There have been discussions at Chelsea about whether to raise general admission fees next season. Credit: Getty Images/Harriet Lander
Chelsea have made an attempt to keep disgruntled fans by freezing season ticket prices for general admission tickets for the 12th year in a row, despite club owners Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital spending £600m on new players.
The announcement will provide fans with some consolation for one of the club's worst Premier League seasons and could ease some pressure on co-owners Boeli and Behdad Egbali, who are preparing to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as the club's new permanent head coach. .
Chelsea Supporters Trust wrote an open letter to Pain and Egbali warning of “irreversible toxicity” between fans and club if prices rise after £600m was spent in the last two transfer windows.
Their concerns have been taken into account and Chelsea fans in the public areas of Stamford Bridge will continue to pay significantly less than supporters of rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, who pay the highest prices in the Premier League.
The cheapest adult season ticket at Chelsea will remain at £750, less than the £807 charged by Tottenham, who have also frozen prices for next season, and lower than Arsenal, who have announced an average total an increase in admission tickets for five people. cents to their season tickets, which were already worth over £900. Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa have announced price hikes for next season.
In one of the first steps since taking control of the club last year, Boeli and Egbali froze season ticket prices and canceled an unpopular booking fee. .
There were discussions about whether overall entry prices should be increased next season, but it was recognized that most fans should not be asked to pay more as Chelsea failed to qualify for Europe and should finish in the bottom half of the Premier League. table.
The general freeze on admission prices also takes into account the cost of living crisis that has affected households across the country.
Chelsea said in a statement: “This season has not delivered the results we want. We know what we are working on, but equally we know that it will take hard work, determination and commitment. We all want Chelsea to get back to where we need to be and share many more winning moments together at Stamford Bridge.
Equally we are keenly aware of the rising cost of living and the impact that it's having an effect on our supporters. With all these factors in mind, the board has made the decision to freeze GA season tickets for the 2023/24 season.”
Dom Rosso, vice chairman of the Chelsea Supporters' Foundation, said: “The foundation would like to formally thank Mr. Boli and his board of directors for putting supporters first.
“We are actively advocated for prices to be frozen to reflect the impact of the cost of living crisis and the Foundation is delighted that the club has responded positively to our season ticket price announcements.”
Böli and Egbali have been criticized for firing two managers, Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, and for spending huge amounts of money on the transfer market, which left Chelsea with an oversized squad.
But a freeze on overall season ticket prices should win back frustrated fans and ensure that the relationship between the club and the fans doesn't turn toxic when Pochettino takes over.
Chelsea are having one of the worst seasons in the Premier League. Photo: Getty Images/Jacques Fini
There will be an increase in the price of Chelsea season tickets in the hotel industry, which is considered to be below the rate of inflation, and the price of tickets in the Westview premium area at Stamford Bridge will increase in accordance with what was specified in the contract at that time. reconstruction.
A March letter from the Chelsea Supporters' Fund stated: “The Fund believes that from April our members and all Chelsea fans will be forced to make significant sacrifices simply to afford existing ticket prices . . We have an obligation to protect the interests of our members and all Chelsea fans in this important matter.
“In light of this, we consider any increase in ticket prices to be unconscionable and in direct conflict with the CFC's efforts to strengthen public relations and strengthen relationships between fans. The Trust will not accept any such increases and require further pricing dialogue with the club to find sustainable and practical solutions going forward.
“The men's first team is currently having one of the worst seasons since the 1990s . We are currently 10th in the Premier League and 11 points behind fourth. This is despite huge investments in players, management and additional staff.
“We urge the board to read the opinion of the fans. The current gap between the team and the fans will only get worse with higher prices, which could lead to irreversible toxicity.”
Chris Jurasek, chief operating officer of Clearlake Capital, is set to become Chelsea's chief executive. He is expected to take over the commercial side of the club rather than President of Business Tom Glick.
Recent Comments