Eibar's Copa Ticket Fiasco Has Fans Fuming at Ipurua
Eibar supporters up in arms as club charges season ticket holders for Copa del Rey clash with Elche, leading to boycott threats from 14 supporter groups.
Eibar Supporters Ready to Give Copa Match the Elbow Over Ticket Row
What should have been a celebratory occasion at Ipurua has turned into a proper shambles for SD Eibar, with fans threatening to boycott their Copa del Rey round of 32 clash with Elche.
Ticket Policy Sparks Backlash
The Basque club has made the controversial decision to charge their season ticket holders to attend the cup fixture - a move that’s gone down like a lead balloon with the faithful. A tenner for adults and a fiver for kids might not sound like the end of the world, but it’s the principle of the thing that’s got supporters’ backs up.
Yesterday, things escalated when 14 supporter groups released a joint statement expressing their disgust at the policy and threatening to stay away unless the club performs a rapid U-turn.
Historical Context
Charging season ticket holders for cup matches against higher-division opponents isn’t entirely new for Eibar. Historically, these fixtures have provided a welcome boost to the club’s coffers. But the timing and execution of this particular cash grab has struck a bum note.
Financial Pressures
With projected losses of €5 million this season, you can understand why the bean counters at Ipurua were keen to squeeze some extra revenue from the cup tie. The club clearly saw hosting Elche as an opportunity both sporting-wise and financially.
The Most Controversial Bit
What’s really wound up the fans is the club’s plan to charge season ticket holders for their seats even if they don’t attend. That’s right - don’t fancy paying extra? You’ll still get billed if you don’t explicitly release your seat. Absolute madness!
A more sensible approach would have been to only charge those who actually want to attend, but instead, what should have been a celebration of cup football has turned into a right old barney.
Empty Stands Expected
All signs point to Ipurua recording its lowest attendance of the season for what should have been a highlight fixture. The chance to face higher-division opposition in the knockout tournament has become a proper headache for Eibar’s board of directors.