SPORT Survey shows soccer price surge


Te annual Price of Football survey by the BBC shows that the average price of tick- ets for English football clubs has risen at twice the rate of the consumer price index. Te average price of the


cheapest match-day ticket (calculated for clubs from the English Premier League down to League Two) is now £21.49 – an increase of 13 per cent since 2011. In the same period, cost of living in the UK is up 6.8 per cent. Only five Premier League


Newcastle United fans win stadium ruling on sell-off


A supporters group for Newcastle United Football Club has won its bid to protect the club’s home ground of St James’ Park in case the stadium is ever put up for sale. Te application by the Newcastle United


Supporters Trust (NUST) has seen the local council label the club’s home since 1892 as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), meaning the group has the right to bid for it if owner Mike Ashley decides to sell. “The importance of St James’ Park to


Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, home of the priciest tickets in football


clubs have single match tickets that are available for less than £25 (Aston Villa, Hull, Leicester, Newcastle and West Ham), while fans of nine clubs will have to dish out at least £30 to see their team. Tere are, however, many regional differences. Te cheapest season tickets at North London-


based Arsenal FC – a club that has only won one trophy in the past eight years – cost a whop- ping £1,014, while fans of defending champions Manchester City can buy a season ticket for


£299. Arsenal also boasts the most expensive season tickets in the league at £2,013. Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football


Supporters’ Federation, said: “We want football to be affordable for all. At a time when there’s more money in football than there ever has been before with the incred- ible television revenues coming in, it is ridiculous that fans are still being squeezed. Details: http://lei.sr?a=k3n7w


Sport ‘accelerates’ female leadership skills


The majority of women executives believe a sporting background can accelerate their leadership and career potential, according to a report commissioned by the EY Women Athletes Business Network and espnW. Te Making the connection:


women, sport and leadership report was based on a global online survey of 400 women executives, conducted by Longitude Research. Of the high-flying respon-


Jones won bronze at the Sochi 2014 Games


Olympic hero Jenny Jones to launch snowsport club


Olympic medallist snowboarder Jenny Jones is to launch a new snowsports club aimed at 11-18 year olds in Southampton. Located at Alpine Snowsports – a facility


Te survey suggests sporty women will have more successful careers


dents, 94 per cent said they had actively participated in sport, while 74 per cent agreed that a background in sport can help acceler- ate a woman’s leadership and career potential. Beth Brooke-Marciniak, EY’s global vice


chair for public policy, said: “We’ve long known that sport has a positive impact on society. Tese findings show that participation in sport not only influences leadership skills, style and career development, but it is also a powerful motivator for female executives.” Other findings include that more than half


(61 per cent) of women leaders accredited past sporting involvement to their current career


© CYBERTREK 2014


success and said that a background in sport has a positive influence on their own hiring decisions – more than two-thirds (67 per cent) highlighted a background in sport as a positive influence on their decision to hire a candidate. Laura Gentile, VP of espnW, added: “Tis


study validates long-held theories that women who are athletes are well-suited for the busi- ness world and have tangible advantages. From work ethic to adaptability to superior prob- lem-solving ability, these women enter the workforce ready to win and demonstrate that ability as they rise throughout their career.” Details: http://lei.sr?a=G3K5S


Twitter: @leisureopps


operated by leisure charity Active Nation – the Snowsports Club will give young peo- ple the opportunity to experience skiing or snowboarding for the first time. For those with previous experience, the club will offer taster sessions in ski racing and freestyle. Launching on 30 October, all sessions


will be led by fully qualified instructors and will run alongside race and freestyle demonstrations from the experts. Te club will form part of a national ini-


tiative run by Snowsport England – called “30 Days of Snowsport” – designed to cel- ebrate the start of the winter season. Hayley Walker from Active Nation said:


“Te Snowsports Club aims to enable 11-18 year olds t to try snowsports, continue their participation in a fun, safe environment.” Te success of Team GB at the Sochi 2014


Olympic Games has led to increasing inter- est in Britain’s dry slope and indoor snow centres. Details: http://lei.sr?a=Q7p6W


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital 3


Newcastle United is known throughout the world,” said a NUST statement. “Tis means it cannot be sold without the local community being given the chance to bid for it themselves.” Details: http://lei.sr?a=q6C7u


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