home fixtures.

And in light of those worries, Red and White Army confirmed that they had spoken to Sunderland about the proposed changes. Taking to social media, they said: “Many fans have quite rightly raised concerns about changes to season ticket terms and conditions for under 14s and potential punishment for not attending 70% of games. RAWA is also concerned about this and has raised these concerns with the club.”

The club moved to then issue their update in the hours that followed.

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