Virgin Money: Football Fans Squeezed as Costs Soar

FOOTBALL FANS SQUEEZED AS COSTS SOAR Inflation p/a FOOTBALL 11.7% -3.3% ECONOMY 3-5X The cost of following football is close to an all-time high with inflation for fans now running at 17% a year -3.5 times the rate for the economy as a whole, according to Virgin Money's Football Fans' Index. Increased costs for match tickets and replica kit have helped send the total match day cost to £112.87 – the second highest since Virgin Money began tracking costs for fans in January 2006. BLL 21139 January 2006 £77,95 Hay 2006 £84,80 September 2006 £90,29 A £112.87 January 2007 £90,46 A May 2007 £90,87 A September 2007 £95.08 A February 2008 £85, 19 ▼ July 2008 £87,75 October 2008 £ 106,21 January 2009 £95,60 ▼ TICKET May 2009 £89,53 v £101.02 A £3.07 £6.32 £29.00 £25.09 August 2009 November 2009£102,53 A February 2010 £89,09 ▼ June 2010 £84,89 ▼ August 2010 £97,50 A £ 101,67 A £29.81 £13.43 £2.15 £1.00 January 2011 May 2011 £101,04 v September 2011 £110,38 £116,00 Costs, as measured by Virgin Money's basket of goods (above), have climbed £11.83 since the end of the 2010/11 season – an increase of around 11.7% – January 2012 April 2012 £112,87 v despite prices across the economy falling as a whole. Inflation p/a FOOTBALL 11.9%-3.4% PRICE INDEX Football inflation is rising 3.5 times faster than the 3.4% level of the Government's official Consumer Price Index, Virgin Money's research shows. £29.81 The rise has been partially driven by costs clubs themselves can control – the NEWCASTLE UNITED average price of tickets across all English professional leagues is now £25.09, compared with £24.86 a year ago. And replica shirts are now an average £29.81 compared with £25.81 at the end The good newS The cost of attending a game has fallen since the start of 2012 when the total cost was £116. Several dubs have launched season ticket deals including Newcastle offering price freezes for nine years. of last season. 90% AVERAGE ATTENDANCES By league Average attendances show clubs are still pulling in the fans with Premier League clubs including Norwich, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Fulham reporting near sell-outs. Across the Premier 66% 46% 44% League the average attendance is 90% of capacity falling to 66% in the Championship, 46% in League 1 and 44% in League 2. Premier Championship League 1 League 2 League money uwwwiua FIPTY PNDS Engrand PWNDS