The true cost of being a football fan in 2014 is exposed today with everything from the cost of pies to season tickets compiled by BBC Sport.
While the average price of the cheapest tickets across English football has risen at almost twice the rate of the cost of living since 2011, if you’re a Manchester City fan, the cost of a cuppa and the cheapest season tickets are shown to be the lowest in the Premier League.
But both Manchester clubs charge the most for adult replica shirts at £55, it has been revealed with today’s release of the BBC Sport Price of Football study.
The new data from the MediaCityUk-based department shows that the average price of the cheapest match day ticket from the Premier League to League Two has increased 13%, compared to a 6.8% increase in the cost of living during that time.
In the Premier League, the increase is 15.8%, while it is 31.7% in League One and 19% in League Two. In the Championship, the average price has dropped 3.2%.
Compared to 12 months ago, the cheapest match day tickets in the top four divisions of English football is up 4.4% from 12 months, from £20.58 to £21.49, more than treble the current rate of inflation which is 1.2%.
The BBC Price of Football study, which includes a calculator for fans to work out their own annual football spend and how much their clubs cost to watch per home goal, is in its fourth year. It is the largest of its kind in Britain, covering 176 clubs in 11 divisions across British football, including Women’s Super League One and Two.
Highlights from the study include:
- Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday’s £10 match day ticket is the cheapest in the top four leagues in England – only matched by Southport in the Conference.
- Manchester City have the cheapest season ticket in the Premier League at £299.
- Hull have the cheapest shirt at £39.99.
- In the Premier League, Crystal Palace, Man City and Southampton have the most expensive pie at £4.
- Liverpool, Manchester United and Southampton have the most expensive cups of tea at £2.50.
The full raw data set for English teams can also be accessed here.
