The demise of the matchday programme: talkSPORT research shows how English football clubs are fighting to save one of football’s great traditions

Latest research conducted by talkSPORT reveals that 13 clubs across English football no longer produce printed matchday programmes. This means that 12.5% of 104 clubs across the Premier League, English Football League and Women’s Super League no longer sell printed copies of the matchday staple. The investigation carried out by the talkSPORT team involved interviews conducted with every club in the Premier League, EFL and WSL.

Lack of demand has been cited as the primary catalyst for clubs bringing an end to this football must-have, as well as the knock-on effect of the pandemic. Blackburn Rovers, Millwall, Reading, Fleetwood Town, Forest Green Rovers, Wycombe Wanderers, Bradford City and Mansfield Town have all ceased production. The news comes after EFL clubs voted in 2018 to scrap rules making it compulsory for sides to produce matchday programmes.

While special editions, such as Arsenal's farewell to Arsene Wenger sold 100,000 copies, many fans are turning their backs on printed editions, with most clubs reporting that just 10-20% of attendees now buy them on a matchday.  

Ben Donovan, Head of Media and Communications at Swansea, explains: “2011/12 was our first season in the Premier League and [since] our physical programme sales dropped year on year. It started off at about one in four people attending a game at the stadium would buy a programme, but that dropped to one in six or one in seven. We just didn’t feel like it was a commercially viable product for us anymore.”

Rising print costs have also been a large contributor to cutting production of physical matchday programmes. Many clubs including Bristol and Swansea City have switched to digital-only versions. Ben comments, “We just thought it was the best decision to go fully digital because we felt there was more opportunity and we were able to deliver a far better product.”

Crewe Alexandra now produces a monthly magazine instead, while Stevenage and Reading Women offer online options only alongside Swansea and Bristol City.

Arsenal’s Managing Editor of Publications, Andy Exley, reveals that significant price increases have left clubs in a difficult position. “We’ve been really hit by what’s happened in the print industry. We went from a potential 1% annual increase in print costs to around a 40% increase. At Arsenal, for the first time in eight or nine years, the programmes have gone up from £3.50 to £4. We hate putting the price up, but that has allowed us to keep the programme at the same size.”

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Despite programmes no longer being as profitable, the majority of clubs still view them as a key part of the matchday experience. Mark Denham, Head of Communications at Cardiff City, says: “Digital media is so throwaway. Nobody talks to their grandkids about a tweet they saw 20 years ago, but they’ll show them their first ever matchday programme and that can’t be ignored. The matchday programme perfectly encapsulates what making memories is about as a football fan. It’s one of those things we really must protect.”

Additionally, critical league matches, FA Cup ties, European fixtures or local derbies tend to lead to a rise in demand according to club sources. Sales are also strong on the first match of the season or for the first home game for a new manager - as are special editions. Sheffield Wednesday, for example, commissioned a reprint of programmes for the first time in their history for their match against Ipswich Town after producing a special copy to remember Queen Elizabeth II.  

Swindon Town also had huge demand for the one-off programme they produced to honour the Queen, and Head of Media, Dave Wrixton believes special editions have real collectability. “As well as attending the game itself and being able to join in with the minute silence and embrace the activities we had on to pay our respects, the programme gave fans the opportunity to take something home with them that they can look at in years to come,” he said. 

Charlton fan and Voice of the Valley fanzine Editor Rick Everitt is strongly for the preservation of physical programmes, citing them as the perfect method for clubs to communicate with fans. “I think that it’s so important that [clubs have] a voice. They should want to produce the programme as an expression of what the club is about and what’s going on because they know fans still want it. There is a future for clubs who do their programme well and who put an effort into it.”

Women’s football programmes are also bucking the trend following this summer’s European Championships according to Arsenal’s Managing Editor Exley. He comments: “[Demand] has increased significantly. Now the crowds have gone up, we’re actually making a profit on the women’s programme. We’re selling a significant amount at Boreham Wood. When we come to the Emirates games, for the Tottenham game, we printed 15,000 programmes, which for a women’s game [is unheard of]. I don’t think we’ve ever printed more than 7,000-8,000 ever.”

Head of talkSPORT Lee Clayton comments: “Matchday programmes have always been a classic part of the football ritual, and there’s no doubting the nostalgia that physical copies hold. However, with the challenges clubs are facing today, those making the shift to digital are recognising the need to adapt to a new tech-savvy audience. Clubs need to think smart and recognise the opportunities digital holds, from wider reach to fewer costs. But as some clubs are seeing, there is still a place for physical programmes for special matches or calendar events. In one form or another, there will always be a place for this football staple.”