Price of Football

[sharon]

Interesting article on the BBC website today - an MP is suggesting that those who find premier league football too expensive should perhaps try a non league club. Full story here:

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20078528

We were debating this at the Club the other week when the Price of Football survey first came out - full details here:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19842397

For the record, we worked out a day at City would cost:

Ticket - £11
Programme - £2
Cup of Tea - £1
Bacon Cheeseburger (no pies) - £3

All in all, £17 (bring a £20 note and you'll have enough change for a couple of golden goals! ) - not bad in my opinion (although you will say I am biased!).

I think one thing that stands in City's favour is the fact that they let in U16s free so if a parent were to bring two children and you factored in, say, £10 for them by way of drinks/food, £27 for an afternoon out isn't bad.

Any other views out there?

[occkriss]

When I was a lad, back in the day, I'd never have dreamt of paying what top flight clubs want these days. I remember watching Leeds play Leicester at Elland Road c.1993, when they were recent league champions... my dad and I got in for about £12. That was back when a Mars Bar cost 30p like it should do, and a can of Coke was 40p

Oh God, I now sound like my Grandad.

FWIW, until recently, the cheapest ticket at West Ham - every week - was £10. I believe that offer got discontinued when they were relegated from the Premier League, but that was a fantastic deal. Around five years ago, a seat anywhere at a Walsall game was £8 and they were in the black, turning a profit from that.

Can't help thinking there are ways that City could either drop the prices or offer deals, get a bigger crowd and make a profit still...

That said, I played non-league for a few years, and I've got to say that City is the most expensive game at non-league level I can remember (Conference not included) though i've not watched many games at this level away from Marsh Lane.

[ChrisB]

I was interested in the item when they showed it on the local news here which showed huge variation across the clubs...but Hartlepool Utd (3 Levels above City) was rated the best. £20 (£10 concession) and a season ticket at £350 (concession £180). (Leeds Utd were worst value)

I reckon the gap between Level 1 (now the Premiership) and non-league has widened significantly over the years, but it like everything else prices have climbed steadily.

Anyway, it's all a long way from paying a shilling (5p) to get in and 3d (1.5p-ish) for a programme at my local non-league side in Somerset, to finding I had to pay 2/6 (12.5p) to get in and a whole shilling (5p) for a programme at Chelsea (or Fulham) when I went up to Uni in London! Still, a pint of beer was only 6 or 7p then, so 1st Division sides were only charging '2 pints' for entry. I reckon you'd get quite a few pints for what Chelsea etc. charge these days!!

In the end a lot of these things are fairly subjective, and if you enjoy your time at the game, and all that might go with it, then it's probably worth what you've paid.