£2bn to be spent creating perfect World Cup experience
£2bn to be spent creating perfect World Cup experience
NINE OUT OF TEN FOOTIE FANS SET FOR HOME MATCHES? DURING 2010 WORLD CUP
- Majority of people planning to watch World Cup games from the comfort of their sofa
- £2billion to be spent on creating the perfect World Cup armchair experience
A third of people, (31 per cent) plan to invite friends round to watch the games at home with them, meaning there is plenty of opportunity for impromptu World Cup parties, especially as 15 per cent are planning to stock up on extra food and drink to help with the football festivities.
Although watching the games at home may seem like a good way to save money, the cost of entertaining and creating the party atmosphere may be an expensive business for some, with a third (30 per cent) of football fans admitting they will be increasing their personal spending by an average of £200 each this summer ? amounting to a whopping £2 billion in total*.
To make sure their home offers the ultimate World Cup experience (inside and out), 24 per cent of diehard football fans** are hoping to buy a plasma TV, 14 per cent have bought or will buy a new BBQ, and eight per cent are even planning to purchase a new fridge to keep their world cup refreshments cool.
Top ten items football fans are planning to buy in order to celebrate the World Cup this summer:
| Ranking | Item |
| 1 | More alcohol than usual |
| 2 | A supportive flag for my car or front window |
| 3 | More food than usual |
| 4 | A plasma TV |
| 5 | A BBQ |
| 6 | Football kits and equipment |
| 7 | An LED TV |
| 8 | A subscription to a TV package or an upgrade |
| 9 | A digital radio |
| 10 | An extra fridge to store world cup refreshments |
Gerry Barrett, Head of Post Office Insurance, said: ?It seems many people are set to enjoy a ?home match? and will be cheering on their favourite team from the comfort of their living room, to avoid the additional expense of buying food and drink in pubs.
?However, with many people planning to invite family and friends to their homes to watch matches, it?s important to make sure that any World Cup investments such as new TVs are fully covered in case an accident occurs in all the midst of football fever. Your team may not win, but the last thing you want is to score an own goal when it comes to your home insurance.?
Post Office Home Insurance includes accidental damage cover for items such as TVs. However, footballs fans should be aware that not all providers include this as standard cover. The Post Office advises people to check their home insurance policy to ensure they are fully protected should an accident occur during World Cup celebrations.
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from Opinium Research LLP. Total sample size was 2,005 UK adults. Fieldwork was undertaken online, between 14 and 18 May 2010. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). Millions figure based on: UK population (18+) 49.121 million.
* £2 billion figure based on: Adult population of 49,121,000 of which 66% will be watching the World Cup. Of those 9,725,958 (30%) will be spending money on the World Cup at an average of £196. 9,725,958 x £196 = £1,906,287,768
** Fans that are planning to watch every game
