Fortuna Dusseldorf did something extraordinary in the past week.
From next season, fans will be able to get into the Merkur Spiel-Arena free of charge as part of their "Fortuna for all" campaign. The Bundesliga 2 club, the equivalent to the EFL Championship, are using next season as a pilot scheme before the project is fully realised in the coming years.
But how can they make money? You are probably wondering with puzzled expressions. Sponsors, my dear Watson. Fortuna believe increased investment from sponsorship will fill the void, with those sponsors pledging funds to develop the youth academy, women's football and digital infrastructure. This, by the nature of German football culture, should not come as a major shock but its comparison to the Premier League is stark.
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Only recently Fulham were forced to backtrack on an 18% price hike on their season tickets and the revelation that season ticket holders in the newly refurbished Riverside Stand could pay up to £3,000. For a London club coming to the end of a highly positive campaign on the pitch, this left a sour taste in the mouth. There are concerns also in west London amongst Chelsea supporters that a price hike could also be imminent, a complete insult after a dreadful season on the pitch.
The price of football in England continues to be a dispiriting conversation, particularly for a younger generation who not only face the cost of living crisis but fear being priced out of England's biggest clubs should they wish to support them.
London is unexpectedly an expensive place to watch football with the average price of an Arsenal ticket being £100 as detailed by The Stadium Guide. In comparison to other major European leagues, England is the most expensive but in terms of percentage of salary, it will cost a Spaniard a larger part of their salary (2.16%) to see 20 matches of their favourite team.
Fan-led organisations like The Football Supporters Association (FSA) campaigned successfully for a cap on away tickets in the Premier League from 2016, a £30 limit which has stuck ever since. However, this is just a small win in a much wider issue.
When you factor in the cost of TV subscriptions rising to watch Sky Sports and BT Sport from home when not at the stadium, factoring in the increased price of petrol, train tickets and food inside a stadium, the quality of which mostly pales in comparison to what you are capable of enjoying in the Bundesliga.
And talking about broadcasters, it is hard to feel like supporters are treated with anything but contempt for the way in which Premier League games are rescheduled late without much precaution, even after tickets may have gone on sale. The FSA has continually bemoaned the late announcement of TV selections after they were supposed to be released.
Although anecdotal, the comparison in matchday experience of a Bundesliga matchday at Mainz and Bayer Leverkusen earlier this season in comparison to that of Stamford Bridge, says enough. A greater community feel, a better value in money for the quality of food that gives fans a reason to arrive earlier and spend their money. Even if the quality of football and player in Germany might not rival the Premier League, supporters feel more like a part of their club rather than treated like a passive consumer.
Fortuna's choice makes a relevant point on the annual income of these bigger clubs, particularly when you realise how little of the overall income is generated from the turnstiles on a matchday. Taking Manchester United, the biggest club in the country, as an example. It was recently revealed they made £167million in the last financial year, £78million of that came from a sponsorship deal. £29.9million came from matchday revenue which was down £4.7million from the previous year.
Although the Fortuna approach cannot be applied broad scale everywhere and forever, it exposes where care and priorities lie in different football cultures. The Premier League, for all its benefits in entertainment and quality, is one of the worst in terms of fan care and consultation.
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