[Football] Cost of living situation and the impact on football

Bry Nylon · Jun 14, 2022

How, if at all, will the current cost of living crisis impact your established matchday expenditure? Fewer home games attended? Cut back on away games? Spend less on stadium food and drink / club merchandise? Cancel subscription TV channels? Or will you cut back in other areas to maintain your football expenditure - or perhaps you are in a position to absorb rising prices without significantly changing your spending behavior?

Ever since Nick Hornby invented football, it seems to have been immune to established economic conventions but will this be the year for a bit of a re-set?

Nobby Cybergoat · Jun 14, 2022

I don't think i'll attend any always given the cost of petrol.

My spending for home games will probably stay the same

Poojah · Jun 14, 2022

I’ve often seen football as a ‘vice’, in so much that it is highly addictive and that people engage in it because of the way it makes you feel. Generally speaking, vices like drinking and gambling do well in times of financial hardship as people, rightly or wrongly, use them as an escape from what might be going on around them.

I suspect the answer may vary at different levels; clearly watching Brighton in the PL next season is far more expensive than watching Grimsby in League Two. However, following our recent promotion from the National League we look set to sell 5,000 season tickets for the first time in our history. The record is about 4,000, following our Wembley double in 1998.

Clearly that’s on the back of recent, relative success and ticket prices are not unduly expensive, but you also have to factor in that as a demographic, the people of Grimsby / Cleethorpes will be more adversely affected by the rise in cost of living than the average person in the UK. The likes of Stockport and Wrexham are also seeing record ST sales for their own reasons.

In short, when it comes to cutting costs, I think football will be one of the last ‘luxuries’ to go for many.

BBassic · Jun 14, 2022

Genius that I am decided this coming season would be the one to get a new ST having had two years away.

Definitely going to impact my finances.

studio150 · Jun 14, 2022

The one thing that stops me going is ticket prices, if I feel they are too high for the product. With away games again pegged at £30 I am still happy to travel to as many away games that I can get to.

I have however not purchased tickets for several gigs and West End shows to the ticket prices, where I would previously have attended.

e77 · Jun 14, 2022

One thing putting me off away trips - other than some kick off times - is there doesn't seem to be cheap advanced rail tickets anymore.

At some point people cancelling Sky Sports subscriptions will have an impact.

BNthree · Jun 14, 2022

Whilst not me (as I don't have any currently) I can see a lot of folks cancelling their BT/Sky Sports subscriptions; a bit like Netflix recently taking a huge drop in subscriber numbers. This in turn will mean less for PL rights bids surely?

Nobby Cybergoat · Jun 14, 2022

BNthree said:
Whilst not me (as I don't have any currently) I can see a lot of folks cancelling their BT/Sky Sports subscriptions; a bit like Netflix recently taking a huge drop in subscriber numbers. This in turn will mean less for PL rights bids surely?

Which in the long term is a wholly positive thing

Weststander · Jun 14, 2022

I'm fortunate with reasonable income just now, but I cancelled SkySports/BTSports/Sky movies. Saving £888 a year.

Their greedy 'snouts in the trough' £76 to £97 price increase, was my tipping point. Coming at just the wrong time for everyone facing; huge car fuel, home fuel and groceries inflation.

I've listened to several excellent pieces on R4 about all this - experts say that Sky, BT Sport and Virgin on this occasion are fine about leavers. 75% renewing at the much higher prices still leaves highly profitable business models.

My teenage son then put me on to a reliable streaming service with no login or need for VPN, and English commentary.

Neville's Breakfast · Jun 14, 2022

We cancelled our ST last year for other reasons but we are certainly intentionally saving petrol money at the moment. We are planning on going to only five aways next year; Liverpool, Everton, Man U, Man C and (just about) Leeds as it is only an hour and a half away. When petrol prices were lower we might also have gone to the Midlands aways. Will also drink in our local and walk to Tranmere a few times, probably Friday nights.

Titanic · Jun 14, 2022

The combination of familiarity (been there done that) and cost will certainly curtail our away trips this coming season, which is a pity because recent away trips have been some of the best Albion moments for decades.

Springal · Jun 14, 2022

Fortunate enough to have changed jobs and got a decent pay rise that negates increase in food / electric / gas at the moment. Kept sky as managed to get the same rate for another 12 months (took day 25 of the cancellation period though!) and my season ticket has always been part of my outgoings so never notice it.

Away games generally only did a couple London / South games and unsure if that’ll change yet

A mex eyecan · Jun 14, 2022

hopefully home match day will be the same, but sway’s probably unlikely the coming season.
still buy a couple of beers and perhaps a burger.

Outside of the match day though I will certainly be cancelling my Sky when contract ends.

Herr Tubthumper · Jun 14, 2022

Covid, and especially Omnicrom, meant I could only get to half the home games and one away last season; I actually hope to improve on this next season.

thedonkeycentrehalf · Jun 14, 2022

Away travel is the one thing I haven't done much of recently or plan to do much next season. Train fares are very expensive as is fuel.now.

Assuming my streaming service isn't shut down, I can watch every away game nearly live (usually a small delay) and the cost for a year is less than the cost of one away trip to London.

RandyWanger · Jun 14, 2022

Season ticket paid for, not been to away game in the GP era and probably won't go to any as with my lack of points don't get tickets for the local London games. Have always said to the wench if things become tight the football will be one of the first things to go.

AmexRuislip · Jun 14, 2022

As much as I'd like to go to the Amex and watch the Albion, it's cheaper for me to see them away in London.
It's less stress going into town, than travelling down via M25.
A shame I know.

DavidRyder · Jun 14, 2022

I'd bought my 22/23 ST before I lost my job thankfully, otherwise that would be in doubt! But have cancelled Now TV and my access to Sky. Already stopped buying a programme and rarely treat myself to a burger now.

Goldstone1976 · Jun 14, 2022

AmexRuislip said:
As much as I'd like to go to the Amex and watch the Albion, it's cheaper for me to see them away in London.
It's less stress going into town, than travelling down via M25.
A shame I know.

You have a PM

mothy · Jun 14, 2022

Before the end of last season I stopped getting myself a pie & pint & both kids a pie/burger or hot dog & drink. & sweets from come from the shop for £1 instead of the candy wagon.

They now have to watch me drink a couple. I'll see how it goes. But 1 adult & 2 x season tickets may have to be refined the season after

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[Football] Cost of living situation and the impact on football

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