Twenty’s plenty – how to watch your favourite football teams for less
Andrew Stuckey • May 15, 2020
The money in modern football is ridiculous. For too long now, transfer fees have ranged from sky-high to astronomical and as it stands, there's no sign of things letting up.
For the players, this is no bad thing. In the Premier League alone, players like Wayne Rooney, Eden Hazard and Sergio Agüero all earn over £200,000 per week, while even the most inexperienced of bench warmers can expect to earn more each month than the average worker earns in a year.
Unlike the players, football fans rarely see the benefits associated with money and the game, and even supporters of modest teams like West Bromwich Albion and Stoke are expected to pay hundreds of pounds in order to bag themselves a season ticket. So just how is the average worker meant to afford such a luxury?
In short, it's a struggle, and campaigns that target the rising cost of football are becoming a familiar sight up and down the country. However, until things change, there's not much the average footy fan can do if they want to see their beloved team week in, week out. Or so we thought…
Tune your telly
Investing in channel subscriptions such as Sky Sports or BT Sport might be a wiser choice for die-hard footy fans who want to watch as many games as possible throughout the season. There are usually a wide range of deals and offers available which can save you some money, rather than attending the matches each week and spending a fortune.
What's more, when the time does eventually come for your team to strut their stuff in front of the cameras, you'll be able to enjoy the full match without having to queue in traffic or for the half time cup of tea.
Whilst a TV bundle doesn't mean you can watch your favourite team every week, for those looking to enjoy an endless supply of footy throughout the season, there are always extensive highlight shows such as Match of the Day shown on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
Lower leagues, lower prices
Sure the Premier League is home to the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Jose Mourinho, but given that it costs the average fan £30.68 just to bag a ticket, you might be better off watching your local team from a lower division if the purse strings are tight.
For fans of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham, a seat with a decent view of the game can cost well over £1,000 per season, whereas a season ticket at the likes of Bradford City, Charlton Athletic and Huddersfield Town are closer to the £200 mark, regardless of the view.
The reality is that although the standard of football may not be quite as good as you'd expect to see at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge, the atmosphere, excitement and passion from the fans will be just as good, if not better. So why not try out some lower league matches first to see if you can enjoy some 'proper' football this season?
Better together
But if you're the type of supporter who only likes watching the big boys, but can't justify spending hundreds on a season ticket, you might be better off clubbing together with a group of pals and splitting the cost of a ticket between you.
Doing this is simple and could save you a small fortune – so it's well worth trying. Firstly, pick two or three friends to split the price of the ticket with, then divide the season's fixtures up among yourselves. Some friends may be only available to do certain dates, which certainly helps when it comes to seeing who sees which game.
In the event that two or more of you want to see the same match, you might have to resort to drawing straws. This might not be the most idyllic situation, but it certainly beats spending hundreds of pounds on a ticket you're only going to use a handful of times each season – so roll with the punches.
Interested in seeing how you could save money on other everyday spends? Make sure you check out our blog in order to stay ahead of the game.