Ticket Pricing in European Football-Analysis and Implications

Abstract

In Europe, football is undeniably sport No. 1. European football clubs attract millions of fans to the venue every season. Despite the highest attendance in European football, the German Bundesliga teams do not capitalise on ticket sales. Surprisingly, the Bundesliga ticket prices are the cheapest among Europe’s top leagues. As the price is the most effective profit driver, better pricing decisions can drive revenues and profits up without any upfront investment. The paper comprises a thorough analysis of match day and season ticket prices in the German Bundesliga in comparison to the pricing in other top European football leagues. Derived from the analysis, specific recommendations and implications for pricing strategies in regard of fan acceptance in football are presented. Furthermore, the paper attempts to answer the question of whether revenue management and dynamic pricing could be utilised by football clubs as a profit enhancing pricing tool in the future.