As a new Premier League season approaches, many supporters are feeling frustration and anxiety rather than optimism, according to analysis from Aston University.
Dr Danny Fitzpatrick, an expert in sport governance and football fan culture, says that escalating ticket prices, reduced concessions for younger and older supporters, and increasingly restrictive digital ticketing systems are creating barriers for traditional fans who have long formed the backbone of English football.
Dr Fitzpatrick says commercial pressures within the modern game are reshaping access to live football, with concerns centred on affordability, inclusion and the growing power of clubs to control supporter access through digital platforms.
While football has always involved an admission charge, clubs historically adopted a relatively conservative approach to ticket pricing, prioritising loyal local support over maximising revenue. However, the formation of the Premier League in 1992 marked a significant shift.
Ticket prices have increased dramatically in the decades since, rising by an estimated 800 per cent between 1990 and 2025.
The introduction of demand-based pricing models, premium matchday experiences and hospitality packages has transformed the economics of attending live football.
Although supporter campaigns have secured notable successes, including the £30 cap on away tickets in the Premier League, researchers argue that recent pricing decisions suggest a new phase of hyper-commercialisation.
Ahead of the 2024-25 season, 19 of the league’s 20 clubs increased ticket prices, with some rises reaching 28 per cent. In one case, the cost of a child’s season ticket more than doubled.
Research interviews with supporter groups in the 2024-25 season found widespread concerns that clubs are increasingly prioritising short-term revenue generation over maintaining long-standing, community-based support.
The research also highlights concerns over the reduction of concessionary pricing for younger and older supporters.
Supporters interviewed for the study argued that rising prices and reduced concessions risk changing the demographic make-up of football crowds, making it harder for younger generations to develop lifelong connections with clubs.
There is also growing unease that clubs are seeking to move away from traditional season ticket models in favour of attracting higher-spending domestic and international visitors.
In research interviews, fan activists expressed general suspicion that clubs were colluding to adopt similar ticketing policies to minimise reputational damage. This suspicion was reinforced by the decision by some clubs to diminish the established concessionary prices for younger (such as under-18s and students) and senior (over-65) supporters.
The average age of the matchday crowd in the English Premier League rose steadily over recent decades in 2012-13, the last time the Premier League published this data, it was 41. Along with hyper-inflated ticket prices, these new measures may irrevocably alter the composition of the matchday crowd.
Fans believe that clubs are actively seeking to undermine the season ticket model through prohibitive pricing to free up seats for more lucrative overseas ‘tourist fans’ who are willing to pay higher prices and spend more money on merchandise.
Fans across rival clubs united in protest, calling on clubs to ‘Stop Exploiting Loyalty’ and reverse ticketing policies that undermine long-standing community ties and make football less accessible to future generations.
Alongside rising costs, many clubs have intensified efforts to tackle ticket touting through digital ticketing systems and automated monitoring tools.
The move follows years of concern about the growth of online secondary markets, where tickets are resold at heavily inflated prices.
Clubs have reported success in identifying organised criminal networks involved in large-scale ticket resale operations.
However, the research suggests that some ordinary supporters may be inadvertently affected by these measures. Recent controversies involving clubs including Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal have seen season ticket holders face restrictions, account suspensions or lifetime bans following suspected misuse of ticketing systems.
Supporters have raised concerns that automated detection systems may struggle to distinguish between illegal resale activity and legitimate account management by family members and friends, particularly where older supporters rely on others for digital access.
Interview participants described a lack of transparency and limited opportunities to challenge decisions, leading some fans to feel increasingly disconnected from their clubs.
The research concludes that while football has always balanced commercial realities with supporter interests, the current trajectory risks creating a game that remains globally successful but increasingly disconnected from its traditional fan base.
Dr Fitzpatrick said: "Football's strength has always come from the commitment of generations of supporters who pass their club loyalties from parent to child. If rising prices and digital barriers continue to push local fans to the margins, the game risks losing the very communities, traditions and atmosphere that made it the world's most popular sport.
“Growing international investment, changing ownership models and increased pressure to maximise revenues have only intensified concerns about whether clubs continue to prioritise the communities that helped build their success.”
