Football Fans Ripped Off!

Last updated : 18 October 2012 By Footy Mad - Editor

The Price of Football poll, which includes figures from 166 clubs in 10 divisions across Britain, found the average price of the most affordable ticket in the top four divisions in England has risen from £19.01 to £21.24 in the last year.

s

The current rate of inflation based on the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) is 2.2%, showing the cost of watching football is rising disproportionately with everyday essential items.

Last year, a football fan could have taken in a game for less than £20 at 12 of the 92 English league clubs.

This year, only four clubs offer that value - Huddersfield, Sheffield United, Derby and Plymouth.

Newcastle offer the best value in the Barclays Premier League, with the cost of the cheapest ticket, programme, cup of tea and a pie totalling £23.

However, the prize for the team that are the cheapest to support in the football league goes to Sheffield United, with the cost of a ticket, programme, a pie and a cup of tea totalling £17.20.

Arsenal lead the way with the most expensive matchday and season tickets. Their highest-priced ticket for a single game costs £126 while £1,955 is their most expensive season ticket. The Gunners' cheapest season ticket is £985.

s

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis told BBC Sport the club remains focused on offering fans value for money, with their cheapest ticket - £26 - £9 cheaper than last season.

Ivan Gazidis: "We've seen ticket prices rise across the game. This isn't just a football issue.

"If you look at the prices of entertainment across the board they have gone up significantly in recent years and clearly we now have an environment where people are economically challenged.

"What we have done is try to hold those prices down, for example our Capital One Cup prices have been £10 for adults and £5 for children.

"What we know, because of the tremendous take-up, is that there are people who want to watch top-class football but for whom price is a factor. That is something we have to be continually conscious of."

d

Wigan (£255) and Manchester City (£275) offer the Premier League's cheapest season tickets.

Celtic charge the most in the Scottish Premier League for their cheapest matchday ticket (£36.30) but they are the only club with a price point over £35.

In Scotland, half of the 42 teams, offer football fans a day out for less than £20.

Again, it is at Montrose where the cheapest matchday ticket can be bought for just £6.

Other figures reveal the most expensive cup of tea in football can be bought for £2.50 at Manchester United and Manchester City, while Leeds United's £4 charge for a matchday programme is the most expensive in Britain.