Ticket Prices Rise By 450% In Ten Years

Last updated : 29 September 2005 By Footy Mad - Editor

New research suggests that we’re turning our backs on the beautiful game – but are high ticket prices really behind the current slump? We look at how the true cost of being a football fan.

The average cost of a Premiership ticket is currently a staggering £28. Yet the average figure doesn’t tell the whole story – in 1994 you could expect to pay £12 for a top-class ticket to watch Arsenal. Today, the same ticket costs an eye-watering £54 – an increase of 450%.

A recent Sunday Mirror poll found that the cost of season tickets this year has climbed, on average, by 5.8% - that’s three times the rate of inflation. The survey reveals that the average cost of the cheapest Premiership season ticket has risen by 7.2% to £453 – up from £422 last season. The average cost of a top-price season ticket, meanwhile, is £705.

The cost of following your club can vary enormously depending on where you live. Fans of Blackburn Rovers can enjoy a season’s action for a mere £250, but 200 miles down the M1, you’ll find that football in the capital can cost a packet.

The four most expensive clubs to support are all in London. Arsenal has the highest prices overall – it can cost as much as £1,825 to see superstar striker Thierry Henry in action. Some seats at Tottenham and Chelsea also break the £1,000 barrier, while West Ham fans are paying a sharp premium to be part of their return to the top flight.

The most expensive Premiership season tickets:
Cheapest seat Dearest seat -
Arsenal £885 - £1,825
Tottenham £540 - £1,350
Chelsea £650 - £1,150
West Ham £515 - £745
Man United £390 - £684

The least expensive Premiership season tickets:
Cheapest seat Dearest seat -
West Brom £449 - £549
Everton £424 - £529
Sunderland £360 - £495
Aston Villa £330 - £474
Wigan £327 - £375