Football fans fork out £56,000 over a lifetime, says Conti

As a sponsor of the World and European Cup championships, Continental is well aware of the expense involved in supporting the beautiful game. Even individuals fork out a tidy sum for the privilege of supporting their favourite team. Figures released by Continental Tyres indicate that the average football fan will spend nearly £56,000 over a lifetime doing just that.

A sample group of 2,000 fans were surveyed for the Continental study, and it was found that the average fan parts with £103 each season for home game tickets and £83 on away matches, plus £244 on petrol and transport and £81 on food and drink If a typical supporter attends eight games a season, the cost of tickets, fuel, programmes, food and drink will add up to almost £1,300 a year. And then there’s looking the part and buying the trimmings – team merchandise such as strips, hats, scarves and badges lighten the fan’s wallet by a further £45 from the wallet, while game programmes and the like cost another £38.

 “Football fans are a passionate bunch and how much the average fan spends demonstrates this dedication,” commented Continental Tyres spokesman Tim Bailey.

The cost of supporting a team from age 16 to 60:

Home game tickets £4,532

Fuel costs to home matches £3,916

Away game tickets £3,652

Fuel costs to away matches £3,520

Public transport costs £3,300

Season tickets £13,948

Football computer games £1,672

Subscription to sports channels £3,036

Subscription to club’s TV channel or website £3,388

Food and drink at the pub £5,984

Team merchandise £1,980

Food at stadium £1,716

Drinks at stadium £1,848

Programmes £1,672

Parking £1,628

TOTAL £55,792