Note: This is an unusual episode, in reaction to the events unfolding Thursday and Friday, with little time to edit or the usual setup. All sounds fine and is audible, but not as nice as usual. My apologies!
Back last Summer, many Premier League clubs announced they would change, or do away with, "concession tickets" for seniors and youth, as well as a price hike on season tickets. Resistance formed at many clubs, but at West Ham, it seemed particularly organized, creative and social media savvy. In August, I talked with Alex, a chief initiator of the #SaveOurConcessions campaign online and on matchdays, home and away, as well as with Andy Payne of Hammers United and now the club's fan advisory board about their strategy to fight back. I predicted a "Fall storm." In recent weeks, not only did Liverpool announce a price freeze, West Ham restored all concessions and also froze season tickets. Seemingly out of nowhere, right before a home game. To Andy and Alex of course, the change is the result of months of hard work. This is a look behind the curtain at how a Premier League club makes bad business decisions, how fans mobilize, and how pragmatism and solidarity, creativity and activism make a difference for local fans even in the most glitzy league in the world.
Unfortunately, the counter-example of today's fan activism omnibus episode comes from Chicago, where the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League changed their name to "Stars" without any organized protests by an otherwise fairly organized fanscene. One lone voice from Chicago was willing to speak on the record about why that might be.
HELPFUL LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:
Hammers United website, incl. press releases and statements by the group as the protests went on (full disclosure, I signed)
The club's statement, with some background from Hammers United on their website
"Save Our Concessions" initial petition, with over 20,000 signatures
"Black Bubble Protest" by West Ham fans away at Crystal palace (X, video)
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If you enjoy this podcast and think that what I do fills a gap in soccer coverage that others would be interested in as well, please
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Artwork for The Assistant Professor of Football is by Saige Lind
Instrumental music for this podcast, including the introduction track, is by the artist Ketsa and used under a Creative Commons license through Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/
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