£60 KID’S SHIRT IS A KICK IN WALLET
Prem clubs hike fans kit prices despite the cost of living crisis
PREMIER League clubs are putting the boot into struggling parents by hiking children’s replica shirt prices as high as £60.
Nearly half the top flight teams are charging more for new season kit for all ages despite their fans battling the cost of living crisis.
Spurs top the table for the dearest kids shirt at £60 – with the whole kit including shorts and socks a net-busting £110.
Arsenal, Aston Villa and Everton have also put up prices for young supporters’ replica tops by £5 to £50, an 11% increase. As have Brighton, up £3 to £45, and newly promoted Nottingham Forest, now charging £45, up 12.5%.
West Ham junior shirts are up a fiver to £55. Chelsea have kept junior shirts the same price as last season – but then they were already charging £59.95.
Liverpool’s children’s jersey stays at £54.95 while champions Manchester City still charge £55.
Adult shirts have also gone up as eight of the 20 Premier League clubs decided to charge more despite the squeeze.
Forest are asking an additional £9.50 – up 19% – to £59.50. Aston Villa have upped their adult prices by £8 to £65, a 14% rise.
Our survey found other Premier League clubs have pegged their prices while Brentford have bucked the trend by not releasing new kits.
The club will wear the same home and away ones as last season as part of a two-year cycle.
Michael Brunskill, of the Football Supporters’ Association, said: “Replica costs can add up for parents especially. We would support a ‘use by’ date so fans knew how long they could expect clubs to use kit. Clubs who commit to a two-year cycle such as Brentford should be credited for reducing costs for supporters as well.” Watchdogs have been urging football bosses to freeze or cut prices.
Consumer rights expert Martyn James, of BBC One’s Rip Off Britain, said: “Given the major impact of the cost of living crisis, the decision by clubs to whack up prices is pretty tone deaf. The big clubs can afford to give something back to loyal fans.”
Kit maker Nike, which supplies Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and Brighton, is considering releasing kits every two years in a bid to reduce their environmental impact. Spurs, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa did not respond to requests for comment.
Big clubs can afford to give something back to fans