Price of Football study reveals drop in cost of attending Premier League matches



These are among the findings of the latest 'Price of Football' study by BBC Sport.

Across the top flight, 33 per cent of ticket prices have been reduced in 2016-17 - the first season of a record £5.316bn TV deal - with 53 per cent frozen at previous levels.

The average cost of the dearest away ticket is now £29.44, a reduction of 37 per cent from £46.44

This drop is mainly due to an agreement among clubs to cap prices at £30

The equivalent price in the Championship is £31.57, an increase of five per cent on last year.

At £252, Hull offer the cheapest season ticket in the Premier League and one that is less expensive than 88 per cent of clubs in the Championship

The three most expensive are all in London - Arsenal (£2,013), Tottenham (£1,895) and Chelsea (£1,250) - although all of these are frozen from 2015.

Along with Liverpool, Hull also offer the joint-cheapest matchday ticket in the division at £9

The most expensive, £97, is at Arsenal but this price has not increased since 2014.

Overall, the average cost of the cheapest adult home matchday ticket in the Premier League has decreased by six per cent to £29.05.

Supporters at both Hull and Liverpool staged protests over some ticketing issues last season but those clubs, along with Manchester City, reduced their cheapest matchday prices

Champions Leicester and promoted sides Burnley and Middlesbrough all increased theirs.

Other football-related costs included in the study are replica kits and refreshments.

The average price of an adult shirt in the Premier League has risen by 30p to £49.72 with Manchester City and Manchester United charging the most at £60

Bournemouth and Burnley are the cheapest at £40

United's junior shirt is also the most expensive at £50.

West Ham's pies are the most expensive at £4.10 with seven other English clubs charging £4.

The study also compares prices to clubs across Europe

Barcelona's dearest matchday ticket is a 450 euros (£372), although their cheapest season ticket is 132 euros (£114)

Paris Saint-Germain's most expensive season ticket costs 3,000 euros (£2,588).

Other findings include:

:: 31 per cent of clubs in the top four English leagues have increased the price of their junior shirts.

:: Newly promoted Rangers have the most expensive season ticket in the Scottish Premier League at £625, which is £66 more than Celtic and an increase of £101 on last season.

:: Sutton United of the National League offer the cheapest season ticket in the top five divisions of English football at £85.

:: Standard Liege in Belgium charge 90 euros (£77.68) for an adult shirt

Bayern Munich, Schalke, Ajax, AC Milan and Juventus are 89.95 euros (£77.67).

:: Pies and tea have increased in price above the annual rate of inflation.

:: The average price of a pie in the Premier League is £3.49 and £2.18 in the Scottish Premier League.

:: The most expensive cup of tea in the study is £2.50 and five clubs charge it - Liverpool, Manchester United, Bristol City, Fulham and Rangers.

:: Forfar Athletic charge £1.20 for a pie and 80p for a cup of tea, the cheapest in the study.

:: The average price of a programme in the Premier League is £3.35, down from £3.42 last year.

:: The study covers 223 clubs in 13 divisions across the UK and 23 European sides

Plymouth were the only club to decline to take part.

Further details on the BBC Sport 'Price of Football' study available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport

Source : PA

Source: PA