Comment: Looking behind the data in a misleading cost-of-football survey

Christopher Kirkland, Teaching Associate at the University of Sheffield, comments on the methodology used by the BBC in their recent 'Cost of Football' survey. Looking behind the data in a misleading cost-of-football survey By Christopher Kirkland, 16 October 2015, posted on The Conversation The BBC released its Cost of Football Study on Thursday and the headlines look positive for fans. But there are holes in the research which leave us wondering if there really is an improving picture in a country where even the cheapest season ticket in the fifth tier of football - at Eastleigh - is more expensive than comparable tickets for European heavyweights Bayern Munich. The BBC's upbeat conclusion has its problems, and for (at least) the second year running the study is methodologically weak. One immediate flaw apparent in the data is that the assessment of the cheapest adult price includes promotional prices and only covers tickets for home games. The study mentions that Derby County offers the cheapest at £10. A quick glance on their website to check this reveals that the cheapest ticket price for the next ten home games (up to January 2016) is advertised as £19 (games against Bristol City and Reading).