The cost of travelling away is something many Palace fans have had to consider upon their return to the Premier League. Trips to new grounds are on everyone’s to do list but these have to be looked into more closely due to the finances that occur with them, which can lead to picking and choosing the ones you really want to go to.
So news that Premier League clubs have been given £200,000 subsidies to reduce the cost for away supporters will be good news to Palace fans. Further to this, it has since been announced that Newcastle, West Brom, Hull and Swansea have come to agreements between each other to make sure there is a limit on away ticket costs.
This is a start, and whilst it is important to note its significance, there is still a long way to go. In the greater scheme of things, the money the Premier League is subsidising is not that big of a hole in their finances which have received a massive boost from the latest cycle of television coverage across the globe.
The Palace owners, CPFC2010, have always had a close relationship with the fans through constant engagement on platforms such as social media and the internet. They will be aware of the problems travelling fans face and of what is happening elsewhere in the Premier League.
Given this it would be hugely surprising if Palace do not announce some sort of similar scheme soon that will benefit the faithful that go on the road. It may not come instantly but it would be fair to say it is a matter of when and not if.
This may be the wrong conclusion to come to, and it is only an opinion after all, but to not reach some sort of agreement with similar clubs could have a knock-on effect for the image the club wants to portray. Supporters are the one constant in a club and continually spend money following their team, so these deals are beneficial to both them and the club.
Daniel Smith - @dmsmith1987
Source: PalaceMAD
Source: FOOTYMAD
