" Mod£rn Football. Fans getting priced out "

http://cardiffbluearmy.blogspot.com/201 ... tting.html

In a fortnights time, it will be the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Premier League. The day that the top tier of the English game broke free of the football league and ensured the money men were the real winners. In the space of these two decades, ticket prices and general match day costs of the average fan has risen to jaw dropping levels.

With the help of broadcasters such as Sky who have pumped countless millions of pounds into the game, it has ensured that football is now one of the biggest industries in the world. Unfortunately for the average fan, this has had a severe effect on ticket prices, one that could potentially wipe out 'working class' fans.

Part of the Taylor Report which was conducted after the stadium disaster at Hillsborough (1989) said that all seater stadia would only work if ticket prices were kept at manageable levels. Unfortunately for the average fan, this recommendation has not come into fruition. According to research, at the time of Hillsborough, the cheapest ticket at Old Trafford would be around £3. The Bank of England suggests that in todays money that would be around £6. But the actual price of a cheapest ticket at Manchester United is £28. That is a rise of over 700% in twenty years. Lord Justice Taylor who led the report knew that clubs would use the all seated rule to increase ticket prices but he thought this could be prevented.

"Clubs may well wish to charge somewhat more for seats than for standing but it should be possible to plan a price structure which suits the cheapest seats to the pockets of those presently paying to stand."

It is often stated that Taylor could not see the 'commercialisation' which was rapidly coming around the corner and the impact it would have on the finances of the beautiful game.

Although it is widely reported that London clubs are the worst for price increasing, it is in fact Liverpool that are the most guilty. The Guardian suggests that the cheapest ticket to watch 'The Reds' at Anfield was £4.00 in 1989. Which is equivalent to around £7.00 in 2012. However the cheapest ticket to watch Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez at work is £45. A rise of an astronomical 1025%.

The battle of ticket prices is going to only further the distance the Premier League from the Football League. And further the distance between the 'Big boys' of the top tier against the lesser clubs. If Manchester United can get average crowds of nearly 75,000 with most paying roughly £40-£60 a game or £500-£1000 a season. Blackburn can only get crowds of 22,000 selling tickets at £10 a game. The money generated is going to create a gap that would be extremely difficult to close.

Clubs actively advertise the vast savings on offer if you purchase a season ticket. In the 1989-1990 season, the cheapest season ticket at Anfield would be around £60.00. But what about now?. A 'cheap' seat for a season at Liverpool will knock you back a cool £725.00. A rise of approximately 1100%.

In times of extreme economic hardship, most fans will not be able to afford anywhere near the extortionate prices these clubs are charging. It is already showing a slight downturn. Even though it is hard to imagine Old Trafford selling out every game, it always has. Apart from the last season. Although they are still selling 65,000 tickets, the others are going unwanted. United tickets are a lot easier to come by than previous years and will be even easier in the future, especially with the current trend.

It only seems to be English football. German champions Borussia Dortmund sell tickets for a fantastic £10.00. So two champions of their countries, and one is nearly two thirds cheaper than the other.

Football, and in particular English football was famed for its ability to 'appeal to the masses'. It was the one thing that connected the majority of the working men. Blokes from all over the country could look forward to watching a match on a Saturday after finishing work. For a game that prided itself on its working class roots is going to wipe out its own foundations very soon.

So the exact fear of the fans regarding the Taylor Report has become a reality. With no signs of the bigger clubs dropping prices. Fans are getting priced out. Footballing gaps are getting bigger. And football is slowly working its way towards a monumental meltdown.

'Football is like a balloon. Money is like air being pumped into this balloon. And one day, this balloon will pop.'


http://epltalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2 ... raphic.jpg

Have a look at this image and see how football has spiralled out of control.

Thanks for reading.

Great article. I recall SPL(well the old Premier Division) being £3. Aberdeen now charge £26 for some seats. It's a scandal to be honest. Put fotballers on £300 a week and drop tickets to £10 again.

Great article. I recall SPL(well the old Premier Division) being £3. Aberdeen now charge £26 for some seats. It's a scandal to be honest. Put fotballers on £300 a week and drop tickets to £10 again.

28 years ago (my 1st full season) my dad and i went every week. £1 for him, 50p for me and 35p for a programme. Change out of 2 quid.

Nowadays to go to CCFC for me and the 2 boys costs a minimum of £28 plus £3 for programme. Usually family stand is sold out so it costs £54 quid in Ninian.

Football is definately pricing itself out of market

Thanks Paul.

This post was only wrote to mark the 20th anniversary of the PL. But I will sometime in the future do an article on football finance in the 70s or early 80s.

Good read that mate and not far off the money, excuse the pun.

and also in other sports.

I realise that mate, but the inception of the PL & increased live football in my view is when it all started to take off in the UK.

Cracking article though.

Great article. I recall SPL(well the old Premier Division) being £3. Aberdeen now charge £26 for some seats. It's a scandal to be honest. Put fotballers on £300 a week and drop tickets to £10 again.

your right I won't be paying £26 to watch aberdeen thats for sure

I knew it was bad but not that bad....It wont change though...as the " 1%" or "money bags" of football will have too much to lose.

Its needs to change though..imagine how much its going to cost when we playing Real Madrid at the new 60K CCS stadium in 20 years time..I'm going to look for a new job now.

I think if players wages were to average at about £25,000 p/w for the likes of Rooney, Messi etc. And Championship players down to about £5,000 p/w - Thats still £48,000 a year - then most clubs could afford to drop ticket prices to reasonable prices again.
But the truth is, if ticket prices are lowered to £2 kids and £5 adults there wont be enough room in stadia. We cant just cram everyone onto a terrace anymore so unfortunately football will never change for the better

Thanks for the feedback of the article guys.

Thanks to whoever made it a sticky as well. Greatly appreciated.

Basic economics in action here. Like any other business, the prices are worked out at the level of what people are willing and prepared to pay. Liverpool may well charge more than anyone else, but they still sell out every week. Three quarters of the seats at the CCS are sold out every week before any people who pay for the day, so the prices can't be too high.

Clubs have lost their "working class roots" because of a change in society, as well as a change to all seater stadia. The new generation is soft - they want comfort, quality, a good view and above all, safety. This is what has attracted the more affluent fan to the game, thus pushing up the prices. People talk with affection for the old stadia, and the old days of Ninian Park (amongst others).

The main thing I remember about watching in the late 60s early 70s was that the toilets were disgusting and open air (in the rain, not just under the stand!). You could be stood anywhere on the old Bob Bank minding your own business when a group of thugs (home or away fans) would come "steaming" through the middle of the crowd, not caring who they ran into. The old ash terraces were wet and muddy, and people thought it was "fun" to push down to the front in between the barriers, knocking people off their feet. Above all, the fact that you had to have one eye on the behaviour of the crowd, and not just watching what was happening on the pitch. The fact that these issues have been largely addressed in the new stadia is what has attracted a more affluent fanbase.

People now have a wide range of leisure activities to choose from, even the so-called "working class" They see high quality live football on their TV several times a week in the comfort of their own homes. However, people still choose to come to a live game to enjoy that experience - and pay extra for that privilige. The old days are gone - we must embrace the new era of the safe, comfortable all seater stadium.

If you don't think its worth it, then don't pay the prices. If clubs can't fill the grounds, then they need to reduce their prices. Simples.