Arsenal ticket prices hike, will Wenger see the cash?

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has admitted that less well-off Gunners fans may soon no longer be able to afford to watch their team - the day after the club announced a 6.5 per cent increase in season ticket prices.

But while Arsenal fans are being expected to put their hands in their pockets, he suggested that American billionaire Stan Kroenke, who now owns a controlling stake in the club, and under-fire manager Arsene Wenger, would not be expected to flash the cash this summer as the club is still on an economy drive.

He hinted that Arsenal would maintain the policy of refusing to pay big transfer fees for new players and that Wenger would not be given a large transfer kitty in the summer.

In a letter to the Arsenal Supporters Trust explaining the increase in season tickets Gazidis admitted: "I share your concerns that ordinary fans are being priced out of live football. This is bad for the continued health of the game and is driven primarily by escalating and ultimately unsustainable levels of spending on transfer fees and salaries."

He added that he was a "vocal supporter" of Uefa-backed plans to introduce "restraint and responsibility to spending".

Gazidis, who took over as chief executive at the Emirates in January 2009, said that revenue from tickets was more important to Arsenal than other clubs who have a bigger commercial reach, and that meant fans had to pay more.

However, supporters at the Emirates already have to fork out more for the privilege of watching their team than any other fans in the world, and next season the cheapest season ticket will set them back a cool £951 - up £58 on this season.

And although price rises will net the club £4m next year Gazidis said Arsenal had to "ensure that our squad spending becomes as efficient as it can be and to develop our commercial revenues".

He went on to suggest that until Arsenal were as big as clubs like Barcelona and Man United, Wenger would not be allowed to spend big on bringing players to the Emirates. He also warned that a jump in commercial revenues would "not be instantaneous".

Gazidis said he wanted to reduce the club's reliance on match day income but added: "We are working hard to get to that point but we are not there yet." ·