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England has highest Champions League ticket prices
England - 20 September, 2006
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Champions League matches in England are a bit steeper than elsewhere, with matches in England costing up to 89 percent more per ticket.
English fans are doling out GBP 35 for the cheapest seats compared to GBP 18.50 for the other 28 clubs in the group stage, according to research from Virgin Money shows.
The cheapest seats at the English clubs are more than double that of Spanish clubs Barcelona, Real Madrid and Valencia, where the average is GBP 15. In Italy, at Inter Milan, AC Milan and Roma, the average is GBP 17. European Champions Barcelona has its cheapest seats at GBP 20 compared with GBP 40 at Chelsea and GBP 46 at Arsenal.
That could be affecting attendance, especially at the grass-roots level. Chelsea's opening match against Werder Bremen had attendance at 32,135 against a capacity of 42,449.
Russian clubs Spartak Moscow and CSKA Moscow charge an average GBP 4 for the cheapest seats. Among the lowest prices charged are Real Madrid, where members can buy tickets for GBP 3, and Ukrainian Shakhtar Donetsk with tickets starting at GBP 1.
Despite the higher prices in England, the most expensive is at France club Lyon, where fans may pay up to GBP 210. Arsenal has England's high price at GBP 94.
"The difference in admission prices between Britain and elsewhere in Europe is simply scandalous," said Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporter's Federation. "There is no justification whatsoever for the way clubs here pick the pockets of their most loyal supporters. Champions League football is simply beyond the pocket of many supporters in this country.
"That's outrageous. How can football be the people's game when a large part of the population is priced out of attending? Too many Premier League clubs start from the position of 'how much can we squeeze out of the fans?' rather than 'how can we keep ticket prices as low as possible?'
"Surveys show that fans are older and richer than they used to be. Of course they are. They're the only people who can afford to go regularly these days. Where's the fairness? Where's the next generation of fans coming from?"
Virgin Money's Football Fans Price Index has shown that, in the past three months, the cost of attending matches has risen by 8.3 percent and by 17.1 percent since the index's inception in February.
"The Premiership is reckoned to be the wealthiest league in Europe and clubs seem to think the same is true about their fans," Virgin Money spokesman John Franklin said. "The fact that the cheapest seats at English grounds for Champions League matches are the most expensive in Europe and by such a massive margin should act as a warning to clubs. They've shown they can keep the price of the most expensive seats down as they don't compete with the likes of Lyon at the top end of the range.
"Our Inflation Index shows the cost of following domestic football is edging up remorselessly. Fans cannot keep spending and spending."
Virgin's Football Fans' Prices Index will be run every three months and will look at the cost of a typical basket of goods monitoring the ups and downs of prices. The firm's research team will look at the cost of items such as a gallon of petrol; match tickets; food; alcohol; train tickets and replica shirts.
English fans are doling out GBP 35 for the cheapest seats compared to GBP 18.50 for the other 28 clubs in the group stage, according to research from Virgin Money shows.
The cheapest seats at the English clubs are more than double that of Spanish clubs Barcelona, Real Madrid and Valencia, where the average is GBP 15. In Italy, at Inter Milan, AC Milan and Roma, the average is GBP 17. European Champions Barcelona has its cheapest seats at GBP 20 compared with GBP 40 at Chelsea and GBP 46 at Arsenal.
That could be affecting attendance, especially at the grass-roots level. Chelsea's opening match against Werder Bremen had attendance at 32,135 against a capacity of 42,449.
Russian clubs Spartak Moscow and CSKA Moscow charge an average GBP 4 for the cheapest seats. Among the lowest prices charged are Real Madrid, where members can buy tickets for GBP 3, and Ukrainian Shakhtar Donetsk with tickets starting at GBP 1.
Despite the higher prices in England, the most expensive is at France club Lyon, where fans may pay up to GBP 210. Arsenal has England's high price at GBP 94.
"The difference in admission prices between Britain and elsewhere in Europe is simply scandalous," said Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporter's Federation. "There is no justification whatsoever for the way clubs here pick the pockets of their most loyal supporters. Champions League football is simply beyond the pocket of many supporters in this country.
"That's outrageous. How can football be the people's game when a large part of the population is priced out of attending? Too many Premier League clubs start from the position of 'how much can we squeeze out of the fans?' rather than 'how can we keep ticket prices as low as possible?'
"Surveys show that fans are older and richer than they used to be. Of course they are. They're the only people who can afford to go regularly these days. Where's the fairness? Where's the next generation of fans coming from?"
Virgin Money's Football Fans Price Index has shown that, in the past three months, the cost of attending matches has risen by 8.3 percent and by 17.1 percent since the index's inception in February.
"The Premiership is reckoned to be the wealthiest league in Europe and clubs seem to think the same is true about their fans," Virgin Money spokesman John Franklin said. "The fact that the cheapest seats at English grounds for Champions League matches are the most expensive in Europe and by such a massive margin should act as a warning to clubs. They've shown they can keep the price of the most expensive seats down as they don't compete with the likes of Lyon at the top end of the range.
"Our Inflation Index shows the cost of following domestic football is edging up remorselessly. Fans cannot keep spending and spending."
Virgin's Football Fans' Prices Index will be run every three months and will look at the cost of a typical basket of goods monitoring the ups and downs of prices. The firm's research team will look at the cost of items such as a gallon of petrol; match tickets; food; alcohol; train tickets and replica shirts.
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