Premier League fans are facing significant increases in season ticket prices as clubs respond to rising costs and stagnant broadcast revenues, according to football finance expert Kieran Maguire. Eleven of the 12 clubs that have announced their pricing for next season have raised prices, with only Crystal Palace freezing theirs.
Liverpool's 2% rise is the latest to draw criticism, joining Arsenal, Brentford, Brighton, Burnley, Everton, Manchester City, Manchester United, Sheffield United, Tottenham, and West Ham. Maguire, from the University of Liverpool, said clubs are passing on higher fixed costs and interest rates, just like other businesses.
After a decade of frozen prices, the post-pandemic period has brought rising costs for match-goers. Manchester United had gone 11 years without a price rise before last season, and Liverpool seven. Maguire noted that low inflation and booming TV revenues between 2010 and 2019 allowed clubs to freeze prices, but domestic broadcast revenues have since flatlined.
United's match-day revenue rose from £111 million in 2019 to £136 million in 2022-23 after raising prices, a move other clubs have noted. Maguire said clubs know fans are willing to pay, but questioned whether it is right for the national sport, calling football 'the opera of the working class'.
