Season ticket milestone in English lower divisions

LONDON ( Reuters) - Season-ticket sales in the Championship and Leagues One and Two have passed the half-million barrier for the first time in living memory, the English Football League ( EFL) said on Monday.

Championship clubs have the largest share of season-ticket holders with 326,000. League One and League Two have 117,000 and 59,000 respectively.

"The numbers are increasing year-on-year as the 72 clubs think of innovative ways to attract fans," the EFL said on its website (www.efl.com).

"The landmark figure is representative of a growing appetite for live football. It is also illustrative of a greater focus being placed on concessionary and family ticket options."

Table-topping Newcastle United, 16th-placed Derby County and second-placed Brighton and Hove Albion have sold the most season tickets in the Championship.

Average admission prices across all three divisions last season was just over 13 pounds ($16.19), down from 14 pounds in 2014-15.

Clubs are also providing increasingly flexible concessionary and family ticket prices, the EFL said.

More than 50 clubs provide tickets for five pounds or less while a further 15 teams across League One and League Two allow free entry.

"It is clear to see football has never been so popular, nor has it ever been so competitively priced with great value for money being provided across the three divisions," chief executive Shaun Harvey said.

(Reporting by Tony Jimenez; Editing by Ed Osmond)