The latest Virgin Money survey shows that Premier League fans are least likely to be renewing their season tickets next season. 15 per cent do not intend to renew, a figure that rises to 22 per cent for Arsenal where there have been recent price increases. Across the leagues, 13 per cent don’t intend to go back.
The latest Virgin Money survey shows that Premier League fans are least likely to be renewing their season tickets next season. 15 per cent do not intend to renew, a figure that rises to 22 per cent for Arsenal where there have been recent price increases. Across the leagues, 13 per cent don’t intend to go back.
In the case of regular ‘walk up’ ticket purchasers, 31 per cent intend to spend less at Premier League grounds, an even bigger gulf with other divisions. Paradoxically, it is League 1 where the smallest reduction is found in both categories. In part this is no doubt because League 1 tickets are much cheaper than those in the Premiership, but that doesn’t explain why the League 2 figures are higher. Perhaps League 1 fans have a particular capacity for suffering or great optimism (returning to a higher level where they think they belong) or are satisfied simply by staying at that level.
Grant Bather, spokesman for Virgin Money, said: ‘Average attendances in the Premier League remain high with clubs regularly selling the ground out, but there are signs of empty spaces at many games and average attendances across all clubs over the season is around 90%. In the lower leagues it’s the same story and the rising cost of going to games is having a major effect. Of course there are always new fans and all manner of reasons for people cutting back but cost is the big driver behind 13% of all season ticket holders not renewing.’
The Virgin Money survey shows that the real cost of going to a live game is creeping back to its October 2008 peak of £106.21, currently standing at over £101. That’s a lot of money when incomes are being squeezed.
A note of caution is necessary. Survey analysts are suspicious of the reliability of hypothetical questions about future behaviour. If you asked fans at most clubs, many of them would say at the end of the season, ‘I am not coming back to watch any more of thar rubbish. The manager doesn’t know what he is doing and the players are not interested in putting in a shift, only the size of their pay packet.’
But come the beginning of the season, many of them are back in their old seat among familiar faces, moaning at the officials and slagging off their scapegoat player. It’s being so miserable that makes them happy.