Premier League report on tickets aims to 'bust myth' over inflated prices
Thursday 10 November 2016 11:52, UK
More than half of all Premier League tickets this season will cost £30 or less, a major new report has revealed.
The Premier League has investigated the overall cost of its ticket prices and allocations following a comprehensive review to 'bust some myths'.
For the first time, England's top 20 clubs were asked to provide full details on stadium allocations, ticket prices, sales and the availability and take up of discounts.
56% of fans attending a Premier League game will pay £30 or less this season.
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The report, which does not list individual clubs, has been verified by Ernst & Young, an independent firm of auditors, and reveals:
- Average ticket price is £31
- 25% cost £20 or less
- 49% cost £20-£40
- 22% £40-£60
- 4% £60 or more
"We wanted to get the truth out there in terms of what it's actually costing people to go," Richard Scudamore, Premier League Executive Chairman, told Sky Sports News HQ.
"It's all very easy to get caught up in the emotion of the highest ticket prices, but there's no other industry where you'd just pick the highest match day prices and claim those are the prices that everybody is paying. It's a much more complex issue. We wanted to do a proper study of what people are paying and get the real numbers out."
Season ticket holders account for, on average, 71% of supporters inside Premier League stadiums.
The report, which says four million tickets this season will be sold at discounted prices, also reveals the average allocation of tickets at each ground:
- 76% standard seats
- 8% away fans
- 8% family seats
- 8% hospitality
In March, Premier League clubs announced a new deal for away fans, capping the price of tickets to £30 for three years, and Scudamore has ruled out introducing a cap for the game's most expensive seats.
"I don't think that's right," he said. "It's a very, very small percentage, 4%. We wouldn't get involved in capping home prices. It's complicated and to get involved in that level of complexity, with 20 clubs, we wouldn't do."
Premier League clubs have also agreed to a new rule from next season, where at least one block of away fans must be located pitch-side at every league game.
"Basically you won't be able to be stuck up in the third tier, out in the corner, if you're an away fan," Scudamore added.
"It's about atmosphere. One of the unique things about our game, particularly in England, is the amount of away fans and the noise they create. When an away goal is scored, you want that atmosphere and interaction between the two sets of fans."
Asked whether it would raise any issues, particularly around derby games, Scudamore replied: "Not really. All those issues are managed very well now."
