How Much Do Football Fans Spend in A Year?

The most popular sports league in the world is the English Premier League. It is widely regarded as the best football league in the world. Broadcast in over 200 territories and 643 million homes, it’s also the most-watched sports league in the world. With star players such as Erling Haaland, Kevin DeBruyne and Mo Salah showcasing their skills every week, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular.

Known for its ultra-competitive matches and fast paced, edge of the seat football, the Premier League is home to some of the biggest and best teams in the world.  Unfortunately for fans, all these star players, top managers, and shiny new stadiums don’t pay for themselves. Much of the cost of running a Premier League side is provided by the loyal supporters who put their hands in their pockets every week to watch their team play.

Most expensive teams to follow

A recent report by Creditfix has claimed the average Premier League supporter is spending on average around £3,000 per season, and it gets even more expensive if you want to take your kids or make a family day of it. The most expensive club to follow was Newcastle United, with an estimated cost of £4,243.48 per season, although a large amount of that comes down to travel expenses for away games. Bournemouth similarly suffered from travel costs, with the South West clubs’ supporters spending a figure of £3,751.60, putting them second in the list.

Cheapest teams to follow

Proudly sitting at the bottom of the table when it comes to costs, are West Ham United fans, with a total bill of £2,588.48 for the season, making them the cheapest premier league club to support. Fellow London teams, Brentford and Crystal Palace are next best, with costs under £3,000 for the season.

Most common Football Fan Costs

• Match day tickets
• Merchandise – Scarves, clothing, souvenirs
• Replica team shirt
• Betting on the game
• Food and drink
• Transport to and from games
• TV subscriptions
• Match programme

Match Day Tickets

Ticket prices have long been a source of great debate amongst football fans, with many claiming they are being priced out of the game they love, as teams up prices and chase the tourist and commercial markets that are willing to pay more. The cost of tickets can vary widely per team and where you are sat in the stadium. Obviously, the seats closest to the action or with the best view will often have the highest price. Over the course of the season, ticket prices account for the second highest cost for an average fan.

Betting

To add to the excitement of the game, many fans like to have a bet on their team. Sports betting is seen as a fun social activity to do with friends and lets supporters use their sporting knowledge to great effect. Accumulators are the choice of many match going fans as they can check the scores throughout the day. It’s also a good way to spice up a TV game, even if your team isn’t playing.

TV Subscriptions

Even if your team isn’t playing, most football fans will pay to subscribe to the many streaming services that offer Premier League football. A yearlong subscription to Sky Sports, BT sport, and Amazon Prime, is the largest cost they face each season.

Replica Shirts

No football fan can be seen without his team colours, and that means buying a replica of the team shirt. Premier League teams release new kits every season, including home kits, away kits and third kits, in order to encourage fans to spend their money. Despite the cost of these shirts continuing to rise ever higher, loyal fans – and tourists – keep buying.

Merchandise

The best football teams don’t just have the best players on the pitch, but they also have the best business minds working behind the scenes, trying to maximise revenues. Merchandise is a key money maker for any team, with souvenirs and clothing in team colours proving a lucrative source of income. Hats scarves, flags, jackets, coats, t-shirts, caps and keyrings, there’s nothing you can’t buy with a team logo on.

Food and Drink

With games selling out, food and drink is a big money maker of Premier League teams and the prices are a constant cause for concern among fans. The stadiums with the most expensive pint of beer in the league are all unsurprisingly in London, with Arsenal, Fulham, West Ham and Chelsea claiming the unwanted honours.

Transport

Transport is another big cost when it comes to following your team, and is an often-forgotten expense. Train prices in the UK are notoriously expensive, along with petrol prices, so finding cheap alternatives to get to the game are often either difficult or impossible. With games up and down the country at all times of the day and night, transport costs vary throughout the season, but clubs often lay on subsidised travel for loyal fans and supporter clubs. But no matter the costs, or the results, loyal football fans will continue to follow their teams through thick and thin.

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