As a result of rapid globalisation in recent years, everyone in the world has become increasingly connected. In today’s global economy, football in England has become increasingly intertwined with the rest of the world. As the Premier League has become more international, it has likewise become more commercial. The rapid commercialisation of the English Premier league in the past decade has had both a positive and negative impact on football in England.
In recent years, American, Chinese, Arab, and other foreign investors have dumped billions of pounds into the Premier League. Rather than worrying about fans and atmosphere, these investors are focused on money. They increase ticket, concession, and merchandise prices to increase their profit margin. This makes it increasingly difficult for the working-class supporters of teams in the Premier League to be able to afford to attend games. Cities like Liverpool and Manchester, which are still primarily working class, are currently feeling the effects of this trend the most.
To show just how rapidly, these ticket prices have been increasing in recent years, the BBC performed a study analysing the ticket prices from 2011 to 2015. What they found was startling. The average cost of the most expensive match-day ticket in the Premier League has risen by 12% to 56.63 pounds since 2011. However, last year’s figure is less than the average cost in 2012, which peaked at 59.42 pounds. The average cost of the cheapest match-day ticket in England’s top flight has risen by 20% in five years – from 25.56 pounds in 2011 to 30.68 pounds in 2015. Between 2012 and 2015, the average price of the cheapest season ticket has risen by 16% to 513.95 pounds, while the average price of the most expensive season ticket in the same period has gone up by 9% to 886.21 pounds.
Football in England is losing its working class roots. Other European leagues like those of Spain and Germany have been able to maintain their working-class fan base by keeping ticket prices low. As of 2015 a fan could buy a season ticket at Bayern Munich for 104.48 pounds and Barcelona for 73.88 pounds which is, amazingly, less than the cheapest available in the top four leagues in both England and Scotland. Moreover, a German fan could buy a match day ticket for Bayern Munich (11.19 pounds), Bayer Leverkusen (11.19 pounds) and Borussia Dortmund (11.94 pounds), totaling 34.32 pounds, and still spend less than a Premier League supporter who buys the average pie, tea and cheapest match day ticket, totaling 36.06 pounds. German football has been able to maintain its working class roots. As a result, teams like Dortmund are known across the globe for housing some of the best atmospheres in all of the sports.
English fans are beginning to recognise these trends and have recently started pushing back against the higher prices. Several forms of organised protests have taken place to express fan frustration over the absurd ticket prices. Fans have held up banners during games reading “Without fans football is nothing.” A very recent protest occurred at the Bayern-Arsenal Champions league tie at the Emirates. Bayern away fans all threw toilet paper onto the pitch to show their disgust for the high-ticket prices. Similarly, one Arsenal fan held a banner that read “My Arsenal Season Ticket: 1450 pounds… Bayern Munich Season Ticket: 350 pounds… Bayern 10 – 2 Arsenal.” 10 to 2 being the final score of the fixture, showing that money is not everything. Teams do not have to overcharge their fans in order to have the money to be successful.
However, commercialism has also had an extremely positive impact on English football. The vast sums of money being pumped into the Premier League have allowed for nicer facilities and stadiums. Teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, and West Ham have all undergone stadium expansions or relocations in order to seat more people and provide fans with the most pleasant matchday experience possible. Teams like Tottenham and Chelsea are also now beginning a similar process.
Additionally, commercialisation has allowed for better football. World class players and managers from all over the world have been drawn to England to participate in the Premier League. The money that lucrative TV deals and sponsorships have brought to the Premier League allows them to draw the world’s greatest athletes to live and play in England. Such a high level of play and vast array of talent would not have been possible without the recent commercialisation of the premier league.
