Liverpool protest
Liverpool fans vented their fury in the 2-2 draw with Sunderland. Getty

Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group have scrapped their controversial £77 match ticket plans and issued a full apology for their "distress caused" by their recent ticketing announcement.

The major decision sparked unprecedented protest from Liverpool supporters, marked by thousands leaving their seats at Anfield after 77 minutes during their 2-2 draw with Sunderland on 6 February.

But in a remarkable U-turn owner John W Henry, chairman Tom Werner and FSG president Mike Gordon have made it clear the message has been received and amended their proposed changes for next season.

Liverpool's most expensive match day ticket will now stay at £59 while the price of the club's most expensive season ticket - £869 - has also been frozen. The club have also removed game categorisation – meaning fans will pay the same price for match day tickets regardless of opposition. £9 general admission seats will also be offered for every Premier League match.

A statement released via Liverpool's official website read: "It has been a tumultuous week. On behalf of everyone at Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool Football Club, we would like to apologise for the distress caused by our ticket pricing plan for the 2016-17 season.

"The three of us have been particularly troubled by the perception that we don't care about our supporters, that we are greedy, and that we are attempting to extract personal profits at the club's expense. Quite the opposite is true.

After admitting part of their ticketing plan was wrong, the statement added: "A great many of you have objected strongly to the £77 price level of our most expensive GA seats and expressed a clear expectation that the club should forego any increased revenue from raising prices on GA tickets in the current environment. Message received."

Liverpool's revised changes to next season's ticket prices in full

  • Removal of game categorisation – regardless of the opposition fans will pay the same price for matchday tickets.
  • The pricing of tickets will be readjusted to result in zero revenue growth from GA ticketing on a like-for-like basis.
  • Though individual ticket prices may move marginally from this season, we are freezing our 2016-17 GA ticket revenue at the 2015-16 level exclusive of newly-added seats in the new Main Stand.
  • The price of our highest general admission ticket will be frozen at the 2015-16 level - £59.
  • The price of our highest season ticket will be frozen at the 2015-16 level - £869. The lowest price reducing a further £25 from the 2015-16 level to £685, as well as all other tiers being frozen or reduced.
  • £9 GA seats will be offered for each and every Premier League match, an allocation of more than 10,000 tickets across the season.

Over 10,000 supporters left Anfield with 13 minutes remaining of their weekend clash with Sunderland. The walkout appeared to have a devastating affect on Jurgen Klopp's side, who threw away a two goal lead while fans left the stadium, as the Black Cats clinched a late 2-2 draw.

 
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