The price of tickets to major sporting events in the UK has been on the rise in recent years, and 2023 is no exception
ExpressVPN’s research shows that this year’s increases are some of the biggest that we’ve seen, leaving thousands of fans disappointed. A number of factors are contributing to this trend, including the increasing popularity of sports, the growing wealth of fans, and the limited availability of tickets.
The Issue Caused by Ticket Scalping
One of the biggest problems facing sports fans as they try to access tickets is the practice of scalping. This is when tickets are snapped up with the intention of selling them at a profit. While, at first, this may not sound like a major issue, you need to consider that large companies are actually making a business out of this. They buy up excessive numbers of tickets and profit hugely. This is all at the expense of the true sports fans.
Ticket Scalping in Practise
If you’re not convinced of the issue caused by ticket scalping, it’s worth taking a look at what ExpressVPN has uncovered when it comes to Wimbledon. This is one of the most popular tennis tournaments in the world, but if you want to attend the men’s final, it’s certainly going to cost you.
If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a ticket available at face value, it’ll set you back £255. However, if you miss out and head over to one of the many resale sites, the cheapest ticket comes in at £5,870. That represents a price increase of 2,202%.
Face Value Prices Also on the UP
While the resale price of tickets for top sporting events is nothing short of scandalous, even those lucky enough to snap up a ticket early on are seeing prices rise. Here’s a look at just some of the price increases in 2023:
- FA Cup Final: The average price of a ticket to the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium is expected to be £500. This is a 10% increase from the average price of a ticket to the FA Cup Final last year.
- Champions League Final: The average price of a ticket to the Champions League Final at Wembley Stadium is expected to be £400. This is a 5% increase from the average price of a ticket to the Champions League Final last year.
- Six Nations Rugby Championship: The average ticket price to the Six Nations Rugby Championship at Twickenham Stadium is expected to be £300. This is a 10% increase from the average ticket price to the Six Nations Rugby Championship last year.
These are just a few of the many sports events that are seeing ticket price surges in 2023 in the UK. As the popularity of sports continues to grow and the wealth of fans continues to increase, ticket prices will likely continue to rise in the years to come.
While it’s tough to avoid price increases across the board, acting early, and buying tickets at their face value, could save you thousands of pounds.