Celtic responds to Dundee United’s opportunistic ticket price hike

Glad to see the article by Conor Spence – Tannadice rip-off as Dundee United cash in on Celtic’s title party – kickstarted a reaction and then a response from Celtic…

Celtic's title party at Tannadice
Celtic title party at Tannadice, May 2022. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Celtic travel to Tannadice next weekend needing a point to make sure of the Scottish Premiership title which is effectively won regardless. As Chris Sutton said this week, there’s no way that theRangers are pulling back a 15 points deficit and minus 42 goal difference in the five post split fixtures.

Makes perfect sense for Dundee United to cash in

While it makes perfect sense for for Dundee United to ‘cash in’ on the unique circumstances that are NOT of their making, they can do this be allocating seating for away fans accordingly to fill their stadium and be happy with that, charging a fair and reasonable price, not ripping off ordinary supporters.

Instead they have upped the prices charging Celtic supporters up to £42 while apparently running schemes to sell tickets to part-time Dundee United supporters for a tenner and in doing so shafting their own season ticket holders.

Celtic title party at Tannadice,
Celtic title party at Tannadice, May 2022. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

A Friday evening statement from Celtic 

Last night Celtic responded by posting this short statement, shown below, on the official Celtic FC website.

“Following the announcement of ticket arrangements for our forthcoming Scottish Premiership match against Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday, April 26, we can confirm that we have raised a number of concerns with the SPFL.”

It will be interesting to see what the SPFL do about this and whether there has been a breach of the rules by the Tannadice board. Even if not their acts will still leave a bad taste.

The prices Celtic supporters will have to pay

Celtic supporters in the upper tiers of the Jerry Kerr Stand – where Celtic are traditionally placed – are being charged £42 each for briefs, with those below them in the lower sections paying £40. Celtic supporters have also been allocated tickets in the Jim McClean Stand for concessions, priced at £25 in the upper tiers and £33 in the lower section of the stand.

READ THIS…Tannadice rip-off as Dundee United cash in on Celtic’s title party

Celtic title party at Tannadice
Celtic title party at Tannadice, May 2022. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Celtic might be a super-rich club in the context of Scottish football but that doesn’t mean that the Celtic support is any better off than fans of other clubs including Dundee United. They are plumbers, teachers, NHS staff, students, carers, council workers and so on just like Dundee United supporters and as everyone knows they are all being squeezed financially on so many fronts these days.

Celtic's title party at Tannadice
Celtic title party at Tannadice, May 2022. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Ripping off supporters is NOT a great look for Dundee United and ultimately their own supporters – their most dedicated ones that will follow them down to Glasgow next season, with little expectation of getting anything from a game at Celtic Park, will pay the price by being charged more for being Dundee United’s best bunch of supporters.

Celtic title party at Tannadice
Celtic title party at Tannadice, May 2022. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Because you can be sure Celtic will take an eye for an eye approach. They’re not the richest club in Scotland for nothing.

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About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor David Faulds has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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1 Comment

  1. Apologize for your utter lies. Celtic are embarrassing themselves. The ticket price is set for everyone including United Fans. The $10 tickets are for season ticket holders to “bring a friend”. There’s only 500 seats available maximum for that purpose because the rest are for season ticket holders. No one is forcing Anyone to buy a ticket. Tickets cost more for a train ride or a concert but suddenly Celtic shit their pants about a football game and go greeting to the authorities about things being “unfair” for the 20th time this season. Maybe you’re worried that a club might catch you up financially? That wouldn’t be fair either right? Remember that time when you cheated the rest of the league by refusing to allow the league to expand further than 12?