England: Ticket prices breaking new records

source: FSF.org.uk / BBC Sport; author: michał

England: Ticket prices breaking new records And not the kind of records supporters would wish to see. First time ever average price for the cheapest seats in top four leagues (!) exceeded £20. That means ticket prices in England are rising at 4 times the speed of inflation – BBC Sport alarms.

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The BBC Sport Price of Football study looked at prices for 166 clubs in 10 divisions across English and Scottish football, including the Conference Premier and Women’s Super League.

It recorded the prices for the most expensive, and cheapest, season tickets and adult matchday tickets as well as the cost of a cup of tea, a pie, and a programme – to calculate the cheapest possible day out at a match.

Headline statistics

  • Only three out of 92 English league clubs offer a day out for less than £20. Last year it was 12.
  • The most expensive adult matchday ticket is Arsenal at £126 – up £26 on last year’s highest price at the same club.
  • The cheapest adult matchday ticket in English and Scottish football is at Montrose at £6.
  • In Scotland, 21 of the 42 teams across four divisions offer a day out for less than £20.
  • The most expensive season ticket is at Arsenal – at £1,955. The cheapest in the English and Scottish Football Leagues is at Montrose at £90.
  • In the Women’s Super League, matchday adult tickets range from £4-£6.
  • In the Women’s Super League season ticket prices range from £22-£40.
  • Out of 166 clubs in England and Scotland only 38 offer a day out for less than £20.

Football Supporters Federation chairman Malcolm Clarke said: “There’s a danger of alienation between fans and players at the top of the game. Younger fans in particular are being priced out and if they don’t get the live football bug at a young age they might not become season ticket holders.

“If you compare prices to other countries like Germany there are huge disparities. Season tickets at Borussia Dortmund start from €225 [£183] which includes three Champions League games – that works out at about £8.90 per match and includes free public transport.

“In comparison our prices are simply unacceptable.”

Year on Year cheapest ticket average comparisons (2011 - 2012)

  • Premier League: £24.87 - £28.30
  • Championship: £20.37 - £21.07
  • League One: £15.52 – £18.33
  • League Two: £15.29 - £17.06
  • Overall: £19.01 - £21.19 – an overall rise of 11.5%

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