CONCERNED at the impact of the economic meltdown, the AFL has frozen the price of tickets for next year. It is just the second time in 15 years that the AFL has frozen the price of entry to its games.

The freeze will apply to general admission and does not necessarily affect the cost of membership packages, which are set by the clubs. But it does put the onus on clubs to contain the price of memberships. No decision has been made on the price of finals tickets.

The AFL, which is expected to announce the price freeze today, made the decision at a meeting in Sydney on Tuesday when it was reported that football clubs and followers were struggling in today's economy. Persuading the commission was the consideration that in times of economic difficulty, football plays a more significant social role.

The AFL is also aware of the negative impact the economic crisis has had on club sponsorship and corporate packages, and given that unemployment is expected to rise, the clubs will find it harder to sell memberships.

Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs have yet to sign new major sponsors, while Richmond has yet to sell the sponsorship space on the back of its jumper.

When the AFL last froze prices in 2004 as a sop to fans given its robust health, chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the league was concerned to keep giving back to fans and keep the game affordable.

"We had a good response to that a couple of years ago and we wouldn't be averse to that going ahead," he said when the last freeze was announced. "But we have absolute commitment to maintaining affordability at junior levels."