Luton above Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea as most expensive team to support

The 32nd Premier League season starts in just over a month. The summer transfer window is open, the 380-match calendar has been fixed.

Over 15 million fans are expected to attend, all hoping their team gets a chance at glory in the top flight of English football. 

With worldwide broadcasting rights worth more than £10billion and an average club value of £1.2billion, the sport is awash with money. 

Nevertheless, their costs are rising too – not least in the amount they pay for players, Enzo Fernandez’s £106million move from Benfica to Chelsea smashing the pre-existing record earlier this year.

With a limited supply of stadium seats and ever-stronger demand, many outfits have hiked ticket prices in recent years. New research by SeatPick reveals all but four of the 20 teams did so for next season – but some by far more than others.

In the play-off of the Sky Bet Championship in May, Luton Town vanquished Coventry on penalties to secure the final promotion spot. Next season will be their first in the Premier League since 1991.

By analysing 50 different ticket websites, SeatPick established the average cost of watching each of a team’s games this season. According to their findings, The Hatters’ fans face the most expensive seats of all.

With a capacity of just over 10,000, Luton Town’s home stadium of Kenilworth Road is by far the smallest of the League. Treasured by supporters but mocked by rivals, the old-fashioned venue is said to be undergoing a £10million renovation this summer.

Despite this, with 225,000 Lutonians in the fight for seats, the most devoted non-season ticket holders will have to pay £622 per match on average if they want to see Rob Edwards’ squad play this season.

AFC Bournemouth ranked second, with a minimum price of £482 per ticket for non-season ticket holders. Their stadium counts just over 11,000 seats.

The introduction of the new system where games are categorised based on the “prestige” of the opposing team made ‘Category A’ matches significantly more expensive, driving up the average cost of watching the Cherries play. 

In third came Nottingham Forest, with tickets starting at £349. In addition to the augmented prices, the club scrapped or restructured some of its concessionary offerings: there is no longer an over 75s concession, and the youth age range has been squeezed from 23 years to 19.

Overall 380 matches scheduled, matchday ticket prices average £125. Adult season passes, meanwhile, come in closer to £500.