When Coventry City announced £45 adult away ticket prices for their November 23, 2025, Midlands Derby against West Bromwich Albion, fans didn’t just groan—they erupted. The price, unchanged for the December 26 Boxing Day clash with Swansea City, has sparked outrage across English football. Parents face £80 just to take one child. Seniors pay £40. Kids still get £35. And it’s all happening at the CBS Arena, a stadium perched on the hard shoulder of the M6, where the nearest pub is a 15-minute walk and the nearest train station is a bus ride away. This isn’t just expensive—it’s a punch to the gut for working-class supporters who’ve watched their club’s identity erode over years of financial strain.

"We’re Not Printing Money"

Doug King, Coventry City’s chairman, stood by the pricing in a November 4, 2025, BBC interview. "We think local derbies are great experiences," he said. "Boxing Day is a critical game and has a lot of history. We need to optimise where we can optimise." He added, "When we need to discount and get people there on a cold midweek game in January, we’ll do the same." But the timing feels cruel. The club’s average home attendance last season was under 18,000. Now they’re charging more than most Premier League away tickets—for a team that hasn’t been in the top flight since 2001.

King’s defense hinges on the Premier League’s £6.7bn TV deal. "Bottom-placed EPL clubs get £120m," he noted. "We don’t have that luxury." Fair point. But here’s the twist: West Bromwich Albion, Coventry’s rival and fellow Championship club, just announced they’re backing a £30 cap on away tickets. Not as a PR stunt. Not as a slogan. As policy.

West Brom’s Quiet Revolution

At their Fan Advisory Board meeting on November 15, 2025, West Bromwich Albion officials—including owner Shilen Patel—formally endorsed a £30 cap for all away fixtures. Minutes from the meeting, reviewed by West Brom News, show no dissent. "We’re not trying to be heroes," said one board member. "We’re trying to be sustainable. And fans are part of that equation. If they can’t afford to come, we lose more than ticket revenue—we lose our soul."

Their own ticket structure for the Coventry away game? £30 for adults. £20 for juniors. Seniors £25. And they’ve allocated 3,000 tickets—same as Coventry. But here’s the kicker: they’re not raising season ticket prices to make up the difference. Instead, they’re exploring corporate partnerships and local sponsorships. "Talks of sustainability," the club says. Not profit maximization.

Meanwhile, Coventry’s pricing has drawn comparisons to the Premier League’s £30 away cap, in place since 2016-17 and renewed for 2025-26. The EFL Championship? No cap. No rules. Just market rates. And that’s exactly what Coventry City is exploiting. For the West Brom game, they’re charging £45 for adults, £40 for 18-21-year-olds, £35 for under-18s. That’s not market pricing. That’s price gouging dressed up as "optimisation."

"Tone Deaf" and Other Words Fans Used

The Football Ground Guide didn’t mince words in its November 23, 2025, analysis: "If you can justify charging £45 for an adult ticket and £35 for a child’s ticket for a match in a stadium on the hard shoulder of the M6, then you perhaps need to be brought back down to earth. It’s far too expensive for a football match in the Championship, and there is nothing King can say to change that."

On social media, Coventry fans joked that West Brom’s £45 price tag was a "bargain"—irony at its finest. But West Brom fans? They’re calling for a boycott. "I’ve supported this club since 1998," one fan posted. "I’ve seen relegations, takeovers, bankruptcies. But this? This is the first time I’ve thought about quitting."

And it’s not just about the money. It’s about identity. Coventry City was once a club that stood for community. The 1987 FA Cup win was a triumph of the people. Now, the club feels like a business that forgot its roots. The CBS Arena, opened in 2005, was meant to be a modern hub. Instead, it’s become a symbol of isolation—physically and emotionally.

What’s Next? A League-Wide Reckoning

The controversy has ignited whispers of action. The EFL is watching. So are fan groups across the Championship. If West Brom’s model gains traction, other clubs may follow. Think about it: if a club like West Brom, which has struggled financially for over a decade, can maintain affordable pricing without collapsing, why can’t everyone else?

Coventry’s decision to apply the same £45 price to the Swansea City Boxing Day fixture makes it clear this isn’t an anomaly—it’s a strategy. And it’s a dangerous one. The longer clubs like Coventry charge these prices, the more they risk alienating the very fans who keep them alive. Ticket sales aren’t just revenue. They’re loyalty. And loyalty, once broken, doesn’t come back with a discount.

Meanwhile, the Premier League’s £120m lifeline to its bottom club remains untouched. The Championship? No safety net. Just a few clubs trying to survive—and one chairman who seems to think fans will pay anything if the game’s "big enough."

Why This Matters

This isn’t just about £15 extra on a ticket. It’s about the soul of football. When the cheapest family ticket costs £80, you’re not pricing out a few fans—you’re pricing out entire communities. Coventry’s supporters aren’t rich. They’re mechanics, nurses, teachers, shop workers. They’ve weathered the 2012 administration. They’ve endured the move to the Ricoh Arena and back. Now, they’re being asked to pay more than the cost of a weekend in Blackpool just to see their team play.

West Brom’s stance isn’t charity. It’s strategy. It’s sustainability. It’s respect. And in a league where most clubs are playing chicken with their fanbase, they’re the only ones putting the brake on.