Cost of watching football in Britain eases as away day deals dent prices in Premier League
Ticket prices have largely fallen or been frozen across Britain this season and particularly in the Premier League, where the cost of attending matches has been curbed by new incentives for away supporters.
More than two thirds – or 69 per cent – of tickets in 13 divisions in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have either fallen in price or stayed the same as last year, according to a new survey.
That figure swells to 86 per cent in the Premier League, where a third of tickets have fallen in price and more than half have remained static, BBC Sport’s Price of Football study found.
Read more: Should Fergie really be a model to follow for business leaders?
It comes after clubs in the top division agreed to cap the price of seats for away fans at £30 from this season.
That has brought the average price of the most expensive away ticket at a Premier League ground down by 37 per cent, from £46.44 last term to £29.44 in this campaign.
The equivalent figure for teams in the Championship, £31.57, is now higher than for those in the tier above them.
Premier League clubs have come under increasing pressure to cut ticket prices as they benefit from record-breaking revenues from the sale of television coverage around the world.
Domestic and international broadcast rights deals that take effect this year means that even the team the finishes bottom of the top flight stands to receive at least £100m in central distributions, up from £67m last season.
London quartet top season ticket price list
Arsenal's most expensive season ticket is the costliest in Britain, although it comes with extra games (Source: Getty)
London is home to the country’s four most expensive season tickets, at Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea.
Arsenal’s costliest season ticket tops the list at £2,013 but, unlike some teams, also includes access to the first seven cup fixtures, including Champions League games.
Tottenham’s £1,895 top-of-the-range season ticket is next most expensive, with Chelsea’s third at £1,250
West Ham’s costliest season ticket, at new home the London Stadium following their controversial relocation earlier this year, is the fourth dearest in the top flight at £1,100.
The Hammers’ cheapest season ticket is just £289, however, while Arsenal’s costs £1,014, Tottenham’s is £765, and Chelsea’s £750.
Pies, teas and shirts
Pies range from £4.10 at West Ham to £1.20 at Forfar Athletic (Source: Getty)
- British football’s most expensive pie is at West Ham and costs £4.10. Seven other teams charge £4, while Forfar Athletic’s £1.20 offering is the cheapest.
- Fulham charge the joint highest price for a tea, £2.50, as do Manchester United, Liverpool, Bristol City and Rangers.
-
Manchester United and Manchester City adult replica shirts are the dearest at £60, but less than top European sides such as Juventus and Bayern Munich (€90/£78).