If you don’t like the price of football, don’t pay it

The yearly report into the price of football was published this week. Unsurprisingly it reports that prices are up on average from last year, particularly at clubs such as Arsenal. Sports Minister Helen Grant has lent her opinion to the debate and says that clubs must not ‘take fans for granted’ in over-charging for tickets.

Critics of the cost of Premier League football seem to lack a basic grasp of economics. It is not in clubs’ interest to have empty seats every week since this constitutes a loss of potential profit. Figures show that the vast majority of PL clubs have an average matchday attendance above 90% and many above 95%. If they are still able to fill their grounds when supposedly charging too much, what possible reason do they have for lowering prices? Obviously there are still a great many people out there who are willing to pay the ticket prices. As so many people are quick to point out modern football clubs are more like businesses, well it would be a nonsensical business decsion to lower prices when supply equals demand.

Football clubs still depend heavily on matchday revenue to make their money, if fans were serious about forcing their club to lower prices then a mass boycott of home games would soon make the board of directors sit up and listen. It may be the so called ‘working class’ fans who are being priced out of watching football but clubs owe no responsibility to make sure prices are affordable to those people. Who’s to say that those traditional supporters who can no longer afford to watch their club are more passionate about football than those newer fans who can afford to go?

If you don’t want to pay what your club is charging you to watch at the stadium then my solution is simple: don’t. As ticket prices have risen the cost of satellite TV has fallen, paying for a Sky or BT subscription will save you hundreds of pounds and you can watch your team from the comfort of your own home.