Premier League clubs made roughly £830m by selling matchday tickets at home in 2023, according to UEFA’s European Club Finance and Investment Landscape Report.
Of the 20 clubs in England’s top-flight football competition, Arsenal made the most from 23/24 ticket sales- £127m. That’s an estimated £5.1m per match, with Tottenham Hotspur close behind at £4.9m per match.
Yet increasing player and staff wages, rising operational costs, and tightening financial regulations leave many clubs reporting losses. Spurs top the table for the highest operating costs at £222m, followed by this year’s champions Liverpool.
As clubs scramble to survive, someone must suffer: the football fan. With the prices for the 25/26 season tickets announced across the last few months, backlash has followed- so much so that Wolverhampton Wanderers went back on their original increases and froze prices. Clubs from Manchester City to Fulham have faced protests inside and outside of the stadium, as fans fight back against rising costs to attend games and support their teams in person.
Between the 14/15 and 24/25 seasons, the cheapest adult season ticket to support Fulham has increased by £360. 16 other clubs have also inflated the price of their cheapest tickets compared to 10 seasons ago. Ultimately, loyal fans are getting priced out.
However they are not only getting priced out- but kicked out, in favour of premium hospitality seats. Manchester United fan Michael Carney recently made headlines when he protested 60 minutes into his club’s match against Manchester City. He has had the same seat in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand since 1980, but has been informed he will be moved next year to make room for hospitality. Furthermore, the BBC reported that despite City’s Etihad Stadium’s capacity expansion of 9000 over the last few years, there are less season tickets than six years ago.
These are not football fans’ only ticketing worries. There are fears that counterfeit tickets and dynamic pricing, which both have a stranglehold on the music industry, could emerge in sports. 49% of people are worried about purchasing fake tickets online, according to YouGov.
A history of season tickets and the matchday experience
Reportedly the concept of the season ticket began in the late 19th century, as English football clubs partnered with railways to improve matchday attendance. Season tickets were then introduced to the English Football League (EFL) in the mid-20th century. At a similar time, clubs began organising tickets for different stands and price categories.
Clubs may not have arrangements with railways anymore, as fans from across the country have to make their own travel plans, but the season ticket has remained.
Father and son Arsenal fans Garry and Steve Bridges have had a season ticket for five years, and a return train trip for a home game costs between £40-£50. On top of that, they estimate they spend at least £15 on stadium food and £20 on pints.
“Within the stadium it’s overpriced and expensive,” states Garry.
One staple in the football stadium is the pie. In the 14/15 season, Manchester City and Crystal Palace offered the most expensive pies at £4, whilst Chelsea’s was the cheapest at £2.50 (alongside just £1 for a cup of tea, again cheapest in the league). This season the cheapest pie was £3.30 at Nottingham Forest and the most expensive was £5 at West Ham, with an 80p increase in the average price of Premier League pies over 10 seasons.
Moving onto pints, last season Arsenal and West Ham charged £6.30, whilst Manchester United and Sheffield United only asked £3- therefore it’s no wonder Gunners fan Garry is unimpressed.
Further purchases in the matchday experience include merchandise. 10 seasons ago, the most expensive adult shirt in the Premier League was £60 at Manchester United, with Arsenal nearby at £55. Now, an Arsenal shirt can cost between £85-£146, and Garry believes he understands why.
“Demand from overseas supporters is huge and they also buy a lot of merchandise from the club shops when attending matches,” he notes.
Steve adds: “People feel owners would prefer ‘tourists’ rather than season ticket holders so there is more matchday revenue and it does feel that way sometimes.
“We should get quicker service at kiosks, but ultimately it is a little addictive supporting your team,” he continues.
Both have a seat behind the goal, a price category which Steve admits is affordable for himself but would not be for the whole family.
“Ultimately there will be a tipping point if it becomes too expensive,” he expresses reluctantly with a shrug of the shoulders.
Why are people buying season tickets?
Steve and Garry are part of the 41% of Brits who watch live or support a football team, according to YouGov.
Before securing their season tickets, they were on the wait list for a staggering 15 years. This showcases the demand for season tickets despite the protests over pricing. 10% of Britons have not attended a sports event but would like to.
“A number of people have given up their season tickets but there is always someone to take up the ticket,” explains Garry, who became an Arsenal supporter in 1991 in the footsteps of his son.
Garry bought his season ticket because it guaranteed him a seat at every home match, and it was a way for him to spend time with his son. Steve also agrees it’s a great day out with his dad, and a season ticket is the best way to watch the team you love try to win the Premier League. Although both agree their tickets are expensive, they believe they are worth it.
The two point out that Arsenal, like many other Premier League clubs, allow season ticket holders to either sell, transfer, or exchange seats to other fans if they cannot attend a certain match. They say this means they are not losing out on money. However teams such as Manchester City are strengthening the rules around this: their season ticket holders must attend, exchange, or transfer their ticket for at least 14 home matches or risk losing their season ticket. Manchester United now require season ticket usage at a minimum of 16 out of 19 home games, compared to 15 the year prior.
The BBC reported that club ticket partners resell the tickets that season ticket holders cannot use for higher prices. Yet they are still snapped up, indicating that there are fans willing to pay the rising prices, whilst other loyal fans may not be.
Why do ticket prices go up or down?
This year, the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) stated: “We fail to see any justification for the increase [in ticket prices].” This followed a 5% rise in ticket prices for a third straight year in a row, after 11 consecutive years of price freezes at the club.
Of the 16 clubs that have announced their 25/26 season ticket prices, seven have increased the price of their cheapest tickets, seven have frozen them, and two have made them even cheaper. As mentioned earlier, Wolves fans played a vital part in pushing the club to freeze prices. But why have seven others increased prices, whilst Southampton and Arsenal have become more affordable?
Currently Arsenal are second in the table, whilst Southampton are rock bottom and guaranteed relegation. A 5% reduction in ticket prices reflects Southampton’s performance this season, in which they lost 30 matches. The club was relegated for the 23/24 season, before earning promotion to the Premier League for the 24/25 season. Each time they were relegated, prices have dropped accordingly, whilst promotion saw a £100 increase in the cheapest adult season ticket, arguably an attempt to fund a campaign to prevent relegation again.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest earnt promotion for the 22/23 season, and whilst they finished 17th in the 23/24 season and just avoided relegation, they have finished seventh this season. Forest’s size of season ticket price increase was largest following their 17th place (£85), but after finishing 7th this season their cheapest season ticket has only risen by £25.
Certainly amongst teams that are typically near the bottom of the Premier League table, prices are related to performance on the pitch. On the other hand, teams that have consistently been in the Premier League with good results are less straightforward. This year’s winners Liverpool have frozen their prices four times between 20/21 and 25/26, as have Tottenham Hotspur who finished 17th this season.
Other factors affecting the price of season tickets include player and staff wages, operational expenses, and changing financial regulations. Player wages increased by 4% in 2024, whilst coach and technical wages increased by 16%, according to UEFA. On top of that, operational costs increased by 12%. In a BBC article from 2024, football finance expert Kieran Maguire stated: “There is an extremely high correlation between wages and final league position.” Only three clubs made profits across 22/23: Bournemouth, Manchester City, and Brighton.
The future of season tickets
So will the price to support your club continue to rise as even the top clubs struggle to survive?
It seems that clubs are increasingly diversifying or turning their focus to hospitality- luxury experiences at premium prices. An extraordinary example is Fulham’s new Riverside Stand which will have a rooftop pool- albeit, you cannot watch matches themselves from there. The eight floors of hospitality will offer a Michelin-star inspired menu, open on matchdays whilst acting as a private member’s club all year round.
This swivel in focus could be at the expense of season ticket holders, as clubs begin to favour the high prices a minority are willing to pay and build hospitality areas on general admission areas.
If clubs continue to monitor season ticket usage, ensuring tickets are attended, exchanged, or transferred a minimum number of times, an increasing number of tickets may be sold. As reported, ticket partners will resell these seats at higher prices, allowing the opportunity for counterfeit tickets or dynamic pricing. According to YouGov, 58% of Brits believe dynamic pricing for sporting events is unfair, suggesting the concept in football could trigger more unrest amongst fans.
Amongst all of these headlines, it will be down to fans to campaign for price freezes and decreases. After all, Wolves’ price freeze for next season was down to the noise their fans made. Garry and Steve are aware of the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust (AST), and whilst Garry believes they have influence through their engagement with the club, Steve believes they make no difference to ticket pricing.
Tottenham offer the most expensive adult season ticket next year at £2,147, whilst their cheapest is £856. Many football fans may be priced out, but as Garry suggests and his 15 year wait for a season ticket evidences, there is demand and there will always be fans to pick up the season tickets others discard.
