LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Fulham football club supporters wait outside the turnstiles before the … [+]
Getting a ticket to a Premier League match is harder than ever, and clubs have been capitalizing on that by topping up their income with membership fees.
Club memberships used to be the preserve of the larger Premier League clubs, but now, 19 of the 20 current top-flight teams have a membership scheme.
For some clubs like Brentford, being a member is “the only way to access Premier League tickets.” For most clubs, membership gives fans priority access before tickets go on general sale, but as almost all tickets are bought up before reaching general sale, this is basically the same thing.
Twelve Premier League clubs have set their basic membership fee for the 2023/24 season at between $44 and $52, which is roughly the cost of a Premier League ticket, meaning if you go to one game a season, the cost of your ticket effectively doubles.
Fulham and Premier League newcomers Luton Town have the most expensive basic memberships, at £50 ($65.40) each. They are followed by Sheffield United, Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur at £45 ($58.85).
With the exception of Spurs, those clubs have relatively small stadiums and lack the commercial clout and broadcasting revenues of the larger Premier League teams, so might be looking to charge more in order to make up that shortfall.
That said, AFC Bournemouth, who have the second-smallest ground in the league, are the only club without a membership scheme. Instead, supporters get priority based on their previous booking history.
Out of the clubs with membership schemes, Crystal Palace’s scheme is the cheapest at £25 (32.70).
Basic adult membership price for 2023/24 season
Fulham, Luton Town: £50 ($65.40)
Sheffield United, Brentford, Tottenham Hotspur: £45 ($58.85)
Aston Villa, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers: £40 ($52.30)
Liverpool: £37 ($48.40)
Brighton and Hove Albion: £36 ($47.10)
Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United*, Manchester United*, Burnley, Chelsea, Manchester City: £35 ($45.80)
Arsenal: £34 ($44.50)
Crystal Palace: £25 ($32.70)
Bournemouth: N/A
*Newcastle United’s price is from 2022/23; Manchester United also have a “forwarding only” membership for £20 ($26.15)
But those basic membership costs don’t tell the full picture, as even with a membership, fans still struggle to get tickets.
Arsenal have recently started publishing the success rates of memberships in acquiring tickets through ticket ballots. For the standard “red” membership, the success rate for the Gunners’ 23/24 season-opener against Nottingham Forest was 12%, with most members who want to attend games having to hope they can get hold of season ticket holders’ unwanted tickets through the club’s ticket exchange.
Some clubs have premium memberships that offer longtime members or fans with long booking histories a better chance of getting a ticket. Arsenal’s £54 silver membership ($70.60) had a 28% chance of a ticket to the Forest match.
The demand for tickets at some clubs is so high that having premium memberships is the only way of realistically getting a ticket.
Excluding hospitality packages, Burnley have the most expensive premium membership at £250 ($327), although each member can purchase up to four tickets.
Nottingham Forest are the next most expensive, with “MyForest Pro” members paying £95 ($124) for the privilege, and “MyForest Plus” members paying £65 ($85). That’s the most expensive on a per-ticket basis, possibly reflecting the huge demand for tickets at the City Ground.
Chelsea’s premium membership costs £85 ($111) for UK-based fans, Sheffield United’s costs £70 ($91.50) and Manchester United’s premium membership costs £65 ($85).
Much is made of any increase in season ticket prices. But membership fees have slowly been adding an extra expense for the casual fan who can’t attend every home game or who has been on the waiting list for season tickets for years.
Most clubs also don’t release information on the chance of regular or premium members getting a match ticket, so when fans sign up, they are paying a membership fee without knowing if they’ll ever get the chance to see a game.