Football fan rip-offs

Most men think about it an average of 80 times a day, the costs involved have pushed one in five into debt and it's even been cited in divorce cases. Yes, it's football.

A survey by Virgin Money has found that the spiralling cost of the national obsession has pushed one Birmingham City fan £25,000 into debt and caused others to miss mortgage payments and spend house deposits.

This is much less surprising when you think about the costs involved. The Virgin Money Football Fans' Price Index puts the cost of going to a match - including travel, a ticket, merchandise, food and drink - at £91.87, a 17.8% rise in the last year.

Rip-off

The bulk of the cost comprises the ticket which, according to a survey by The Sun, 49% of fans consider a rip-off. Londoner Sean Kerr, a 38-year-old lettings agent and Tottenham fan, said when he first got his season ticket 20 years ago the cost was around £8 a match. He says: "Over the years, the price steadily increased and now it's around £35 a game."

Season tickets can cost about the same as two months' mortgage payments. Arsenal is the priciest, with an average season ticket price of £1,355. Spurs isn't far behind with an average of £1,064, followed by Chelsea at £900 and Liverpool at £675.

For the new season there have been even further hikes. Sunderland introduced the most shocking increase, at 19%, while Manchester United pushed prices up 14% and West Ham 7%. But to give credit where it's due, there have been price freezes too - and even cuts. Arsenal, Newcastle, Birmingham and Derby have all frozen prices for the third year running, while some clubs have cut prices, including Wigan, Bolton, Aston Villa and Blackburn.

However, the expense doesn't end with the ticket, as there are also travel costs. "When Spurs got into Europe, I went to see them in Germany and in the Netherlands," says Sean. "With travel and accommodation, those trips were exorbitant."

The knowledge that the opposing team's fans have a much better deal just rubs it in further. A recent survey by consumer group Which? compared the cheapest seated season tickets for a number of international clubs. Arsenal was the most expensive at £885, a shocking nine times more expensive than Italian club Inter Milan at just £94.50. Even season tickets for huge clubs like Bayern Munich and Barcelona cost just £175.

Showing your colours

Then there's the question of kit - supporters want to wear the club shirt to matches. The replica football shirt scam was exposed back in 2003 when the Office of Fair Trading found that Manchester United had engaged in price fixing with the Football Association, Umbro and a number of other retailers between 2000 and 2001. Which? is now calling for people who believe they were victims of this rip-off to make contact, as it plans to sue under powers granted it by the Enterprise Act.

But it doesn't take price fixing for these nylon nasties to be over-priced. There's at least one new design for die-hard fans to buy each season, as even clubs that pledge a minimum lifespan of two seasons for each shirt will introduce a different kit or away-kit every year. For example, in May, Tottenham Hotspur unveiled four shirts for the 2007/08 season - a home, away, third and 125-year anniversary shirt, the latter costing £55.

The Government looked like it was going to act in 1999, when its Football Task Force proposed a Football Audit Commission and an Ombudsman to adjudicate supporters' grievances. But Kate Hoey, the sports minister at the time, said the Football Association and Premier League brought pressure to bear on the Government to ensure these recommendations were buried.

Taking action

So, as no one else is willing to control these rip-offs, it seems it's up to the supporters themselves. The Football Supporters Federation has published a petition at fsf.org.uk where you can add your signature calling for cheaper tickets.

Alternatively, you can vote with your feet. Sean eventually decided to give up his season ticket. He's not alone: Virgin found one-in-eight fans said they would not be renewing their season ticket because of the cost.

But those who surrender their ticket are the exceptions to the rule, because it's not that easy to give up on a passion. And even if this trickle becomes a flood, there will always be more fans to fill the seats, whatever the cost. There are 40,000 people on the waiting list for Arsenal, the most expensive club in the Premiership, and while there are so many willing fans, the beautiful game will always come with some ugly expenses.