How much does it cost to be a Premier fan? Analysing Football Enthusiasts’ Online Spending Choices
Football is more than just a sport. Football is a way of life, especially when talking about the Premier League. But it’s just as accurate that supporting your favourite English team comes with a high price tag. And it’s more than buying tickets and jerseys. Numerous online platforms influence the spending habits of football enthusiasts, and we’re here to tell you all about the industries that “help” fans dig deep in their pockets.
Merchandise – The Most Obvious Choice
Modern football clubs can’t rely solely on ticket sales and season passes for revenue. Selling merchandise has become crucial for the club’s finances. Jerseys, mugs, scarves, football boots, and even furniture, the sky’s the limit.
As long as it has the beloved team’s colours, merchandise flies off the shelves of e-commerce platforms. Not surprisingly, the sporting goods market is valued at no less than 500 billion dollars annually. And with a growth rate between 5% and 10%, it’s not long until it hits the 1,000 billion dollar mark.
After all, how can you call yourself a hardcore fan if you didn’t buy the latest scarf?
TV Subscriptions – A Must for Overseas Fans
If ticket prices have remained stable recently, you can’t say the same about TV subscriptions. Between 2014 and 2020, the cost of Premier League streaming services spiked by 40%.
To combine Amazon packages, Sky Sports, and BT Sport, a fan must pay over 1,000 GBP annually. TV subscriptions make up 25% of spend for “dedicated fans”. Cost increases affect all Premier League fans, not just those attending live games, making the impact more significant.
Online Gaming and Betting – Supporting Your Team All the Way
Industry experts, including trusted sources like King Casino Bonus UK, confirm that sports fans, particularly football enthusiasts, are among the most engaged and enthusiastic players on wagering platforms.
Furthermore, their numbers show that 46% of casinos allow one way or another of Premier League-related gambling through live betting services, explained further by experts from King Casino Bonus. This highlights the significant role that online betting plays in the lives of football fans, adding another dimension to the cost of being a devoted supporter of the Premier League.
Premier League-related Software and Apps
From Fantasy Premier League applications to football news aggregators or live score apps, football fans don’t spare any expense for a shot at getting some sort of advantage over their peers.
Even though there’s no clear way to measure the impact of such software on the overall Premier League fan expenditure, it’s definitely not something you can overlook. And again, just like with the e-commerce platforms for merch, these apps make it easy for enthusiasts to spend generously.
Adding the Offline Factor to the Mix
So far, we’ve only discussed the online platforms contributing to Premier League fans’ expenditure. But these calculations can’t be complete without considering the matchday spending.
We’re talking mostly about food and beverages fans buy at the stadium. Over the course of five years, between 2014 and 2019, matchday spending increased by 11%. To better put things into perspective, here’s a table highlighting the (2017/18 season) matchday contribution to total operating revenues for the biggest EPL teams.
The Most Expensive Premier League Teams to Support
Just a quick look at the above table, and you can conclude that Arsenal is the most expensive team for dedicated fans. The total expenditure per season rises to almost 2,300 GBP.
Manchester City, the EPL champions of the past two seasons, rank only 17th on the list. Their dedicated fans have to spend GBP 1,665 per season, a staggering 12% below the Premier League average. The low spending is due to cheap home ticket prices and below-average food and beverage prices on the ground.
Finally, if your budget as a sports fan doesn’t make you a good fit for being an Arsenal dedicated fan, perhaps you should settle for Aston Villa. You’d only have to spend GBP 1,605 per season. A bargain!
Final Thoughts
Being a Premier League fan in today’s age means more than cheering from the stands or donning the team’s colours. From online betting to securing the latest digital collectables, the costs can rack up.
However, for genuine enthusiasts, these aren’t seen as mere expenses; they’re investments into a passion that brings joy, excitement, and a sense of belonging.
