English Premier League club Aston Villa has reiterated its warning to fans over reselling tickets, threatening season-long bans for those in breach of rules.
Villa’s match programme for the home game against West Ham advised supporters of a series of punishments should they be caught selling tickets on, transferring season tickets, abusing concessions and profiting from selling tickets at more than face value.
While the penalties were first announced in September, the club has chosen to repeat the warning to fans.
In a statement, the club said: “The club has become aware of the need to address supporter conduct with regards to ticket ownership, for both home and away matches.
“Fans are reminded of the legitimate route provided in which to resell their home season ticket on a match-by-match basis through the club’s approved process.”
The most severe form of punishment is essentially a 19-game, season-long ban from Aston Villa’s Villa Park stadium.
For advertising a home match ticket at face value in a way that is not in line with the club’s rules, supporters will be given a three-match ban for their first offence, a nine-match ban for their second offence and 19 home league-match ban for a third strike.
If supporters try to profit from advertising and selling on match tickets, they will be handed a nine-match ban for their first offence and a 19-match home ban for a second offence.
The regulations and punishments also note other offences such as using Fan IDs to abuse concessions on tickets. Fans caught doing this will be given a one-match ban for the first offence, a three-match ban for a second strike and the full 19-match home league ban for their third misdemeanour.
Should supporters be caught for a Fan ID transfer of a season ticket, they will be handed a 19-match home ban straight away and put at the bottom of the waiting list for a future season ticket.
Image: Ian Wilson/(CC BY 2.0)/Edited for size