The national view on season tickets

[silent majority]

This report on season ticket renewals will contain some bombshells for some of the bigger clubs. The constant price rises and extortionate cost of attending a game of football has now taken effect;


ONE IN FOUR SEASON TICKETS COULD BE CANCELLED
•   Man Utd most at risk as fans cut back on season tickets, says Virgin Money research
•   Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Inflation Index falls 6.8% from 2009

Up to one in four season ticket holders is considering not renewing for next season in a bid to cut costs, according to Virgin Money’s authoritative Football Fans’ Inflation Index.

Research for Virgin Money shows 25% of season ticket holders are thinking of giving up at the end of the season with 4% planning on no longer going to any games while 21% intend to buy tickets when it suits them.

And Champions Manchester United face the biggest potential exodus of season ticket holders with 15% giving up going to games entirely while another 44% will only buy tickets when it suits them. United, which is currently facing fan protests against the Glazer family who own the club, could see up to 59% of fans cancelling season tickets with Wolves the next most at risk in the Premiership with 54% of supporters considering giving up for next season.

The backlash against season tickets comes despite Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Inflation Index showing that the cost of attending games has fallen by 6.8% in the past year. Lower ticket prices and reduced costs for replica kit means the match-day cost has fallen to £89.09 compared with £95.60 in January 2009.

That is still 14.29% higher than the matchday cost when the index was launched in January 2006 but is substantially lower than the all-time high of £106.21 in October 2008. Average match tickets across all leagues peaked at £27.38 in July 2009 but have now fallen to an average of £22.59.

The research among more than 3,896 fans representing all 92 clubs in the Football League shows fans of Liverpool and Stoke City are the least likely to give up season tickets next year with just 9% of supporters considering cut backs.

Grant Bather, spokesman for Virgin Money, said: “It appears that clubs have got the message that fans cannot keep on paying more and more for football just in time. The prospect of one in four season ticket holders giving up next season is a serious warning to clubs that fans need some support.

“When inflation across the economy as a whole is rising it is encouraging to see that football is going in the opposite direction with Football Fans Inflation down 6.8% in a year. That said the matchday cost is still nearly £90 which is a major chunk out of anyone’s disposable income.

“Man Utd can probably afford to see season ticket holders walking away as there are plenty of people willing to step in and take over but at other clubs there is not the same demand from supporters. Clubs have shown they are willing to help but they could do more to make everyone better off.

Malcolm Clarke, Chairman of the Football Supporters’ Federation, commented: “The drop in costs is welcome but season tickets are still priced astronomically compared with other major European leagues such as Spain, Italy and Germany. At many clubs there’s little or no recognition of loyalty in the prices charged compared with buying match by match. Prices for essentials like food, rents, transport and petrol are going up and football fans like everybody else are struggling with frozen or declining pay and unemployment. Clubs need to bear this in mind when setting next season’s prices.

“Shamefully Manchester United was the only Premier League club that put up their prices for the current season. Every other club froze or reduced them. They also sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid. Huge numbers of United fans are in open revolt against the Glazer family’s huge cash drain on the club. They’re paying the price for the leveraged buy-out in 2005 that has loaded a massive £700 million debt onto United’s books. The Glazer regime has put up ticket prices by half in less than five years. No wonder almost six out of 10 Old Trafford season ticket holders are thinking of not renewing.”

PREMIERSHIP CLUB    PERCENTAGE CONSIDERING CANCELLING SEASON TICKETS
Man Utd                            59%
Wolves                            54%
Burnley                            31%
Fulham                            29%
Everton                     28%
Blackburn                    28%
Portsmouth                    28%
West Ham                     27%
Aston Villa                    24%
Sunderland                    23%
Wigan                            21%
Tottenham                    19%
Man City                     18%
Birmingham                     17%
Chelsea                     17%
Hull                            17%
Arsenal                            14%
Bolton                            13%
Liverpool                     9%
Stoke City                     9%


Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Index has tracked the cost of football since January 2006 and 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 in January 2006, the match day basket of goods** cost £77.95.  However the most recent analysis puts the cost at £89.09 – a rise of £11.14 per match day. Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Index runs every three months and 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.
 

-Ends-

[wilts rover]

Dont believe it, there is no BST graph!

What does suprise me are the Wolves and Burnley stats, they have always been regarded as a loyal fan base, I wonder if that reflects the cost of the Premier League - or the fact they may be relegated?

[silent majority]

Wilts - its probably both! I know some Wolves fans and they are always complaining about the cost. The Man Utd thing is probably a reaction to the Glazers, and I do know quite a few of them who no longer attend all the Carling Cup games etc, despite having to buy the tickets under the T's & C's of their season ticket.

[Lytham Rover]

didnt burrrrnley get free season tickets this year as a thankyou for helping them get to the promised land  ahem premier league

maybe the thought of paying again put them off

[silent majority]

Here's another take on the Man Utd situation;

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article7056430.ece

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Malcolm Clarke, Chairman of the Football Supporters’ Federation, commented: “The drop in costs is welcome but season tickets are still priced astronomically compared with other major European leagues such as Spain, Italy and Germany. At many clubs there’s little or no recognition of loyalty in the prices charged compared with buying match by match. Prices for essentials like food, rents, transport and petrol are going up and football fans like everybody else are struggling with frozen or declining pay and unemployment. Clubs need to bear this in mind when setting next season’s prices.

This is the point of our reaction to our season ticket price rise, and is likely to jeopardise JRs objective.

Of course we have achieved an extension to the deadline to help folk muster up the cash, but like some of us will debate the issue on here, there are many hundreds out there who will not voice their opinion, they will just not buy tickets.

A football finance expert has been on Radio Sheffield and he reckons football is over priced and it was about time clubs made the product more accessible. The average cost of watching football is more than going to the opera.

The trend for tickets should be down, allowing more people to attend, who in turn by their numbers should generate more cash.

[BillyStubbsTears]

wilts rover wrote:

Dont believe it, there is no BST graph!

Gimme a minute. I've only just got in from work.

Now. Just let me factor that Football inflation figure by the annualised GDP growth rate in Thailand 1961-64 and I reckon I can prove categorically that Mark Wilson pulled his shirt over his head and sat on the goal line saying \"can't see me!\" when Bradley Orr scored that second goal on Satdi.

[River Don]

wilts rover wrote:

Dont believe it, there is no BST graph!

What does suprise me are the Wolves and Burnley stats, they have always been regarded as a loyal fan base, I wonder if that reflects the cost of the Premier League - or the fact they may be relegated?

It does reflect the poor performance on the pitch but I think it's more to do with the limited size of their fanbase. Getting into the Premier League is a big thing and it brings in lots of new season ticket holders but they are floating voters as it were and when the success isn't there any more they don't have the same attachment as a long term fan and are more likely to walk. The clubs who are more stable in the Premier League benefit from having that stable fanbase.

Rovers suffer from this, it's why it's so important we remain in this league so we can build a larger more stable support base.