There is anger and consternation amongst football fans in Europe and the UK at the moment as figures recently released show that the cost of supporting their favourite team has risen by as much as 4.4% in the last twelve months alone. When put into context this is three times as high as the rise in the cost of living which stands at roughly 1.2%.
Understandably, those that support clubs based in the UK Premiership have voiced their concern and feel aggrieved that when compared with teams that play in European leagues they are very much being priced out of supporting their side.
The average cost of a season ticket to support a club such as Arsenal has risen to a whopping £2000 which, when broken down, amounts to around just over £75 per game. Admittedly this is the most expensive team to support and there are other sides in the premiership for which you’d pay much less, but for an average supporter who wants to see his/her side play as often as possible this is becoming an expense that feels a little too much to pay out.
There are fears that many fans will start to vote with their feet and look into other options, such as staying at home and paying out for sports channels on their television from which they can pick and choose the games they see and watch them in the comfort and safety of their own home without having to worry about transport, traffic or other expenses such as paying for food and drink while they’re out and about.
Some fans feel that this isn’t right and that by doing so and not going to the ground you’re not getting the best possible match experience you could have, but for many it’s simply no longer an option to be able to fork out for a season ticket year upon year when factoring in the other costs of living. It remains to be seen whether football management at a higher level take this on board and bring prices down to match fans expectations – for how long can the beautiful game continue like this?
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