Looking Forward to Your Away Days in the Premier League ?

Today the Foxes Trust takes a look at what it is likely to cost you!

So the fixtures are out. You now know who & when we will be playing (subject to the game being SKYjacked!) However will you be able to afford to go?

Remember, we are now in the Premier League & have been away for 10 Season’s. Everything’s gone up! – TV Money, Player Wages, Programmes, Food & Drink Costs, Travel to games, & of course Admission Prices.

Working with our colleagues at Crystal Palace & Swansea Trusts, we have below a table, showing the cheapest ADULT Admission prices for the 17 Teams who were in the Premier League in 2013/14 and will be again in 2014/15. Of course some clubs offer Concessions to over 60’s/65’s, Under 18,17,16 etc…., however, these vary from club to club. So to compare “Apples with Apples” we will use the cheapest Adult Priced admission based on the 2013/14 Season. We thought these 2 clubs would be in the same “category” of pricing as LCFC, will be in 2014/15. There will be of course “Local Derby” pricing to factor in, ie: Villa, WBA & Stoke, may charge LCFC Fans more than the prices below because of this factor, we do not know, but we would not be at all surprised if this did happen.

We also of course do not yet know how many clubs (including LCFC, the Foxes Trust will be lobbying for our club to do so at the Fans Consultative Committee Meeting in July) will sign up for the Football Supporters Federation (FSF), and the Premier Leagues (PL) “£20 IS PLENTY” initiative.. Whereby, clubs who do sign up, with at least 3 other clubs, will get an extra £250,000 per Season, from the PL in TV Money to cover the “loss” in revenue, of keeping the prices low, to encourage more Away Fans to attend games & create an “atmosphere”, so sadly lacking from many televised games. That is reflected in the Hull & Newcastle prices for Swansea last season, as we know these clubs signed such reciprocal agreements.

So what does this mean to me ?

The Average price paid by Palace & Swansea Fans was £32.00. Based on the above sample of 17 Clubs.

Let’s compare this to the average price for Away attendance for LCFC Fans last Season in the Championship, which was approx. £27 per Game. An average increase of £5 per Game.

But, of course this was over 23 Games. So, this worked out at a Total Cost of £621.00 for the Season. If we assume that Burnley & QPR follow the Average Price of £32, then this means the 19 PL Games will cost approx. £608. So, on the face of it you will be saving a very small amount of money if you attend all the games

There should also in theory be a reduction in travelling costs, but with so many PL grounds being in terrible places to get to (eg: LONDON) & park at etc., this saving could easily be wiped out, even though you will be doing it four times less Remember Newcastle, Sunderland, Southampton & Swansea are all in excess of 150 miles from Leicester as well. Our nearest away game next season will be at the Villa. So the potential savings on the ticket prices could easily be swallowed up on additional travel/parking etc., costs.  

But, just thinking about the ticket prices. Are tickets in excess of £40 or even £50 really justifiable? Would you pay it? Especially if that game comes at a “bad time” of year. (eg: Christmas / New Year Time when the Kids want presents etc., or in August when you are still paying for your summer holidays etc.) We know some fans will “find the money somehow” but at what cost? Your Rent/Mortgage/Food/Car etc.? Is it the football more important than these?

Ultimately it comes down to a matter of personal choice whether you attend Away Games, and only you can know what price you are prepared to pay to attend that game. Hopefully the above information will help you make that decision.