Every football fan’s dream is for their favourite club to be promoted from the Championship into the Premier League. However, what price does this dream come at? The promotion of a team comes with serious repercussions for fans, with ticket prices soaring as high as 25%.
In 2022, the likes of Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest were all promoted into the Premier League. Fans of these clubs were ecstatic. However all of these clubs went on to charge a much higher price after being relegated as shown in Figure 1.
(Figure 1)
Why do clubs charge higher prices for football tickets after achieving promotion?
The simple answer is: because they can. Football fans will often pay much higher prices to see their club play in the top division. All three clubs shown in Figure 1 managed to sell all of their season tickets despite charging a higher price.
The surge in ticket prices after a club achieves promotion can be attributed to the increased demand for top-tier football. As teams ascend to the Premier League, fans are attracted by the allure of watching their club play the best teams in the country.
The economics of supply and demand come into play, with supporters being more than willing to bear the cost for the prestige of watching their team compete at the highest level. While fans are initially hesitant about the price hike, the enthusiasm for their club’s newfound status often outweighs the financial considerations.
Thus leading to sold-out stadiums and a financial windfall for the promoted teams. As clubs navigate the balance between maintaining fan loyalty and capitalizing on the prestige of top-flight football, the debate over fair ticket pricing continues to be a key point of discussion among football enthusiasts.
