An MP has suggested that football fans should switch their support to non-League clubs because of the high cost of tickets in the Premier League.
Liberal Democrat President Tim Farron has tabled a motion in the House of Commons following BBC Sport’s 2012 Price Of Football survey.
Farron said many football fans find prices “unaffordably high”.
The price of the cheapest average adult tickets in English football has risen by 11.7% over the last 12 months.
Farron, who represents Westmoreland and Lonsdale in Cumbria, cites Chelsea and West Ham as examples of high pricing, where the cheapest matchday tickets cost £41 and £36 respectively.
He believes supporting non-League teams, such as Kendal Town and Barrow, “will boost community football whilst also bringing collective consumer pressure on the top teams to reduce their prices”.
In the wake of the BBC’s survey, the Football Supporters’ Federation warned that football clubs were risking alienating supporters unless they lowered ticket prices.
Farron’s Commons motion read: “That this House recognises BBC Sport’s Price of Football survey 2012; commends the research into the various costs of going to see football at each club across the English, Scottish and Women’s leagues; notes that the average cost of the cheapest adult ticket in the top four divisions of English football has risen by 11.7% in the last 12 months, which is more than five times inflation.
“Further notes that the cheapest match-day ticket at Chelsea FC costs £41 and at West Ham FC costs £36 which is unaffordably high for many fans; and calls on honourable members to encourage people to go and see local non-League teams like Kendal Town or Barrow in the South Lakes, where ticket prices are 60-80% cheaper; and believes that switching to support non-League clubs will boost community football whilst also bringing collective consumer pressure on the top teams to reduce their prices.”
Source: BBC Sport
