Premier League caps away ticket prices at £30

Some slightly unexpected news from the Premier League this lunchtime: for the next three seasons, ticket prices for away fans will be capped at £30. Explaining the decision, the Premier League note that:

Clubs know that away fans have a unique status. They are essential for match atmosphere and stimulate the response from home fans that distinguishes Barclays Premier League matches from those of other leagues.

Or, alternatively: "We've built an entire business on the back of you noisy lot and we're starting to worry that it might fall apart."

£30 is still fair chunk of change, of course, and £10 more than the Football Supporters' Federation have been calling for with their Twenty's Plenty campaign. This cap replaces the Away Supporters' Initiative, which is the collective agreement that saw clubs laying on free coaches, special trains, and reciprocal pricing iniatives. Whether this decision means that none of the above will now take place, remains to be seen.