Mixed news for Vale as price of football revealed
The BBC have published their “price of football” survey which includes the price of football for League One supporters.
The chart (below) reveals that Port Vale’s cheapest season ticket is the second-highest price in the league. Vale’s cheapest adult season ticket is £325 some £26 above the divisional average of £299. However, the survey does not take into account Vale’s early bird and money-off voucher promotion which meant a fan could buy a season ticket for as little as £305 – just six pounds above the divisional average.
The club’s value-for-money fares better with regards to the highest season ticket price with Vale coming in below the average price of £399 in nineteenth place.
There’s similarly mixed news with regards to the catering with Vale’s pies being cheaper than the average but a cup of tea being priced 27p more than the divisional average.
The chart also indicates that the poorer supported clubs appear to be raising prices in order to compete under the Football League Fair Play rules. With clubs only able to spend 60% of revenue on player wages, it is perhaps no surprise that the likes of Carlisle and Colchester also have relatively high season ticket prices.
In terms of a “day out” which looks at how much it would cost a casual fan to buy a matchday ticket, pie and cup of tea; Sheffield United offer the best value at just £17.70. A “day out” at Vale Park would, in contrast, cost £29.50 – the joint second-highest in the division alongside Brentford. A “day out” at Leyton Orient is the division’s most expensive at £29.90 with the average day-off price being £26.44
How Vale fare:
Cheapest season ticket: £325 (average £282)
Expensive season ticket: £340 (£399)
Cheapest matchday ticket: £22 (£19)
Most expensive matchday ticket: £23 (£24)
Programme: £3 (£3)
Pie: £2.50 (£2.86)
Tea: £2 (£1.73)
Day out: £29.50 (£26.44)
* Day out is the cost of cheapest matchday ticket, programme, pie and cup of tea