Premier League Football Adopts American Approach to Boost Profit
Players are expensive, so teams need new ways—and more luxurious stadiums—to raise revenue.
When the Toffees take the field at Everton FC’s brand-new stadium in Liverpool this August, fans in the Club View lounge will rub shoulders with former players, toss back high-end drinks and indulge in pricey food before finding enviable seats in the elevated halfway line zone. They’ll also fork out £1,200 ($1,494) a season for the privilege. An even more VIP crew will be in the Enclosure, a series of fenced-off four-seat loges on Level 1 offering panoramic views of the pitch, recliners, personal TVs for replays and a concierge service to deliver food and order a taxi home. If you have to ask how much it costs, it’s not for you—anyway, it’s already sold out.
All this luxury is a far cry from the working-class roots of English football fandom. A typical game-day schedule used to go like this: Grab some pints near the stadium; yell tribal, passionate chants for 90 minutes; taunt the losers; then exit swiftly to beat the crowds home. Unless you were in a corporate box, tickets were priced for everyday fans, and the brevity of the experience along with a lack of compelling hospitality options meant that, historically, stadium revenue wasn’t such a sizable revenue stream.