Like us, you love football. You live and breathe the sport. You play in a local league, you watch every game you can, and you know all the players on your favourite team by name. There’s just one problem: you can’t afford to buy a shirt to show your support. With prices ranging from £60 to £100 or more, it’s no wonder that many fans feel priced out of the market. But why are football shirts so expensive?
It seems like every time you turn around, the price of a shirt has gone up by at least £10. And don’t even get us started on replica shirts!
They’re almost the same price of a regular shirt and don’t even have the player’s name on the back! So what gives? Why are football shirts so expensive?
Let’s take a look at the real cost of football shirts.
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What makes football shirts so expensive?
We all know that the beautiful game isn’t always so beautiful when it comes to the price of football shirts. But have you ever stopped to wonder why these simple garments command such a high price tag?
Here are some of the reasons behind the cost of football shirts and see if we can’t find a way to save a few pounds in the process.
#1 Demand
The biggest factor that contributes to the high cost of football shirts is demand.
Simply put, there is a lot of demand for both men and women’s football shirts. It’s no surprise – with over 3.5 billion fans worldwide, football is the most popular sport in the world!
In recent years, the popularity of women’s football has also exploded. This increase in popularity has led to an increase in the number of people who want to buy their team’s football shirts. With more people wanting to buy shirts, the price goes up.
#2 The design process
The actual design process of the shirt also contributes to the high cost.
Coming up with a new design is a lengthy and expensive undertaking, especially when you consider that most teams release new designs each season.
First, the team has to come up with a concept. Once they have a concept, they have to create prototypes and test them out to make sure they’re comfortable and look good on the field.
After that, it’s time for production, which involves sourcing materials, manufacturing the shirts, and shipping them to retailers around the world.
All told, it’s a long and complicated process that requires a lot of manpower and resources.
#3 The retailer markup
Another factor that contributes to the high cost of football shirts is the retailer markup. Once the shirts are manufactured and shipped to retailers, those retailers add their own markup to the price in order to make a profit.
In many cases, that markup can be as much as 50% or more. So if a shirt costs £60 to produce (and it costs WAY less than that!), the retailer will likely sell it for £90 or more.
That’s why it’s so important to shop around for deals on football shirts; you can often find them for much less than retail price if you know where to look.
It’s also worth noting that a significant portion of the price of a football shirt goes towards supporting the team or club that you’re buying it from.
After all, the clubs need to generate revenue in order to survive and thrive.
By purchasing a football shirt, you’re not only getting a great piece of gear; you’re also helping to support your favourite team.
#4 The quality
Authentic football shirts also cost a lot because they’re good quality.
Real football shirts are made from high-quality materials that are designed to last. The stitching on a football shirt is also usually very strong so that it can withstand the rigours of the game.
They also feature intricate designs, logos and badges and come in a wide variety of colours and styles. All of this adds up to a shirt that looks good and performs well on the pitch. Of course, all of this comes at a cost.
Fake or replica shirts are a way to wear your team’s kit without spending a fortune. But shop around for a good quality replica that won’t fall apart after one wash!
#5 The technology
Technology plays a part in the price too. Football shirts are now made with cutting-edge technologies and materials that make them more comfortable and breathable than ever before.
These technologies come at a cost, which is passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices.
Watch and learn: Why are football shirts so expensive.
Here’s a great video with some very interesting facts and figures about the growing price of football shirts around the world.
Is an authentic football shirt worth it?
At the end of the day, whether or not an authentic football shirt is worth the price is up to you.
If you’re a die-hard fan of your team, then you’re probably going to want to buy an authentic shirt so that you can show your support in style.
On the other hand, if you’re just looking for a shirt to wear to the odd match or two, then you might be better off opting for a replica or knock-off shirt, which will cost a lot less.
How to tell the difference between a replica shirt and an authentic one.
The best way to tell the difference between a replica shirt and an authentic one is to look at the badge.
Replica shirts will often have a cheaper-looking badge that doesn’t quite match up with the rest of the shirt.
Authentic shirts will have a high-quality badge that looks just like the one worn by the players on the pitch.
Another way to tell the difference is by checking the materials. Authentic shirts are made from higher-quality materials, while replicas are usually made from cheaper, lower-quality materials.
Finally, authentic shirts will usually have a higher price tag than replicas.
The final score.
As much as we love our favorite teams, it’s hard to justify spending £100 or more on a shirt when we could use that money for other things.
But when you understand the real cost of football shirts—the design process and retailer markup—it’s easier to see why they’re so expensive.
Hopefully this article has given you some insight into the world of football shirt pricing so that you can make an informed decision next time you’re looking to buy one. Thanks for reading!
