Rugby league is the best value major spectator sport in the country, according to the findings of a new survey commissioned by The Co-operative that looked at ticket prices in football, rugby union and the 13-a-side code.
The survey, which examined prices for various types of tickets for different age groups in each sport’s elite competition, aimed to discover the cost faced by consumers wishing to attend these premium sporting events on a one-off or regular basis.
Researchers made customer enquiries at the ticket offices of every club in each relevant competition. In football’s Premier League the average cheapest match-day admission price for under-16s is £13.35. The same ticket for rugby union’s Premiership is £9.40 and the average price in rugby league’s Super League in this category is £8.60.
The average price for the cheapest Premier League season ticket for children is £151.95. In union’s Premiership the average price is £83.17 for the same type of ticket and in Super League the figure is £55.15.
This pattern is also repeated when it comes to average prices for adult tickets. In this category the average cheapest match-day admission price for the Premier League is £29.75. In rugby union’s Premiership it’s £20 and the price for Super League is £17.34.
Average prices for the cheapest adult season tickets are Premier League £436.22, Premiership £212.42 and Super League £193.85.
In addition, research by sports statistics company Opta shows that rugby league’s Super League provides the best value for money of the three sports surveyed in another way. In rugby league the ball stays in play for an average of 50-55 minutes during an 80-minute match – the longest period of the three sports. In rugby union it is in play between 30-35 minutes during an 80-minute match, while in football it remains in play for 50 minutes during a 90-minute match.
Commenting on the results of the survey, Liz Matkin, The Co-operative’s sponsorship manager, said: “At a time when every pound in a consumer’s pocket counts, the statistics show that rugby league is the best value for money out of these three major spectator sports. The affordability of the match-day and season tickets for children and adults is clear to see and that combined with the action on the field make it the best sporting choice in our opinion.
“If you compare the average price of an engage Super League adult season ticket with the price for the equivalent Barclays Premier League season ticket you will see that rugby league is over £240 cheaper. In the case of the equivalent tickets for children, any supporter choosing the rugby league option would be almost £97 better off.”
