Debt may leave football fans feeling offside

Football fans may be caught offside when it comes to managing their debt after a new survey showed just how expensive following a team can be.

For 22 per cent of dedicated fans, the cost of watching their team in the recently-ended 2010-11 season was over £1,000, while for 14 per cent, the number exceeded £2,000.

The situation was not like that for some, of course, with 51 per cent of fans taking a more casual approach and spending just £100 – the equivalent of tickets to just a couple of games at leading English clubs.

But for the highly-dedicated, the dangers of running up credit card debt and owing money in other ways may have a major impact on their finances.

MSN noted the cost is not just that of tickets, but also travel and extras such as replica shirts and sports channel subscriptions.

Senior editor Simon Ward commented: “The large number of fans spending four-figure sums on supporting their team illustrates the huge costs involved in being a truly dedicated football fan today.”

High ticket prices may be particularly hard on some whose clubs are the most expensive to watch.

One club whose supporters may face such a problem – and potential debt issues as a result – is Queens Park Rangers.

The west London side has hiked tickets for next season by an average of 40 per cent after gaining promotion to the Premier League, meaning followers will have to pay at least £47 and as much as £72 to watch their side take on the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

Posted by Paul Thacker