A lot has been made about the increasing cost of Premier League match tickets over the last decade or so, let alone how much they cost before each increase.
So, through analysing attendances at top-flight games in the biggest leagues in Europe, we’re going to see if the ticket pricing has had an impact on attendance numbers at the biggest clubs across the continent.
Bundesliga
Germany’s top division boasts the likes of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and the newly emerged team from the east, RB Leipzig.
The Bundesliga regularly averages better attendance at league games than the Premier League or any other of Europe’s elite divisions.
As of 2016, they boast only the third most expensive average ticket price, perhaps lending to their immense and increasing attendance numbers.
La Liga
Some people see La Liga as the best league in Europe because of two reasons: Barcelona and Real Madrid.
These two football powerhouses have been able to flex their financial muscles in the transfer market every year to the extent that even Premier League clubs must bow before them.
However, these two global brands have been draining the rest of the league of television rights revenue for years – to the extent that they’d combine for a third of the total profits from broadcasting services.
This will have influenced La Liga’s standing as the second-highest in average ticket price at £31.40. The disparity between the clubs may have also influenced the dive in attendance numbers.
Serie A
Over the first eight years of attendance numbers taken in this analysis, Serie A experienced a nose dive in attendance numbers.
But, over the last couple of seasons, those numbers have nearly recovered, likely helped by the low average cost per ticket.
Ligue 1
Like Serie A, but nowhere near as extreme, Ligue 1 suffered a downward turn in attendances through the 2008 to 2016 seasons.
However, over the last two seasons, those numbers have rocketed.
Of England, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, Italy, Scotland, Belgium, and France, Ligue 1 boasts the lowest average price per league game at £17.40.
Premier League
As you can see, Premier League match tickets are, by far and away, the most expensive on average at £44.50. Despite this, the Premier League has experienced a lot of growth in its attendance numbers.
From an average of 35,630 in attendance at each game in 2008, there’s now an average of 38,297 attending each game as of the 2017/18 campaign.
The Premier League boasts the greatest increase in average attendance over the last decade at 7.49%.
So, perhaps the revelry of the occasion, the huge sums of money spent by almost every Premier League club, and the football culture in the UK overrules the negative of lofty ticket prices.
Attendances aren’t as high as he average of 44,646 in the Bundesliga, but those in the Premier League are growing at a faster rate in spite of what many deem to be overpriced tickets.
