Football Crazy

Premier League transfer spending hit a record £835m during the summer window, up from £630m the previous year, boosted by the bumper television deal, which was 70% higher than the previous package. Premier League clubs now spend 71p on player wages for every £1 generated. Match-day revenue increased by 6% in the Premier League last season to £585m.
Yet as well as the cheapest match-day ticket rise, the average price of the cheapest Premier League season ticket has increased 8.7% since 2012, from £467.95 to £508.55.

The average price of the cheapest tickets across English football has risen at almost twice the rate of the cost of living since 2011.The average price of the cheapest match-day ticket from the Premier League to League Two is now £21.49. It has increased 13% since 2011, compared to a 6.8% rise in the cost of living. Year-on-year it is up 4.4%, more than treble the 1.2% rate of inflation. Despite the ticket price rises, Premier League attendances are on the increase. The average last season was 36,695.

Critics of the price hikes said clubs had lost touch with fans and argued that the recent £3.1bn windfall from television rights should have resulted in a drop in ticket prices for supporters. The Football Supporters' Federation had called for clubs to use the TV deal to cut ticket prices, saying they could knock about £30 off each ticket and still generate the same revenue.
Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the group, said there was "no excuse at all" for the continuing rises.
"Three times the rate of inflation is completely unacceptable from an industry that's got megabucks going in at the top," he said.

Arsenal have the most expensive match-day ticket in the Premier League at £97. That's down £29 on last season but still more than double the most expensive match-day ticket at seven other top-flight clubs. The Gunners also have the most expensive season ticket in the top flight at £2,013, although it includes seven credits for cup competitions. Their cheapest season ticket is £1,014, which is more than 17 Premier League clubs charge for their most expensive one.  Barcelona charge around £103 for their lowest-priced season ticket.

Dan Roan, BBC sports editor, commented “it is easy to see why many now feel English football is becoming more of a middle-class pursuit, exploiting the loyalties of its customers in order to pay players and their agents more and more.”

In the Football League, the average cost of the cheapest match-day ticket increased 31.7% in League One and 19% in League Two. In the Championship, the average price has fell 3.2%.

In Scotland's Premiership the average price for the cheapest day out at Premiership matches, including a match-day ticket, pie, cup of tea and a programme, increased by just 61p to £26.95 from last season.

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