Posted on 13th May 2013
Supporters from the men’s and women’s game who have been locked out of their team’s cup finals have taken to virtual ticket sales to raise money for good causes.
Fans: “We’re paying £200 too much for season tickets”
This is a story from the FSF archive – the FSF and SD merged to become the FSA in 2019.
- Average 2012/13 Premier League season ticket cost £669
- Fair price? Premier League fans say £456, Football League fans say £316
- One in three may not renew their season tickets
Premier League fans believe they are paying £213 too much for season tickets, according to new research from the Virgin Money Football Fans’ Index. The research shows season ticket holders in the top-flight believe the fair price to pay is £456.
However, the average price for a 2012/13 season ticket across all 20 Premier League clubs this season was £213 higher at £669, and looks set to rise next season despite price freezes at some clubs.
The study also looked at the Football League and found the average price fans believed to be fair for a season ticket across the lower leagues is £316.
Renewals
Virgin Money’s survey also indicates that Premier League fans are less likely to renew their season ticket for 2013/14 than fans of clubs in the lower divisions.
10% of Premier League season ticket holders say they are not renewing, compared with 7% of Championship season ticket holders, 6% in League 1 and 9% in League 2.
A further 22% of top-flight fans have yet to decide whether they can afford to commit for another season meaning that, overall, one in every three Premier League fans is considering not renewing their season ticket.
In the Championship, 21% of fans are still undecided on whether to renew their season ticket, compared with 22% in the Premier League. 25% are undecided in League One, with 34% undecided in League Two.
How high?
The Premier League fans willing to pay the most are Arsenal season ticket holders, who believe £766 is a fair price. Wigan Athletic fans, meanwhile, feel that £259 for a season ticket would be a fair price to watch the FA Cup winners – the lowest figure in the top-flight.
The most expensive season tickets are paid for by Arsenal fans, with the top tier tickets costing £1,954. The top prices at Wigan are less than a sixth of that at just £300.
Graeme Tones, spokesman for Virgin Money, said: “Fans remain passionate about their teams and the packed Premier League stadiums show people have been willing to pay the price. But clearly many feel they are being overcharged.
“Money is tight for a lot of people at the moment and football clubs, despite many freezing season ticket prices, risk losing fans.
“The TV deal for the 2013/14 season significantly increases revenue for clubs and that should perhaps be reflected in how tickets are priced to maintain crowds.”
- £456 – the price Premier League fans think is “fair” for a season ticket
- £669 – the average price for a Premier League season ticket (2012/13)
- One in three – ratio of fans who say they may not renew their season tickets
- One in ten – ratio who say they won’t be renewing their season ticket
- Arsenal – fans willing to pay the most for season tickets
- £766 – the price Arsenal fans think is “fair” for a season ticket
- £259 – the price Wigan Athletic fans think is “fair” for a season ticket
- £1,954 – most expensive season ticket at Arsenal
- £300 – the top price at Wigan Athletic
- £316 – price that fans in the Football League believed was “fair” for a season ticket
You can read the full Virgin Money Football Fans’ Index results here (Word)…
You can read the full Virgin Money Football Fans’ Index results here (PDF)…
- Do your bit to make football more affordable by backing the FSF’s Twenty’s Plenty campaign here. It’ll only take two minutes of your time.
