Big batches of empty seats at Hill Dickinson Stadium
9 Comments
Everton's season opener was billed as a full-house sellout but a persistent issue seems to be preventing use of a significant block of premium seats held by Seat Unique.
The reported attendance at Hill Dickinson Stadium yesterday was 51,820, so that's 949 shy of the published stadium capacity 52,769. Apparently it's not a new issue this season, as the piece I'm getting this from states:
Pockets of empty seats were visible again at Hill Dickinson Stadium during Saturday’s win over Crystal Palace
Now I can understand a reasonable number of no-shows — tickets sold but individuals or small groups unable to show up for one reason or another. That's perfectly understandable. But the clue there would be the random distribution of those empty seats around the stadium.
These seats at issue are all in a group at the back of the East Stand lower tier, sold as part of Everton’s Club View premium package through Seat Unique, the club’s official hospitality partner, at prices reported to be around £200 a ticket.
The article goes on to state:
The issue isn’t demand; Saturday’s fixture, like most since the move from Goodison Park, was sold out well in advance. It’s that a portion of those premium tickets simply go unused, and with resale for no-shows restricted, there’s no easy way for the seats to reach fans who’d actually turn up.
I don't think that's quite true. They say resale is restricted but surely this is a problem created by blocks of tickets that are promised well ahead of the match to resale outlets and not getting sold on, probably because the price is too high, partly because many fans don't want to use resale outlets.
So the issue, I believe, is more about supply or at least the restricted supply of premium tickets that are priced very high, especially when compared to the median price of most tickets for club members in the ballot. That, I assume, remains the cheapest way to buy tickets for matches.
When is a sell-out not really a sell-out?
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Reader Comments (9)
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2 Posted 24/08/2026 at 08:56:38
3 Posted 24/08/2026 at 09:38:38
I assume they were around last season when we did play to full houses, so I don't see how they can be held accountable for a thousand empty spaces on Saturday. Especially as the empty seats could be seen in all sides of the stadium.
Given what, for me, was an unprecedented indifference to the new campaign throughout Evertonia, I think it would be safe to say a lot of the no-shows simply didn't fancy it.
I think it’s also safe to say that much (if not all) the indifference was due to the numerous dull games the paying match-goer sat through last season. That was down to Moyes.
You only have to listen to the chat in the alehouses and read the comments on any website to know that the manager is having a direct and negative effect on the attendances.
It’s far easier to support the shite he serves up if you are not paying for it.
4 Posted 24/08/2026 at 18:11:20
Saturday was the first time I had four rows of empty seats behind us and a corresponding number of empty tables in the lounge. This suggests to me that the club hasn't sold as many hospitality season tickets as last year, preferring instead to let Seat Unique have a greater allocation to sell.
I don't think it was a case of no shows, those packages simply didn't sell at the prices Seat Unique were asking.
As a season ticket holder (okay one of the "posh" ones), I pay the same for every match. Buy from Seat Unique for exactly the same hospitality and it's very much dynamic pricing... sometimes anything up to three or four times my match-by-match cost.
Supply and demand... they often get it right and sell the allocation, especially for the "big" games. They got it wrong on Saturday.
Editorial Team
5 Posted 24/08/2026 at 20:38:45
Interesting that the original article from Read Everton included that error about Seat Unique. It makes much more sense that the hospitality and associated spendy seats simply had not sold out... with misjudged dynamic pricing the most probable cause.
6 Posted 25/08/2026 at 08:23:16
8 Posted 28/08/2026 at 23:23:49
If the seats do not sell out - then the loss is for Seat Unique and not for EFC.
I was at Headingly for the Test Match and a huge part of the stand had Seat Unique advertising - and was empty, presumably while people were feasting on the prawn sandwiches and the complimentary drinks.
9 Posted 01/09/2026 at 04:40:52
I might be popping over again in the new year from Australia, and the contact I used to get tickets from for Goodison can no longer get them for HDS.
10 Posted 01/09/2026 at 05:24:31
Seat Unique pay the Club for the seats upfront for the season so the Club income is guaranteed regardless.
But what Michae l#4 is saying is that the Club hospitality suites are also not being fully utilised, meaning they are losing out on some revenue.
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1 Posted 24/08/2026 at 08:15:13
I wouldn't pay that to watch 3 football matches never mind 1, I despise the way football is going... unless it's Everton, I can't be arsed with it.