According to a recent survey, fans of the Premier League without season tickets can spend as little as $15 or as much as $150 for tickets to watch their favorite clubs.
The BBC survey reveals that Blackburn offers the most affordable match-day experience among the top-flight clubs, where the cost for a cheap adult ticket, a programme, a pie, and a cup of tea totals $26. In contrast, Liverpool’s equivalent costs $70.
The survey highlights that Arsenal has the highest cost for a single ticket at $150, along with the priciest pies at $6. Nevertheless, their cheapest ticket is priced at $52, while Liverpool’s least expensive ticket is $58.
The Premier League indicated that clubs aim to set ticket prices at various levels to accommodate fans with differing budgets.
A statement read, “With an average attendance of over 92% across Premier League grounds in the past three seasons, it’s clear that fans are appreciating both the football and the overall match-day experiences provided.
“Fans desire to witness games featuring top talents in safe stadiums…our clubs have invested over $3.5 billion in facilities and continue to significantly invest in securing and developing the best possible players to enhance the entire fan experience.”
Seven clubs within the Football League offer tickets as low as £10. Watford, for instance, provides the most economical day out in the Championship at $26. Leeds holds the record for the most expensive programme across all four divisions, priced at $7, while Crawley offers the cheapest cup of tea at just 50pence, though reports suggest the tea isn’t of great quality.
John Nagle, head of communications for the Football League, mentioned that families were sent out as ‘mystery shoppers’ to evaluate the match-day experience at each club…and the increasing attendance figures indicate that most fans are satisfied.
He stated, “When The Football League and Premier League separated in 1992, many predicted it would spell disaster for clubs in our three divisions. However, since then, our attendance has surged from approximately 10 million to over 16 million.
“This clearly demonstrates that clubs are successfully providing valuable offerings for supporters.
“The League is dedicated to enhancing the supporter experience at matches, and to achieve this, we dispatch ‘mystery shoppers’ to observe matches. Throughout the season, they visit every club to evaluate the experience for both home and away fans, compiling a report on the entire day.
“These reports are then discussed with clubs to help them improve, with the top-performing clubs receiving our Family Excellence Award.”
Currently, 47 clubs hold this award, and Cardiff has been recognized as the family club of the year.
In the Scottish Premier League, the price variances between the top and bottom clubs remain smaller compared to those in England’s top-flight.
Inverness features the most economical day out at $35, while Hibernian is at the higher end with costs running up to $42, just ahead of Rangers at $40 and Celtic at $38.
Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters’ Federation, emphasized the need for clubs to strive harder to prevent ordinary fans from being excluded due to pricing.
He remarked, “This industry has a higher influx of funds from media rights than it ever has historically.
“It’s vital that football remains accessible to a broad spectrum of society, ensuring it doesn’t become an exclusive pastime for only middle-class and upper-class families.”
by Buford Balony
