Industry News

Study reveals falling cost of English Championship tickets

The average ticket price in the Championship, the second tier of football in England, has fallen from £22.11 (€24.80/$29.17) last season to £20.58 in the current 2017-18 campaign.

The BBC’s Price of Football 2017 study asked 232 clubs across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Europe for data on the cost of attending football matches. Costs such as season and matchday tickets, away tickets and shirt prices, as well as the costs for tea, pies and a programme, were all taken into consideration in the wider study.

The Championship is, on average, the most expensive away ticket in any league in the UK. While the top-tier Premier League has a £30 (€33.66/$39.58) cap, the English Football League has no such rule.

Top average prices for Championship away games are £31.69, compared to £29.50 in the top flight. Fans travelling to Sheffield Wednesday can pay up to £42 for their ticket. Hull City offer the cheapest away ticket at £12.

Chief executive of the English Football League, Shaun Harvey: “Football does not exist in a bubble, but it is clear EFL clubs are doing all that they can to ensure it remains accessible to supporters young and old, in a tough economic climate.

“Ticket revenues continue to underpin the finances of EFL clubs and it is therefore correct that ticket pricing is a matter for individual clubs.

“However, the rise in attendances would only be possible if our clubs offered excellent value for money and it is clear they are reaping the benefits of developing and maintaining ticket pricing structures that reward the loyalty and dedication of supporters in growing numbers.”

The BBC study also found that the majority of ticket prices have been frozen or have fallen for a third year, although a poll of young adult football fans suggests the cost is still putting them off.

According to figures from the Premier League, young adult fans bought four per cent of all season tickets this year. A report in 2015 suggested the average age of an adult supporter in the Premier League was 41.

The survey also found that Championship club Fulham sells the most expensive pie at £4.50, while League Two’s Carlisle sells £2 pies.

Image: Barry Marsh