Average Football Ticket Price Increases at Twice Cost of Living Rate

The average price of the cheapest football ticket has outpaced the cost of living twofold since 2011, according to the BBC's annual Price of Football study.

Fans have seen the average cheapest ticket, taken as a mean from all 92 teams across England's top four leagues, rise by 13% in the last three years to hit £21.49, whereas the cost of living has gone up by 6.8% in the same time.

On a year-on-year basis, the price is increasing by 4.4% - triple the 1.2% rate of inflation.

Premier League giants Arsenal have the most expensive tickets on offer at £97, with the North London team also offering the costliest season ticket at £2,013.

The Gunners' cheapest season ticket is £1,014 – higher than the most expensive season ticket at 17 other of its league rivals – and almost four times as much as current champions Manchester City's cheapest season ticket at £299.

Overall, the average cheapest season ticket has risen by 8.7% since 2012 to £508.55.

Shadow sports minister Clive Efford MP told the BBC that ticket prices cannot continue to rise at this kind of rate.

"Any business that thinks it can simply rely upon the loyalty of its customers, regardless of how they treat them, in the end will fail. It's an absolute fact," he told the broadcaster.

"Therefore I would be asking clubs, 'are your fans happier today than they were five years ago with the experience that they get, the value for money that they feel they're getting?'"

However, despite ongoing criticism from fans, the Premier League feels that it is doing nothing wrong, arguing that the supporters choose to pay the price.

Cathy Long, the Premier League's head of supporter services, also to the BBC: "For the Premier League and our clubs, keeping the grounds as full as possible is our top priority.

"The attendances so far this season are very encouraging, with more than 95% of seats sold and average crowds tracking with last season's, which were the highest in English top-flight football since 1949-50."