A leading football finance expert has warned that the days of ticket price freezes are over as clubs look to recoup money lost due to rising costs and stagnant broadcast revenue.
Of the 12 Premier League teams that have announced pricing for next season, 11 have seen their season ticket prices rise, with Liverpool increasing their season tickets by 2%, sparking outrage among fans.
Only Crystal Palace has confirmed the fare freeze, with Arsenal, Brentford, Brighton, Burnley, Everton, Manchester City, Manchester United, Sheffield United, Tottenham and West Ham also joining Liverpool’s ranks, ticket prices rising.
Kieran Maguire of the University of Liverpool says clubs are dealing with cost pressures that have affected all businesses in recent years.
“Like other industries, clubs have been hit by rising fixed costs and interest rates,” he said. “Everyone else is passing these costs on to the consumer. I complained about the price of a jar of Marmite but paid for it anyway. But we value the football club higher than any other supplier. We think they should act differently .”
After a decade in which season tickets were often frozen, the post-pandemic period has brought cost increases for many viewers. Before this season, Manchester United had not increased their prices for 11 years, and Liverpool had not increased their prices for seven years.
quick guide
Adult season ticket prices at Premier League clubs: What we know so far
exhibit
arsenal: cheapest £1,073 (from £974), the most expensive £2,050 (original price £1784)
Brentford: cheapest £460 (from £419), most expensive £815 (Original price £549)
Brighton:
cheapest £595 (from £565), the most expensive £965 (from £800)
Burnley: cheapest £352 (from £335), the most expensive £520 (from £500)
Crystal Palace:
The cheapest frozen ones are in £545the most expensive frozen ones are in £895
Everton: cheapest £650 (from £600, cheaper in family zone at £555), most expensive £740 (Original price £690)
Liverpool: cheapest £713 (from £699), the most expensive £904 (original price £886)
Manchester City: cheapest £540 (from £385), the most expensive £1,080 (Original price £1,030)
Manchester United:
cheapest To be determined* (from £551), the most expensive To be determined (original price £1,007)
Sheffield United: cheapest £403 (from £380), the most expensive £513 (from £490)
Tottenham Hotspur:
cheapest £856 (from £807), the most expensive £2,147 (Original price £2,025)
West Ham United: Cheapest at £345 (original price £310), most expensive £1,175 (original price £1105)
* United have informed season ticket holders of the price increase but have not publicly announced prices for the 2024-25 season
Maguire said: “Between 2010 and 2019, retail inflation was low and Premier League television revenue grew rapidly.” “In 2014, the league’s broadcast revenue grew by 70%. In 2017, they did the same thing again. When money falls from the sky, it looks bad to be perceived as targeting fans.
“But domestic revenue has effectively been flat since then, so how do clubs make more money? Commodity prices are up and ticket prices are another lever they can pull.”
Newsletter Promotion Post
Maguire observed that Manchester United’s increase in season ticket prices last year affected the club’s profits. “In 2011, the club’s matchday revenue was £111 million,” he said. “It was £111 million in 2019 and will be £111 million in 2022 when the COVID-19 epidemic returns. In 2022-23, this figure increases from £111 million to £136 million.”
Maguire believes other clubs have looked at United’s results and taken notice. “People will raise prices because they know people are willing to pay,” he said. “At this price, Liverpool can sell 80,000 seats.”
While commercial arguments continue, football’s cultural significance means clubs are not exempt from criticism. “Economics and Business 101 says that if you can sell a product for a certain price, then it’s too cheap,” Maguire said. “Whether that’s true in national sport is another question, but if you believe football is a working-class opera, then absolutely not.”
