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Only a game? Fans put football ahead of friends and family
Money is not the only sacrifice for football fans, Virgin Money research shows
And fans would go even further if it would guarantee glory
Football Fans’ Price Index has soared 22 per cent in the past 18 months
Football fans are giving up time with family and friends and cutting back on holidays and their home in order to follow their team, new research* from Virgin Money shows. More than one in 10 fans have even given up job opportunities so they can continue to support their club.
And the research among season ticket holders and people going regularly to live games shows that they’d be willing to give up even more if they could guarantee winning the Premiership or Champions League.
Around 93 per cent of fans admit they’ve made sacrifices because of their football club proving that it is more than just a game for hardcore fans despite the rising costs of following a team.
Social life with friends away from football, spending on entertainment outside football and time with their partner are the most likely to be sacrificed when there’s a clash with a big game, the Virgin Money research shows.
Two-thirds of fans say they’ve rearranged their social life to fit with matches while 45 per cent say they spend less on other forms of entertainment and 42 per cent say they give up time with their partner in favour of watching football. Around 28 per cent say they spend less time with their family and children in order to go to games.
And 72 per cent say they would sacrifice even more in order to see their team win the Premiership or Champions League. However even among dedicated hardcore fans there are many who feel they already give up with 28 per cent saying they already spend so much that they don’t feel any further sacrifices would be worth it.
Virgin Money’s John Franklin said: “If you want a definition of the word dedicated then football fans fit the bill perfectly. The financial cost of following a team continues to rise and rise but that doesn’t seem to deter fans.
“It is more than just a money game though for fans as many of them seem to base their lives around the game. Friends and family come second to the game for many and some will even give up job opportunities to continue to keep backing their team.
“Clubs are genuinely lucky to have such dedicated fans. Modern fans can hardly be dismissed as glory hunters as most clubs in the Premiership don’t get that close to glory nowadays. “There cannot be many businesses – and football is big business – that can rely on such loyalty. Friends and family might disagree that such dedication is entirely healthy. But nobody can doubt the loyalty of fans. They deserve something back from the clubs in the form of ticket price freezes or special deals. Ultimately of course fans want trophies but few clubs can guarantee those.”
The Virgin Money stats reveal that Newcastle United fans are most dedicated to their team’s cause despite a lack of silverware, with almost half of all Magpie supporters claiming they regularly sacrifice time with their children and family in order to watch their team.
Team
% of fans who sacrifice time with family and children to watch their team
1
Newcastle City
47%
2
Birmingham City
35%
3
Sunderland
34%
4
Chelsea
32%
5=
Manchester City
31%
5=
Wigan Athletic
31%
But the sacrifices don’t stop there. It’s more than just a game for most fans, many of whom will go to extreme lengths if it meant guaranteeing the success of their side. When asked what they would give to ensure their team won the Premiership or Champions League, eight per cent of fans said they would give “anything” to see their team become champions. A further four per cent would give up their holidays and three per cent would go without alcohol if they could see their team top of the league.
Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Price Index shows that in the past year the cost of attending games has risen by 22 per cent since February 2006. The index runs every three months and is aimed at helping supporters keep track of the rises and falls in the costs of supporting their team. The company identified the match-day essentials fans buy and keeps tabs on increases and decreases.
The firm’s research team examines the cost of items such as a gallon of petrol; match tickets; food; alcohol; train tickets and replica shirts.