Mamdani takes action over ticket prices

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Zohran Mamdani is doing something for football that nobody else in American politics is doing. He’s defending the fans. 

The New York City Mayor announced on Sunday that his administration and Gotham FC were releasing 1,000 tickets priced at $5 for the club’s May 9 match against Boston Legacy at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The tickets sold out in under an hour. Standard prices for the same match start at $22. 

“We’re teaming up with the nation’s two-time champions to make soccer more affordable for everyone,” Mamdani told his 11.7 million followers across Instagram and Twitter. “This is the summer of soccer. Grab your tickets. I’ll see you there.” 

A lifelong Arsenal fan who grew up playing the game, Mamdani has previously called on FIFA to abandon dynamic pricing for the men’s World Cup, cap resale prices, and reserve 15 per cent of tickets for residents at a discount. 

He said: “As a lifelong soccer fan, I have grown up with memories of the World Cup, whether watching on TV or being there myself. I know what this tournament represents, which is the most popular tournament in the world, and also what it could be, which is a celebration of the world’s game. 

“These kinds of policies from FIFA are ones that threaten to price out the very people that make this game so special. In our fight for making the most expensive city in America affordable, it’s a fight that is not limited just to housing, childcare and public transit. It also extends to the moments that give New Yorkers such joy.”
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