Exclusive: Seven in 10 think fans are being priced out of football
Seven out of 10 football supporters in the UK believe traditional fans are being priced out of watching games, exclusive data for Morning Wire can reveal on the eve of the Premier League’s return.
Over 70 per cent of traditional football fans who have attended a match in the last 12 months have told Morning Wire that they feel priced out of matches, while over 75 per cent of respondents believe there should be a cap on how much football clubs can charge for ticket prices.
The Premier League returns on Friday at Anfield as champions Liverpool host Bournemouth on Merseyside. Resale tickets start from over £140.
And with demand higher than ever to watch the best footballers across the country, many clubs have come under criticism for changes to their season ticket and general ticketing policies.
Even Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has faced sharp condemnation for his involvement in ticket resale site Vivid Seats.
Football fans priced out of Premier League
But beyond the resale and tout market the cost of living crisis felt by many across working class footballing communities and the price hikes felt across a number of ticket offerings risk turning traditional football fans away, to be replaced by tourist fans.
The survey of over 2,000 respondents by polling giants Ipsos lays bare the concerns of fans over the affordability of attending matches generations of family members have enjoyed for years.
But two thirds of those asked said the cost of a ticket is inevitable given how much clubs spend on player transfers in the modern era, while over half stated the ticket prices were no more expensive than equivalent events like music concerts.
And just a third of all fans think men’s football is value for money, with that number rising to 62 per cent among those who have attended as fans in the last year.
The 20 Premier League clubs in this window have spent an estimated £2bn with Liverpool (£250m), Chelsea (£240m), Manchester United (£197m), Arsenal (£192m) and Manchester City (£153) unsurprisingly the biggest spenders.
The record-breaking spend could rise further with the window closing on 1 September.
Elsewhere this weekend promoted Sunderland host West Ham United, Manchester United take on Arsenal at Old Trafford and Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea face Burnley and Crystal Palace respectively.