Fans attending some of Britain's most popular sporting events in 2027 face steep ticket costs. Attending a day of the Ashes in Birmingham starts at £115 unless you are an Edgbaston member, while a standard seat at the Wimbledon singles finals costs at least £255. General admission to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone starts from £289 on raceday.
The cost of elite sport in the UK has risen sharply through the 2020s, yet attendances across most sports remain as strong as ever. Television subscriptions, which can be expensive and numerous, also present a barrier for armchair fans watching at home. BBC Sport's new Radio 5 Live programme, The Price of Our Sport, examines what is driving these increases.
The Ashes ticket rise is stark. The minimum price for a day at Edgbaston in 2023 was £65, rising to £115 in just four years. At Wimbledon next year, the most expensive standard seat for the singles finals will be £400, more than double the cost in 2017. Silverstone's cheapest allocated seat now costs at least £609, up from £276 five years ago. Other events show similar jumps: fans paid £150 for a day at The Open at Royal Birkdale, compared with £95 at St Andrews in 2022.
Fans have reacted angrily. Cricket supporter Lee Hanlon said he would skip next summer's Ashes, arguing that normal fans are being priced out. Event organisers, including the R&A, point to an "experience economy" in which people place greater value on atmosphere and belonging, and benchmark prices against other major events. In a BBC Sport website poll, 95% of respondents said Ashes tickets for 2027 were too expensive.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing