One in eight season ticket holders won't renew due to cost
- Virgin Money’s Football Fans Price Index shows 17.8 per cent rise in matchday costs
- Number of fans priced out of the game up 5%
- West Ham fans least likely to renew season ticket
One in every eight football fans (12%) is considering not renewing their season ticket because they have been priced out of the game – up five per cent on the same time last year, according to new research* from Virgin Money. Fans of Premiership clubs are least likely to return next season, with around 16 per cent believing they cannot afford to attend every home match.
Virgin Money estimates that around a quarter of all season tickets won’t be renewed across the country this summer, with reasons varying from family commitments to the overall cost and even disillusionment at the poor quality of the football on display.
But research shows that almost half of those who are not renewing say following their team is just too expensive. And Virgin Money’s Football Fans Price Index shows the cost of going to games has risen by 17.8 per cent since January 2006.
And the poll showed West Ham will feel the backlash most keenly, with some 38 per cent of season ticket holders saying they wouldn’t be renewing next year. Almost three quarters of those claim Upton Park is just too expensive, suggesting that the club’s recent Great Escape at Old Trafford may not be enough to keep the fans happy.
Other Premiership clubs pricing their fans away from the game include championship challengers Manchester United, who recently announced a 14 per cent rise in ticket prices for next season, Middlesbrough and Liverpool. Portsmouth and Bolton fans are among the least likely to complain about costs vindicating the clubs’ decisions to either freeze or lower season ticket prices for next season.
| Club | % of season ticket holders not renewing due to cost | % of season ticket holders not renewing due to poor quality football | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Ham United | 28 | 7 |
| 2 | Manchester United | 24 | 0 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 22 | 0 |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 21 | 3 |
| 5 | Newcastle United | 19 | 10 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 19 | 0 |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 17 | 1 |
| 8 | Chelsea | 15 | 0 |
| 9 | Blackburn Rovers | 14 | 1 |
| 10 | Charlton Athletic | 13 | 1 |
| 11 | Arsenal | 13 | 0 |
| 12 | Fulham | 12 | 1 |
| 13 | Manchester City | 11 | 13 |
| 14 | Sheffield United | 11 | 0 |
| 15 | Watford | 10 | 6 |
| 16 | Wigan Athletic | 10 | 4 |
| 17 | Reading | 8 | 1 |
| 18 | Bolton Wanderers | 8 | 0 |
| 19 | Everton | 7 | 1 |
| 20 | Portsmouth | 7 | 0 |
The findings of the survey for the Virgin Money Football Fans Price Index highlight the threat rising costs of being a fan pose to the future of the game, illustrating the potential impact of high ticket prices on everyday fans.
Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Price Index shows that in the past year the cost of attending games has risen by 17.84 per cent. The index is aimed at helping supporters keep track of the rises and falls in the costs of supporting their team. The company identified the match-day essentials fans buy and keeps tabs on increases and decreases.
At the launch of the index last year the matchday basket of goods cost £77.95 and now it’s £91.87 – a rise of £13.92. An increase in the cost of match tickets and replica shirts are the main reasons behind the increase.
Virgin Money spokesman John Franklin said: “Football clubs have to understand that fans can only take so much. High ticket prices, pricey merchandise and matchday programmes are all contributing to an ordinary fan’s regular costs. Loyalty should be rewarded for the benefit of the game.
“There is evidence that some clubs are listening to their fans – price freezes and even price reductions are being introduced in the Premiership – but sadly at the moment these are exceptions to the rule. If we want to continue to fill our stadia and attract future generations to the beautiful game, football has to be affordable to all.”
Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Prices Index runs every three months and looks at the cost of a typical basket of goods monitoring the ups and downs of prices.
The firm’s research team examines the cost of items such as a gallon of petrol; match tickets; food; alcohol; train tickets and replica shirts.
Notes to editors:
- Football Fans’ Census interviewed a representative sample of 2,013 football fans between 10th – 19th April 2007
- The basket of goods includes a gallon of petrol, a pint of lager, a bacon roll, a train fare, a match ticket, a replica shirt, pay-per-view cost and a match programme.
For further information
John Franklin, PR Manager, Virgin Money
Tel: 01603 215909
Kevan Reilly/Billy Partridge/George Ullstein, Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Tel: 0207 638 9571
Football Supporters’ Federation Malcolm Clarke 07939 594379 Steven Powell 07881 950613
About Virgin Money:
- Virgin Money is Virgin’s financial services arm and was established in 1995.
- Virgin Money has over two million customers and offers a wide range of financial products across lending (e.g. credit cards and personal loans), savings (e.g. deposits, investments and pensions) and protection (e.g. life insurance, home insurance and car insurance) to the UK market.
Virgin Money Personal Financial Service Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registered office: Discovery House, Whiting Road, Norwich NR4 6EJ. Registered in England No. 3072766. Entered on the Financial Services Authority's register number 179271.
About The Football Fans’ Census:
The Football Fans Census is Europe’s leading football research expert. With over 100,000 members The FFC provides a communication channel between the supporter and the football industry.
