There are many other factors to be taken in to account.
Yes, I did pay £50 to go to the Barca game. At the time I thought it was expensive, but I don't remember there being widespread outrage at the time like there is for this game? Perhaps you'll correct me if I'm mistaken on that.
I think the reason there wasn't such outrage at the time is because had a 45,000 capacity at the time, which sold out for near enough every league game. The game would have been close to selling out at £50 a ticket, and would have definitely sold out at £35 a ticket, so I could kind of understand why the club charged a premium.
We now have a 55,000 capacity stadium that rarely sells out for league games. It has never yet sold out for a Champions League game. There are regularly 10-15k empty seats on Champions League nights, and the atmosphere is usually flat and lifeless. There is absolutely no chance we will come close to selling this game out at £60. A good attendance for this game at those prices would be 45k, personally I think it will be closer to 40k.
The demand simply isn't there. Whether it's because PSG aren't as big an attraction as Barca and Messi, or if it's just financially after a cup final fans are feeling the pinch, there is widespread dismay at the pricing.
When the prices were released for the PSG game were released, my reaction was probably much the same as when they were released for Barca. It's more than I'd like to pay, but I'll probably pay the premium for the big game.
Then when I saw the outrage on here, saw the statement from Kevin Parker and the 1894 group, it was clear there was huge, widespread dissatisfaction with the pricing. I expected the club to respond like Liverpool did the other week, with open ears and understanding towards fan's concern. Instead they came out with their arrogant and aloof statement, basically saying "That's capitalism, baby".
That just sums up the current executive team at City, they really don't give a toss about normal fan's views on a whole range of issues. They don't engage with us, they don't allow us to give them negative feedback, and when they do, they don't listen, they just come back with arrogant and aloof statements. They really don't give a toss about our traditional support that has been there for 120 years. They're on to bigger and better things in their eyes, expanding the fan base in the US, China, around the globe. They're far more concerned with fans in Atlanta, Georgia than Longsight, Manchester. They're more bothered about appeasing fans in Guangzou than Gorton.
The reason I'm pissed off about the club on this is simple. As I keep repeating: They could quite easily sell this game out at £35. Have 55k Blues roaring the team on, a full house for the first time in the Champions League. A night to remember in a season to forget, get fans engaged with the Champions League for the first time, start creating our own "magical European nights under the lights". Instead they chose to charge £60 and we'll be lucky to get 40k there. They've taken that decision knowing full well it won't come close to selling out, but they will make themselves an extra few hundred grand. But it will end up being worse for the fans, and worse for the team playing to a flat, half empty stadium. I hope they're happy with themselves.
