By Samindra Kunti
January 5 – French football fans will have to fork out more money in 2015 if they want to watch Ligue 1 action following an injunction by the European Commission, asking for the nationwide implementation of VAT for sports tickets.
The French top-flight is traditionally one of the more fan-friendly leagues in Europe when it comes to ticket pricing. Olympique Lyon offers its cheapest tickets at €5, Marseille and Monaco do so at €15. At Paris Saint-Germain the cheapest seats cost €30. It’s a contrast with the English Premier League, where the average price for the cheapest ticket is €36.
In 2015 tickets in Ligue 1 will become more expensive, though. Last summer the European Commission deemed irregular the many exemptions from VAT for the entertainment industry, including sports, in different municipalities and according to different tariffs in France. PSG, Nantes and Bordeaux were the few clubs of only a handful in Ligue 1 that included VAT in their ticket prices.
France introduced a new VAT of 5.5 %, akin to the VAT for cultural events, applicable to ‘admission to sports events’ tickets in order to avoid a conviction by the European Court of Justice. The new tax came into force on January 1.
Olympique Lyon was the first French club to announce that the 5.5 % VAT will be fully reflected in its ticket policy. “From the beginning of 2015, the VAT will be included in the price displayed on the ticket for future games,” read a statement on the club’s website. Lyon also indicated that season ticket holders will not be affected this season.
It remains to be seen how other Ligue 1 clubs will react to the new rule. On January 7 the season restarts after the winter break.
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