KIDS KIT RIP-OFF
Man City and Spurs charge most for junior replica gear
MANCHESTER City and Tottenham Hotspur top the league of shame for the most expensive kids’ replica shirts.
A quarter of Premier League clubs have hiked prices more than inflation ahead of the new season, which kicks off this Friday when newly promoted Brentford take on Arsenal.
City’s junior shirts cost 10% more at £55, a £5 rise. Spurs also charge £55.
West Ham’s have gone from £45 to £50. Crystal Palace and Leicester City also charge a fiver more at £45. Southampton have added £3 to £45.
The hikes have angered parents and fans. Justine Roberts, founder of the Mumsnet website, said: “Parents love seeing their kids enjoying football but this recent price hike on replica shirts puts them out of reach for many families, especially with so many feeling the pinch right now.
“It’s no wonder our surveys have found that Mumsnet users think football merchandise is a rip-off.”
Man City and five other clubs – Leicester, Everton, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Brentford – have all increased the price of adult replica shirts. Again, City’s shirt is the most expensive at £70.
Clubs are also flogging “elite” adult shirts at more than £100.
They say the prices are justified because they are identical in quality to those worn by star players.
Man City has the most expensive at £110. Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and Wolves shirts are all £100 or more.
Most other Premier League sides have frozen prices after a sale slump. Shirt sales dropped from five million to 4.8 million over the past year. Based on an average price of £60 per shirt, this works out at a £12million loss for clubs and sportswear shops.
Critics claim the shirts cost only around £5 to produce but clubs say their price reflects investments made in design, development and manufacturing.
Nonetheless, fan groups have urged clubs to listen to fans’ concerns.
The Football Supporters’ Association said: “Despite the price freezes, many fans do feel kits are expensive and changed too often. We would encourage clubs to engage with their supporters on the issue.”
Manchester City, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Southampton and West Ham and Tottenham were all approached for a comment.