Over the last twenty years, as football has grown more and more into the dominant sport in the UK and worldwide, it has become a far more expensive pastime to enjoy. With multiple channels now requiring expensive packages to enable you to watch all the games, and with match day tickets and even replica kits reaching absurd costs, it can be easy to feel shut out from football if you’re trying to enjoy it on a budget.
The sport has developed more into a business, and at times has displayed the worst of capitalism. However, there are still ways for everyone to enjoy it at a cheaper rate. Here are a few ways to enjoy football while keeping costs low.
1. Support Local, Smaller Teams
Tickets for premier league games can reach a highly inflated price, especially if you’re supporting one of the big six. However, if you look further down the league pyramid, you can attend games in the second, third, or fourth-tier and beyond and enjoy them at reduced prices.
The quality might not be as technical as games in the top division, however as these are smaller, more community-focused clubs, the passion will definitely be there, and you’re sure to be entertained. Furthermore, since the Covid-19 pandemic, a lot of these lower league clubs need as much support as they can get, so your attendance will be greatly appreciated.
2. Watch Games At The Pub
To watch every single premier league game, as well as the champions league and other international tournaments, you will need a BT, Sky, and even Amazon Prime subscription and all of those can add up to a high monthly cost.
A great option to watch the game but not have to pay for those services is to head to your local pub that is showing the game and watch it there. This way, instead of spending well over £200 a month on football, you can instead watch the game for free while enjoying a good atmosphere with friends and other patrons.
The pub is also a great place to watch multiple games at once to keep up with all the day’s results. This makes the pub a great location for those engaged with accumulator betting, as it allows them better insight into how multiple games are going.
3. Buy Old Football Kits
It’s not uncommon for football clubs to launch a brand new home, away and most likely, the third kit at the start of each season, and these kits can cost a lot of money when buying them new. As football kits can become outdated fairly quickly due to the yearly release, it’s not a bad idea to try and find older kits from seasons prior as these are usually available for a cut-price. Furthermore, older kits are considered far more fashionable, with the retro style being something that people enjoy.
However, when buying older kits, be aware that some iterations have become cult classics and could demand a higher price than when they originally came out due to their desirability.