The Price of Football Today

I love football. I watch a lot of football. Sky and Setanta are both in my household and together cost me the best part of 50 notes each month. On a typical weekend I will watch the early game on Saturday on Sky, nipping out to the chippy for a battered sausage, saveloy, chips and a curry sauce at half time. I'll follow that up by watching Gillette Soccer Saturday with Jeff and the boys and then they'll be a 5:15PM game on Setanta, which is usually a pretty rubbish game, yet I'll watch it anyway. Match of the Day is often watched to round off the night taking us into Sunday.

On Sunday we start with the show formally known as Jimmy Hill's Sunday Supplement, but since Jimmy has been put out to rest by Sky it is usually hosted by Brian Woolnough. Then it's Goals on Sunday whilst I'm playing around on the internet and thinking about moving from my pit. Sunday usually sees two lives games and when that is all said and done it is 6PM and I'm often still in bed - certainly during those cold winter months.

Then add in a Monday Night game, Champions League Football and UEFA Cup action. Now usually I don't bother with the UEFA Cup but this season with Portsmouth being involved I'll be keeping an even keener eye on it. When all is said and done now I'll probably be watching 8-10 live games a week.

Now I know it is my choice to watch it and I do enjoy them but because I get this option - I don't go to as many games as I did before. Again it is my choice but I am becoming more of an armchair fan due to costs involved. Travelling down to Fratton Park and a ticket would set me back the best part of £50 and that isn't including food and drink or anything like that. I'd no doubt want a take-away when I get home as well and the whole day would be £60-£70. For that price I could get Sky & Setanta for a month and a half.

I love going to watch football, I loved being a Season Ticket holder at Fratton Park but the rising cost of games has led me to watching more non-league football on weeknights and staying in at the weekends to watch the best games on TV. I am lucky that Portsmouth are one of the most picked teams for live games so I can still watch us most weeks when you throw in internet feeds from foreign channels.

Does the fact I see us live less make me less of a supporter? I say no because I have other aspirations, like having my own place and that is going to cost a lot of money here in the south of England! I'd be interested to hear what you all think. Please join in the discussion on the Talk Football Forum Thread