Average ticket prices across England’s four top divisions have fallen by up to 2.4 per cent, according to the latest BBC Sport Price of Football Study. Last year’s study showed the average price of the cheapest ticket in English football had gone up by 11 per cent, four times the rate of inflation.
Average ticket prices across England’s four top divisions have fallen by up to 2.4 per cent, according to the latest BBC Sport Price of Football Study. Last year’s study showed the average price of the cheapest ticket in English football had gone up by 11 per cent, four times the rate of inflation.
The most expensive ticket in English football remains at Arsenal, where a Category A adult matchday ticket can cost up to £126. They also have the most expensive season ticket is also at Arsenal at £1,955, although that includes seven cup matches. However, during the recent transfer window, Arsenal fans were urging more spending on players, not a cut in ticket prices.
The Football Supporters’ Federation have called for the additional cash from the new television deal to be used to cut Premier League prices drastically and publicity-seeking MPs like Liberal Democrat Tim Farron have tried to jump on a populist bandwagon, last year tabling an Early Day Motion in the Commons in the subject. He is back again this year arguing that large clubs are ‘utterly inconsiderate’ towards their fans.
However, as sports minister Hugh Robertson pointed out, it is not the job of government to fix ticket prices at football grounds, any more than it is to set prices generally. He also pointed out that ticket prices are only part of the problem. I am going to an away game in the Conference North on Saturday and if I didn’t have a concession, I would pay £15 for my ticket. However, my rail fare costs over four times that amount.
Professor Tim Carron makes a good point when he notes that because of Financial Fair Play, clubs are under more pressure to generate income. You have a bonanza of income but also a bonanza in expenditure and gate income is one way of filling the gap and to avoid being penalised. Yet another perverse effect of this scheme.
West Ham United have been launching a number of special deals to attract fans as they prepare to move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016. First-time fans buying tickets are now up by 40 per cent compared with a couple of seasons ago and there has been a 23 per cent rise in under-18s coming to matches with six ‘kids for a quid’ deal this season.