Price is right at United – but it is cheaper if you are Bayern abroad

NEWCASTLE United fans are getting a better deal than most in the Premier League, according to the BBC’s annual Price of Football study.

Since 2011 the corporation has looked at prices across football and, for all the criticisms of owner Mike Ashley, the cost of watching the Magpies is not high compared to their rival clubs.

That is reflected at the gate, where Newcastle are England’s seventh-best supported team.

Their average 52,126 attendance is higher than Chelsea and Everton, and only West Ham United fill their ground better (99.9% to the Magpies’ 99.5% of capacity).

The study found Premier League ticket prices to be at their lowest levels since 2013, with more than 80% reduced or frozen this season.

It suggests the messages fans have consistently been preaching about how record-breaking broadcast deals should be used to subsidise the cost for match-day fans is finally getting through.

Although Newcastle’s cheapest season ticket is above the division’s average at £473, they score well on almost every other one of the BBC’s measures. The cheapest season tickets in the division vary from Huddersfield Town’s £100 to Arsenal’s £891. The average is £464, down 1.85% on 2016-17.

When it comes to their most expensive season tickets, Newcastle’s is more than £100 below average at £735.

Arsenal’s is more than £1,000 more expensive than the Magpies.

Newcastle also score below average for the price of their cheapest and most expensive individual tickets and their most popular season ticket – available to fans who have held one for ten years or more.

Newcastle’s programmes are the Premier League’s joint cheapest and St James’ Park pies are less expensive than average .

At £54.99, shirts are nearly £5 dearer than average, although juniors get a better deal than the division’s norm.

The BBC study took in 230 clubs in Britain and on the continent.

The cheapest seat at St James’ is £27 – more than at Juventus (£22), Bayern Munich (£13), Ajax (£11) and even Paris Saint-Germain (£8.90).