When League One side Bradford City's co-Owner Edin Rahic said that he can charge £1 ($1.23) for tickets in the Premier League "and still make a profit," he was "not just blowing hot air," according to Tom Bassam of the London DAILY MAIL. The former financial director for appliance company Bosch is a private investor and "knows a thing or two about economics." Nearly 18,000 fans pay "just" £149 ($183.94) for 23 home games at Valley Parade and the club has the "best ratio of capacity to attendance in the league, as well as the second highest average gate." Saturday's 2-1 win over Swindon kept Bradford City in a League One playoff position. Rahic said, "It's our dream, of course, to be in the Premier League and, if we get there, the tickets will be £1 per game." Even at the "pricier clubs in the Premier League," matchday revenue "rarely exceeds a third of turnover." At smaller clubs, "the reliance on ticket sales is even less." In essence, "that is Rahic's point." Rahic: "You already get at least £100 million ($123.5M) from the TV money. The income of the ticketing would be a small percentage compared to TV money. ... I think it's a shame to charge so much. So why would you not give something back to the fans? I want to have the best atmosphere in England" (DAILY MAIL, 3/20).
