Season ticket pricing is always a contentious issue at football clubs, and Birmingham City is no different. When Blues released their renewal prices at the end of April, they did so without the usual price grid—a move that created suspicion and was something they had not done before. Their reasoning was that they wanted to communicate price increases with supporters first. The following day, once the renewal window opened, Blues released a full price grid and attempted to explain why some supporters have experienced greater hikes than others.
Standardising Concession Discounts
"Our approach to these season ticket prices is based on treating all supporters equally, fairly and standardising concession discounts across the whole stadium," the club said. "Historically seniors, 16-24’s and U16’s have benefitted from different discounts based on where they were situated in the stadium. There was no logic to this. We have therefore standardised the concession discounts this year so that each concession group gets the same discount from the full adult price." For example, senior discounts ranged from 20% to 42%, so for the 2026-27 season, Blues have standardised the ticket discount for seniors at 30%. For other concession tickets, they have standardised 16-24 at 40% and juniors at 70% (excluding Arthur’s Area). The club believes this is the fairest way to treat all supporters and that their season tickets deliver great value, with many still priced lower than most other Championship clubs.
Price Increases in Different Stands
Pricing varies in different stands, which is understandable based on the view and hospitality options on offer. Adults in The Kop, which Knighthead have always viewed as the premium stand, have experienced marginal increases, with a rise of £30 implemented across the board for adults. The same can be said for adults in The Tilton and the Gil Merrick, where increases of between £25 and £30 feel proportionate. However, it is in the Main Stand where adult season ticket holders have taken the biggest hit, namely in Arthur’s Area. Long considered the family section of St Andrew’s, Arthur’s Area is where parents often elect to introduce their children to the joys and sorrows of Birmingham City.
Fan Concerns Over Affordability
One supporter who contacted BirminghamLive has seen his ticket hiked from £365 to £530 in Arthur’s Area Upper. He said: "Having seen the renewal, I did ring up the club shop to check there hadn’t been an error, they confirmed that there hadn’t. They advised that they had looked at the views around the ground and it was to bring it in line with other areas of the stadium, taking no consideration anymore of the fact that it was the family stand." This fan is a local authority foster carer and takes a child to Blues games. The child’s under-16 ticket has also increased from £30 to £50. "We are trying to give him normal experiences and his family are Blues fans so it’s good time for us to spend together," he added. "Finances aren’t easy and going to the football isn’t cheap anyway. It has certainly made us reconsider what we spend and we’ll have to cut back spending when we go to the games." They have renewed and are waiting to see if an opportunity arises to watch Blues from a more reasonably priced seat after the renewal window closes on May 31.
Senior season ticket holders in the Main Stand have also borne the brunt of Blues standardising prices. Alan Davies, who has been attending Blues games for more than six decades, has seen his ticket in the Main Stand Upper jump from £290 to £371. "Last year my season ticket went up by 14 percent, so an increase of 28 percent on top of the 14 percent from the previous season, for an old age pensioner you can’t keep pace," said Davies. "There will be a tipping point. If it’s another 28 percent next time I’ll probably knock it on the head."
The Powerhouse Promise
The price increases in the Main Stand suggest it is now being viewed as Kop-lite, and Knighthead will point to the improved experience on offer to supporters on that side of St Andrew’s. The fan park erected in the corner of the Main Stand and The Tilton has proved a huge hit, as have the multiple street food vendors and places to get a pint. Blues recorded sell-out after sell-out last season, and next term will likely be the same. The club have reported more than 10,000 season ticket renewals and claim to have 15,000 people on a waiting list. A match day experience that is better than ever before is unquestionably behind those impressive numbers. But, for some supporters, the improvements are coming at a cost, and the hope is that when Blues grace their 62,000-seater stadium, The Powerhouse, that everybody can afford to watch football there. After all, Tom Wagner promised "it’s not about driving ticket prices up", and supporters will hold Knighthead to that statement.
