Gate Expectations - Fans Must Come Before Revenue as Rising Ticket Prices Spark Protests Across the Game

Gate Expectations - Fans Must Come Before Revenue as Rising Ticket Prices Spark Protests Across the Game

Football Blog

Why Clubs Must Do More to Preserve Fan Relationships

In the Premier League and beyond, rising ticket prices in football have become a troublesome talking point for many supporters, who are growing in their discontent of being priced out of 'The Beautiful Game'.

With clubs posting record revenues but continuing to increase costs for the match-going fan, widespread protests along the game have highlighted a growing tension between commercial needs and the accessibility of the sport.

Prioritising the relationship between the club and loyal matchday attendees is a vital stress point that helped build the game into the commercial and entertainment powerhouse that it is across the world today. However, as economic unrest continues to rise and clubs focus closer on the balance sheet than the seats in their stadiums, we risk losing that special bond between man and sport that has got us this far.

The Growing Price of Football

Data pulled from UEFA's European Club Finance and Investment Landscape report, which was released in February of this year, reveals that the 'Big Six' of the Premier League generated 20% more matchday ticket revenue in the 2024/25 campaign than the season prior. The Gunners led the way in pricing, with an average of £89 per ticket. Across the whole 20-team Premier League, ticket sale revenue came up by £90m from the previous campaign for a total of £920m.

For this season, the 2025/26 campaign, 13 out of 20 Premier League clubs implemented further increases to ticket costs, after a period wherein 19 of the 20 clubs had brought prices up over the 2024/25 season. Arsenal's average season ticket price rose by 4% to reach £1,127, whilst Chelsea's prices increased by 9% and Manchester United by 5%, with the latter also adjusting the discounts available for senior citizen's in certain areas of Old Trafford. Liverpool were on the receiving end of instant backlash after announcing inflation-linked rises for the next three years, whilst Everton and Newcastle also saw increase come in at 12% and 5% respectively. Manchester City, Brentford and Wolves were amongst the clubs who deployed freezes, but these were the exceptions rather than the rules.

Matchday tickets have come the same way. A full day out in the Premier League, including travel, the ticket and any refreshments, can routinely exceed £100 for many fans, even in standard areas. And, finally, hospitality and premium packages have upped as well - some single-match options can reach thousands of pounds now.

Why the Windfall Lands On the Fan

These rises in cost come against the grain when compared to the wage growth of the average UK worker in recent years. The latest Office for National Statistics figures were published in March, and showed that the median full-time annual earnings of UK adults sits at approximately £39,039, or around £750 a week before tax and deductions take their cut.

In recent periods, inflation has hovered around the 3% mark, but many clubs have still implemented increases that rise above this rate of inflation. The impact mainly falls on younger fans, families and those in lower-to-middle income brackets, especially those outside of major metropolitan centres.

Long-standing concessions and relief for seniors, young adults and the disabled have also come under pressure with some clubs, with reductions and eligibility changes impacting affordability. The end result? A slow, yet noticeable change in the demographic of the matchday crowd. Whilst overall attendances stay strong, with an average attendance of over 40,000 per Premier League match and at stadiums operating at a 99% capacity most of the time, there is a growing worry that the next generation of football fans will be priced out before they can afford to form a lifelong bond with their local club.

The Juggling Act Football Clubs Face

Premier League clubs work well within the confines of one of the globe's most lucrative and expensive sporting markets.

Combined revenues for the 20 top-flight sides reached record levels in the 2024/25 campaign, driven by broadcasting deals and sponsor income. UEFA's latest report projected European club football revenues surpassing the £25b mark in 2025, with the Premier League contributing a mammoth portion of this.

However, operating costs have also taken a sharp rise, particularly amidst the growth of player wages and extra scrutiny placed through Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR). Clubs argue that ticket revenues, which normally accounts for just 14% of overall income for Premier League sides (a figure far lower than other European leagues), have to keep pace with rises to maintain competitiveness. 19-game-season-ticket models at most clubs are presented as a method of spreading these rising costs, but the net effect for many fans remains the same - another increase.

#StopExploitingLoyalty

The response garnered from supporters has generated an important talking point about the affordability of the sport.

The Football Supporters' Association's (FSA) #StopExploitingLoyalty campaign was launched in 2024, and united more than 115 fan groups across the country. Protests have included banner displays, walkouts and other organised demonstrations at clubs like Anfield, Old Trafford and the Etihad. The campaign calls for a two-year price freeze for the 2026/27 and 2027/28 seasons, as well as more transparency on ticketing data and meaningful engagement with fan advisory boards.

The issue even made it to Parliament. An Early Day Motion expressed support for the FSA's position and urged the Independent Football Regulator to ensure proper and genuine consultation with concerned boards. Supporters, quite rightly, make the argument that the loyal matchday fan generates the atmosphere that enhances the product seen on television, and further implicates the league's appeal around the world.

Without the fans, football is nothing. We know that anyway. And, if the clubs continue to push, the growing worry is that there will soon be nobody left to push back.

Nottingham Forest Example Proves Fans Can Win

Nottingham Forest, the club of my heart, recently provided an instructive example of a club responding properly to concerns from supporters. In March 2026, before their last-16 clash against Midtyjlland at the City Ground, the club had initially priced tickets as between £50 and £70, as was the case in their playoff fixture against Fenerbahce and their four League Phase home ties, unless you bought the four-game package for £190 or thereabouts, or £47.50 per match at that stated price.

Sales were catastrophic amongst a crowd crying out that following Forest was simply becoming too expensive, particularly when the product on the field was not befitting of such a fiscal value in the stands. An immediate £10 discount was placed on the game for members and season-card-holders and, when that still didn't move the needle, prices came down to as low as £15 a ticket for adults, with the club explicitly citing their desire for a full City Ground.

Beyond the one-off fixture, Forest were taken under consultation with the Nottingham Forest Supporters' Trust, Forza Garibaldi and the Fan Advisory Board. Following this approach, which saw a clearly-stated mission from the groups and what they hoped to achieve, season card prices were frozen for the 2026/27 season, which reversed a trend of annual rises since 2021. Furthermore, the club reintroduced a discounted category for young adult's (18-21) - they removed this when I was that age and brought it back now that I am 23, go figure - whilst also slashing prices down to a starting point of £30 for their quarter-final match against FC Porto this Thursday.

The moves made by the club amidst the backlash proved something very important to the sport - meaningful dialogue between the club and the fan can produce practical outcomes for those in the stands, without compromising or negating the club's competitive position.

What Does This Mean for English Football?

The increasing trend of pricing in the Premier League does not just impact the thousands of top-flight fans present through it's 20 clubs - similar pressures exist the further you trickle down the pyramid. Matchday income further down the English tiers often forms a much larger proportion of club revenue, away from shiny broadcasting deals and commercial domination. The £30 away ticket cap has offered some protection for travelling fans, and has been extended for another two terms, but does not address the inflation seen in home tickets.

In the long run, sustained price rises risk narrowing supporter bases around the UK, weakening the organic atmosphere that has become the very fabric of English football. Historical examples, such as Liverpool fans' 2016 walkout that forced a reversal on plans for £77 match tickets, demonstrate that action can, and should, deliver change. The current wave of discontent suggests that supporters are prepared to make their voices heard once again.

Why Listening to the Fans Will Preserve Our Sport

English football now stands at a crossroads. Record revenues have turned clubs from just that into global brands, but the match-going fan is and always will be the emotional, cultural heartbeat of every stadium in the country. The case shown in Nottingham and the momentum behind #StopExploitingLoyalty show that clubs do have the power to balance their financial needs with the needs of their loyal supporters when they engage with these groups seriously.

Football clubs, the Premier League and the Independent Football Regulator now have a clear decision in front of them: stay the course and risk alienating the people who built and sustain the game, or put loyal fans in the middle of their decision-making.

A period of price stability and transparent dialogue between all parties would present a modest yet significant step towards ensuring football remains a sport for all, and not just those who can still afford to get through the gates.

These coming seasons will truly reveal where the priorities lie - in the stands, or at the bank.

Louis Wheeldon
Louis Wheeldon Lead Writer and Editor

An avid gambler, football obsessive and loyal Nottingham Forest fan, Louis has been writing about football and wider sports since he was just 15 years old.

Armed with a Football Journalism degree from the University of Derby, he initially joined the Football Park team in April 2025 as a Freelance Writer, before quickly being offered a full-time position as the site's Lead Writer and Betting Strategist. His time working in football has taken him to every corner of the sports media landscape possible, with roles for GiveMeSport, Reach PLC and VAVEL included amongst the 15 different websites he has written for in the past, whilst his roles in club media include non-league sides Hucknall Town and Basford United - he can still be found on live radio commentary with the latter from time to time - as well as Nottingham Forest themselves.

During his tenure at GiveMeSport, Louis showcased his range by producing everything from historical deep-dives into Liverpool's greatest-ever finishers to tactical breakdowns. His expertise also extends to the betting markets, where he has provided sharp match analysis and predictions for fixtures such as England vs. Finland in the Nations League.

Louis holds a knowledge of the 92 and it's various combatants that is as varied as it is mildly concerning. He channelled this keen interest in the sport into a hopeful career in professional journalism back in 2018 with the launch of his own personal From12Yards blog whilst studying for his GCSE's, before expanding his list of clientele with articles on his beloved Nottingham Forest for a local newspaper and freelancing for different publications over a range of sports, including darts, professional wrestling, MMA, boxing and Formula 1 (he talks about Daniel Ricciardo a concerning amount).

View all articles by Louis Wheeldon →

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