The BBC's Price Of Football Is Lazy Journalism

The BBC has, annually, released its "Price of Football" survey with the latest being the largest ever done.

It has been, and remains, the laziest piece of journalism the BBC has done. Ever.

Despite the BBC sending reporters to just about every club on the survey at least once a fortnight, it relies on the clubs to respond to the survey and provide accurate responses. There appears to be no check on the information provided.

Plymouth Argyle are noted to be the only club to refuse to participate despite BBC Radio Devon attending every match. They, presumably, could find out ticket prices, visit the Club Shop, and the Tea Bar. That would take an internet connection and five whole minutes of their time.

But they don't.

It was a three day fanfare on the BBC website. The survey was coming. Released at 10pm on Wednesday night.

It was actually available hours earlier as someone posted the link on the "National League" heading on the football page. And the statistics were - as usual - badly skewed.

At the top end, Premier League clubs claimed £9 entry fees. Hull's own Supporters Trust called bullshit first. In the Championship, Derby County claimed £17.60 tickets - an unusually odd amount - but their ticket site noted the cheapest Adult ticket available to be £25.50.

In the National League, Sutton United claimed a season ticket of £85 but doesn't list any such thing on their website where the only Adult ticket available is £169 with extra for seating - suggesting that both their cheapest and most expensive figures weren't exactly true.

Many clubs claim tickets are available to away fans cheaper than home fans. 26 of "The 92" claim away fans can get into matches by as much as a third less than home supporters. That's some way to encourage your own support.

And then BBC Sport Wales post the following:

Don't be silly, BBC Wales. It's the cheapest in your 'study'. Nothing more.

Clubs lie. We know that. They will do what they can to not be depicted as the desperate financial basket cases they quite often are.

For the BBC to class this 'survey' as a newsworthy headline item and to treat it as 'fact', without the proper journalistic input, is deplorable.