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Where are the fans? Manchester City struggling to sell tickets

By Nathan Reynolds

Manchester City and Bournemouth players pay tribute to the memory of former Everton player and manager Howard Kendall before the start of the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Bournemouth at the Etihad stadium in Manchester on October 17, 2015. AFP PHOTO/LINDSEY PARNABYRESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo credit should read LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP/Getty Images)
Manchester City and Bournemouth players pay tribute to the memory of former Everton player and manager Howard Kendall before the start of the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Bournemouth at the Etihad stadium in Manchester on October 17, 2015. AFP PHOTO/LINDSEY PARNABYRESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo credit should read LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Yet again Manchester City is falling victim to a familiar foe – empty seats. Even with a new boss and star lineup the Etihad struggles to fill up.

Manchester City have just about everything you could want as a fan. The big name manager, superstar players, and exciting matches each and every season. So why is all of that attraction not translating into massive demand for tickets?

Last weekend City hosted Chelsea in a top of the table clash. Chelsea were flying high coming into the match and it should have been a top draw for the year. The Sun reported that even hours before the kick-off “tickets priced at £58 were available on general sale”.

Even more the club’s website was allowing fans to buy “as many as SIX tickets” at a time. These weren’t returned seats from Chelsea’s traveling section, but from all over the Etihad. In just about every part of the stadium you could find available tickets.

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This isn’t a new problem. Back in September City hosted Borussia Monchengladbach to an embarrassing site of entire sections of the stadium closed off with not a single fan. The stadium has been expanded and renovated in recent years, but the demand has not kept up.

Of course City aren’t alone in this issue. Arsenal went through similar struggles after moving to the Emirates. Often times massive influx of money improves the squad and/or manager, but beings to change the atmosphere in the stadium. Casual and long term fans can be priced out.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 06: Manchester City’s incoming manager Pep Guardiola is displayed on the screen prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium on February 6, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 06: Manchester City’s incoming manager Pep Guardiola is displayed on the screen prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium on February 6, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

It would be understandable if there were some available seats for a home match against West Brom. Or if the crowd wasn’t really at their best during a League Cup tie against Burnley.

But when you are in the Champions League or battling for first place in the Premier League, the Etihad needs to be at capacity. It needs to be loud and there should be fans wishing they had been lucky enough to get a seat.

Pep and the squad will continue to improve the on field product. The question becomes what should management do to bring in the fans?

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