Deportivo Alavés supporters expressed their discontent by displaying a banner at the Mendizorroza stadium protesting the decision to charge season ticket holders for a Copa del Rey match. The banner, unfurled in the Polideportivo stand, read “Subscribers, not customers. Less business, more feeling,” reflecting a sentiment of loyalty being undervalued for financial gain.

This protest comes as Mendizorroza hosted a Copa del Rey fixture for the first time in 711 days, with Alavés facing Sevilla. The last time the Basque club played a home cup tie was on January 6, 2024, when they defeated Real Betis. The return of the Copa del Rey competition to Vitoria after nearly two years was met with a significant drop in attendance, highlighting fan frustration.

Season ticket holders, referred to as ‘abonados,’ were required to purchase tickets ranging from 12 to 19 euros for the match against Sevilla. This policy, despite being announced by the club over the summer, has reignited controversy among the fanbase. The financial stipulation has evidently impacted attendance figures, leading to a visibly diminished crowd.

In contrast to previous cup ties, the stadium’s capacity was noticeably underutilized. On January 6, 2024, 13,482 spectators attended the match against Betis. However, for the encounter with Sevilla, the official attendance figure stood at 9,825, marking one of the lowest attendances at Mendizorroza in recent years. This represents a significant decline in fan presence.

To find a comparable attendance, one must look back to December 12, 2022, when a Segunda División match between Alavés and Levante drew 10,046 spectators. Even a previous Copa del Rey fixture on January 3, 2023, against Real Valladolid, which attracted 11,710 fans, had a higher attendance than Wednesday’s game. These figures underscore the unusual emptiness of the stadium.

The atmosphere at Mendizorroza was notably subdued compared to its usual vibrancy, especially during league matches where the average attendance hovers around 17,500. The stadium had been full for the recent league clash against Real Madrid, which saw 19,290 attendees. The sparse crowd for the Copa del Rey match against Sevilla, coupled with the fan protest, signals a disconnect between the club’s commercial decisions and its supporter base.

The discontent was further amplified approximately ten minutes into the match when the banner was prominently displayed. The message clearly articulated the fans’ desire for a more emotionally connected relationship with the club, prioritizing sentiment over purely transactional interactions. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the passionate, yet sometimes critical, nature of football fan culture.

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Keywords: Deportivo Alavés, Copa del Rey, Mendizorroza, fan protest, ticket prices, season ticket holders, football attendance, fan sentiment