Arsene Wenger has urged Arsenal fans to not join in Leicester protest over ticket prices
Foxes group Union FS are planning to delay their arrival at the Emirates Stadium until five minutes in after the potentially pivotal Premier League clash was moved to a midday kick off a day after it was originally scheduled.
The stance comes hot on the heels of a successful protest by Liverpool followers last weekend against Sunderland with the topic of ticket prices on the agenda.
"You want everybody there when the game starts,” said Wenger. “For me, the game is a joy and everyone has to be part of it. You can protest before and after, but during the game, you want everybody to be there because it’s a moment of happiness in your life.
“Life is not every day fantastic - sometimes it’s boring, sometimes it’s difficult for many people. Football is a moment of happiness in your life, so don’t miss it.”
Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group proposed that some ticket prices for the new Main Stand for next season would be £77, which resulted in a mass walkout in protest of this on 77 minutes during the 2-2 draw with Sunderland.
Wenger meanwhile has defended his club's ticket prices despite them having the highest in the Premier League.
“It is a very complicated subject,” he said. How do you decide what is the right level of ticket prices? First of all you look at your attendance and then you are being compared many times to foreign clubs. I don’t think we are on the same level ground as foreign clubs.
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“For example, Bayern Munich paid one Euro for their ground whereas we played £128 million for our ground. In France they pay nothing at all for their stadium, they pay nothing at all for their maintenance.
“We pay absolutely everything ourselves so we have to generate more revenue. It is true we get more television income, that is down to the audience and success but you know as well that it is down to the pressure of the market to pay for the players with a higher price and out expenses will come up straight away to increase their wages.
“After that you want the ticket prices to be as comfortable as possible for our fans. I looked at the comparisons, our cheapest prices is cheaper than anywhere in London.
“Our most expensive price is a fraction higher than the other clubs in London. Our most common ticket price is lower than many places in England. I don’t think that we have a massive problem on that front.”
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