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Is Dynamic Ticket Pricing Used in Football?

20 Dec, 2024
Is Dynamic Ticket Pricing Used in Football?

Recently, there have been a lot of conversations about the concept of 'dynamic ticket pricing', a system used increasingly in music and entertainment as a way of increasing a business's revenue by adjusting prices for events in real-time based on demand.

Earlier this year, Oasis fans were angered by the revelation that this model was being used to hike ticket prices for the band's reunion from an initial price of £148.50 to as much as £355.20 in some cases, the only explanation offered being that the tickets had become more "in demand".

Dynamic pricing has long been accepted as the norm when it comes to buying airline flights or booking accommodation. It has become a more widespread practice in live music recently, particularly for huge artists where demand far surpasses capacity (as was the case with Oasis).

But as dynamic pricing becomes more entrenched in society, there are genuine concerns that professional football could be the next arena in which it becomes normalised. In this article, we'll be exploring how likely that is and diving deep into the issue of dynamic ticket pricing in football.

How is Dynamic Ticket Pricing Impacting Football?

Very few professional football clubs currently employ a dynamic pricing strategy for the purchasing of match tickets. Generally speaking, most clubs will use a range of prices, with more expensive tickets in more desirable areas of a stadium or for games against the more illustrious teams.

Similarly, costs will vary depending on age, with many clubs employing different concession prices for children or students. However, there are real worries that the next major change to the ticketing system in the Premier League and other major competitions across Europe may be a switch to dynamic pricing. 

If this model is adopted by more clubs, loyal match-going fans will risk being priced out of attending matches while rich tourists will be given priority due simply to their heightened spending power, rather than their connection to the club.

Dynamic pricing is already becoming entrenched in US soccer, where Messi mania has led to Inter Miami's ticket prices soaring and many local people struggling to find the money to watch their team. And recently, evidence has emerged that certain European clubs are also trialing this strategy. 

Colin Millar, a journalist for The Athletic, recently criticised Valencia's decision to implement a dynamic pricing system for the 2024/25 season, with Millar writing on X: "Football clubs are introducing 'dynamic pricing'.

Valencia are increasing ticket prices - often several times over - with the 'support and technology of La Liga'. A very slippery slope which is simply a dreadful development for match-going fans." This was in response to an official statement from Valencia which read: "One of the new features of the 2024-25 season will be the implementation of dynamic pricing for ticket purchases. Following the global trend in shows, sporting events and entertainment, Valencia CF will join this practice, which has the support and technology of LALIGA."

It continued: "Tickets will therefore go on sale at a base price, which could increase as the days go by, always subject to various parameters such as the occupancy of the stadium area and the proximity of the date, among others. Buying your tickets early will ensure you get the best price! Plan ahead and get your tickets in the best area and at the best price."

The post received plenty of attention. On X, @fishing4boots wrote: "'Dynamic Pricing' should be renamed to "let's find out how much money you suckers will give us", because that's essentially the viewpoint of these money-grubbing bastards."

Asked whether the move means that prices will lower if it's emptier, Millar was not convinced this would be case, explaining "'Base price' is what goes on sale as initially and if there is a high demand, it simply gets a lot more expensive. Which, as it happens, is not the definition of 'dynamic'..." This reflects other comments pointing out that prices are never likely to go down, only up. This receives even more criticism when the quality of football comes into question, with another fan responding "Anyone who has seen them play in the last couple of seasons would suggest the 'base' price should dynamically decrease rather than increase."

In response to one respondent, Millar added: "There should be outrage over this sort of stuff. It's so, so egregious. Especially from institutions, whether it's football clubs or musicians, who are keen to shout about how special their fans are whilst simultaneously exploiting them for every cent they can."

Valencia isn't the only Spanish club involved in this controversial practice. Celta Vigo, a La Liga side based in the north-western city of Vigo, in the Galicia region, have also confirmed that their ticket prices are "dynamic and subject to change" according to Sky Sports.

The site reported: "Valencia and Celta Vigo are believed to be the only European clubs to have embraced the system for this season's matches. Although there are no suggestions dynamic pricing will be introduced in the English game, there has been growing concern clubs are vastly hiking prices, depending on the level of opposition." How likely is that possibility? 

Will English Football Introduce Dynamic Ticket Pricing?

During the summer of 2024, 19 of the Premier League's 20 clubs increased their ticket prices. Crystal Palace were the only club not to up the cost of their match tickets, with an average rise of 6.7% across the league. There has been huge backlash against recent increases from fan groups at clubs like Manchester United and West Ham United, with the latter raising tens of thousands of signatures for a petition demanding that the club to maintain all concessionary ticketing.

Widespread frustration about this issue has now spilled into the political world with Labour MP Ian Lavery tabling an Early Day Motion (EDM) in September criticising clubs for exploiting supporter loyalty, increasing costs and attacking concessions.

This reflects a recognition from supporters that raising prices is driven by greed; the Football Supporters' Association (FSA) has highlighted how little impact matchday income has on the biggest clubs' bank balances or their ability to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Most of the richest clubs rely far more heavily on broadcasting and sponsorship deals; ultimately, this is about squeezing as much money as possible out of loyal fans.

"Never underestimate the potential for the most greedy owners in football to try and import terrible ideas from other industries to exploit supporter loyalty," read an official statement from the FSA. "Matchgoers are already mobilising against the recent wave of price rises and attacks on concessions. Any underhand increases will be met with enormous opposition."

UK-based campaigners against dynamic ticket pricing — as well as supporters who may be more open to the idea — should listen closely to fans in Europe being priced out of going to watch their team live in the flesh.

Discussing Valencia's recent shift towards this model, a spokesperson for club fan group Libertad VCF told the BBC "it is a strategy of pure speculation based on demand without taking into consideration that football fans are not simply customers who don't care if they fly with Ryanair or British Airways." They added: "Those who can will bear it, and those who cannot will have their seat taken by a tourist who does not care whether Valencia win or lose."

How Might an Independent Regulator Prevent Dynamic Ticket Pricing in the Game?

For those worried about the damage dynamic pricing could do to the English game, there is one reason to be optimistic: the imminent creation of an independent regulator designed to increase fairness and boost democratic practices within English football. This regulator could end up being forced to take action against the growth of dynamic pricing, also referred to as 'surge pricing'. 

The independent regulator is the result of a rare intervention in professional sport from the UK government. It all began with the conduct of a fan-led review into the governance of football, promised in the 2019 manifesto by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative party, which won the election.

MP Tracey Crouch then conducted the review, and support for change to football governance grew during this period as the scandalous failed European Super League launch in 2021 caused many fans to become more concerned about elite club owners' nefarious intentions. 

The review's findings were published in February 2023 and one of the key recommendations was the establishment of an independent regulator built to oversee a licensing regime to ensure improved financial sustainability and long-term decision-making in the game. Revamped tests on owners and directors and a focus on protecting the cultural and social heritage of the sport will also be key concerns of the regulator. 

The UK's new Labour government has increased the powers of the regulator beyond what was originally proposed. It has been suggested that the regulator will have the power to scrap the much-maligned parachute payments system for relegated Premier League teams, if it's deemed unfair and uncompetitive.

The regulator will also be given powers to resolve payment disputes between the Premier League and the EFL, with pressure growing for greater distribution funds and powers between these two league systems to make the overall financial landscape fairer.

As a result, it's not a huge stretch to assume that this imminent structural change to English football will also be able to guard against the incursion of dynamic pricing in the sport. As a practice, surge pricing goes against the principles of fairness and community that the independent regulator is supposed to stand for, and if UK-based clubs start to consider dynamic pricing as a potential solution to any financial concerns they have, we should expect the independent regulator to step in and protect the game's best interests.

If you'd like to find out more about how this might unravel, check out our in-depth guide to what the independent regulator means for English football.