Fans Forum Minutes
CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB MEN’S FANS FORUM
2024-25, 2nd MEETING MINUTES
Meeting held in the Vialli suite at 6.30pm on Tuesday 12th November 2024
Attendees Club title/ group represented
Beckwith, Gary Fan Advisory Board liaison
Beerman, Clayton Home season ticket (“ST”)
Brooker, John UK away scheme
Clark, Dawn Access
Clarkson, Megan Club Senior Supporter Services Manager
Cornall, Michael Club Head of Supporter Relations
Crowe, Laura Female
Curteis, Sam Club Supporter Liaison Officer
Daine, Nav Regional Manager for Retail Operations at Levy
Elmes, George UK supporters club
Finkelstein, Daniel Club Director
Gedalla, Brian Member
Hinchliffe, Roy Chelsea Supporters Club (“CSC”)
Kasic, Allison Overseas supporters club
Kirk, Duncan Club Chelsea
Lister, Simon Chelsea Supporters Group (“CSG”)
Mcintosh, Aileen LGBTQI+
Mills, Charlie 65 and over
Regan, Andy Forum Chairman
Smith, Graham Club Head of Ticketing
Travers, Hannah Club Disability Access Officer
Williams, Ben Chelsea Supporters Trust (“CST”)
Wrighton, Leslie Family stand
Apologies for absence
De-Morgan, Malakai Chelsea Pride
Forrest, Scott 16-21s
Gaj, Mohammed Ethnically and culturally diverse
(Action points are underlined.)
MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
Changes to the minutes
In response to a question about whether a supporter protest was discussed last time, the Chairman said it wasn’t mentioned at the meeting.
Matters arising from the last meeting were as follows:
Televising academy matches
The Club said we broadcast under 18 and under 21 matches where we have the rights. Also we have arranged free tickets for ST holders and under 20s for academy matches if not broadcast, and otherwise the price has been reduced from £7 to £4.
Vaping
The Club confirmed this is a breach of ground regulations and stewards are briefed about it. We ask fans to text in at the time to help identify those vaping, though it can be sensitive to police and stewards take a graduated response. It is in the Club’s sanctioning policy.
End of season highlights
It was commented by the Club there are mini and extended match highlights on the website plus whole match replays of Premier League (“PL”) and other matches where we have the rights. Chelsea TV went offline in 2019 but we will look into options for this season.
Shirt request signs
The Club spoke to the head of safety and, as they are not offensive or dangerous, we don’t ban them. We continue to raise this issue with the PL to see if it provides guidance.
Screens showing substitutes pre-match
The Club said the full line up and substitutes are announced an hour before kick-off. There isn’t time to announce them directly before kick-off. Substitutions are announced during the match with on screen graphics.
TICKETING POLICY AGENDA ITEMS
The Chairman mentioned that the Club wants to hear your views but this is one of a number of advisory groups and committees so final decisions may not be made today.
Continuation of season tickets
In response to a question from a representative about another UK club and an overseas club making changes, the Club said there is no intention to cease STs but there are always discussions about pricing and availability. Manchester City is not replacing their ST holders who give up their STs. A representative said Hull charged a membership fee then you could acquire individual match tickets as they had no ST.
Home mobile tickets
The Club said the marketing department is developing the App for this.
VWR/ accessing tickets
It was raised that it is difficult to buy tickets online sometimes. The Club said there is no advantage in trying to log on early and a supporter may lose their position if they do so. Entry is entirely random for those who log on a few minutes before the sale time.
(It was raised online that the sound wasn’t great and attendees in the room were asked to speak louder. The Club will review sound options.)
A representative added that demand for tickets far exceeds supply. The Club said about 12,000 try to get in to buy members’ tickets. With the Noah match we had about 20,000 hits and that was straightforward to sell. In response to a question, the Club said that for a loyalty point match sale, it sets the limits for each section and knows approximately how many would sell for each batch but tickets may sell out at any point. This followed criticism of the more random system some years ago.
Home match members tickets/ balloting
In response to a question about the Brentford home match, the Club said that match isn’t sold on loyalty points. The representative said there’s an issue for PL matches generally, to which the Club said every game sells out very quickly. The Club welcomes specific proposals.
The representative responded that increasing Westview to general admission (“GA”) would help and the Club acknowledged there are fewer GA tickets now. His other proposal is to make tickets non-transferable. The representative added that unwanted tickets should be returned to the Club. The Club said that’s possible but we would have to check everyone’s identity on arrival and fans couldn’t pass a ticket to a friend or bring a guest.
It was suggested that the ticket could be linked to digital ID, to which the Club responded that for some non-sporting venues, the potential profit is so great that touts sell burner phones with a ticket. Also we would have to work out how to admit children who don’t have phones. Mobile ticketing is not the answer for eliminating touting. A representative added that some tickets are bought by those who don’t intend to attend.
A representative said we could proportion home member tickets so all members have a chance of purchasing over the season. Another said having a ballot would be fairer. The Club commented that fan groups rejected balloting a few years ago.
(Representatives were reminded that only the official minutes should be discussed externally as regards the content of the meeting.)
The Club said there are broadly three options for members’ ticket distribution, including balloting, carrying on as we are and, thirdly, all games being sold on points except a small proportion of tickets per match. For the latter you are rewarding loyalty and it would help eliminate some touting.
A representative said that Westview has changed the supply and demand ratio and made it harder for regular fans to acquire tickets. The CST representative said the majority who responded to its survey rejected balloting.
It was added that those with a higher loyalty point balance wouldn’t want balloting, most likely, so maybe a cross section of members should be asked. The Club said members would support the option that most helps them.
A representative read an email from a supporter suggesting that all members could start with a number of loyalty points and either choose to apply for bigger matches which use up more of their points, or go to more matches at fewer points for each. The Club said touts would just buy more memberships. The only way to stop touting is the non-transferable option. There are tickets being advertised for matches where they haven’t gone on sale yet. Even grounds that don’t sell out are having these touting problems.
An official supporters club representative said the majority of their members don’t want to go to a ballot. Another representative commented that some fans don’t consider they will be able to access a ticket at all in the future and there needs to be a system that offers some hope to purchase one.
The Club said it will consider these proposals including a hybrid system which may address this balance. It added the only home matches sold on points are Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool, the Manchester clubs and the last match of the season. That’s the same each year.
As regards tickets on sale for StubHub, the Club welcomes feedback via email and these are looked into.
Westview concessions and ST holder moves
The Club was asked to consider concessions in Westview. The Club said fans there were asked if they wanted to move initially. We can review this, as well as further ST holder moves from there. It added only a small number asked to move at the time. ST holders who move from there now would take up GA seats elsewhere in the ground.
Corporate tickets
The Club was asked about the expansion of corporate areas and a representative said we were told previously that the Club had carried out research to support the establishment of Westview. The Club responded that it continually monitors demand in this respect. A representative said that Westview attendees are not all regular fans. The Club said a fair number of attendees there are long term fans who are prepared to spend more. The Club will email the representative again who raised the issue of the research behind the Westview decision.
The Club said there is a revenue issue if Westview isn’t a corporate area going forwards. Its facilities are very popular and the area allows guests to attend. Representatives said it’s important to review demand relatively regularly. The Club added there would be a big cost in reversing the facility from hospitality and the cost would have to be found elsewhere from tickets if prices went down in that area.
In response to a question, the Club said about 1,000 to 1,200 are sold on a match by match basis out of about 4,500 seats.
Loyalty points on the exchange
The Club was asked why those purchasing don’t receive loyalty points. The Club said we would be rewarding with double points if we did so and, if points just go to the buyer, no one would use the facility. It added in response to a question that it can’t be used for away matches as physical tickets would need to be returned.
Away match loyalty points
It was raised that the first away match was not sold on loyalty points. The Club said obtaining a Wolves ticket would not have helped for the West Ham and Bournemouth ticket purchases. Loyalty point away matches are London games plus Liverpool and the Manchester clubs, as well as the last game of the season. It wouldn’t have been possible to accrue enough points for Bournemouth and West Ham in time, so we used last season’s points.
It was proposed that there is a 70/30 split for loyalty point/ non loyalty point sales. Also that only ST holders should have the first option for away tickets.
Another representative said membership should entitle the possibility of buying an away ticket. It was added that the £30 ticket price has increased demand substantially.
The Club said it is the only club to offer members away tickets. In response to a suggestion of an 80/20 split, the Club said fewer than 100 tickets were available to members at Bournemouth so the number for that group would be very small for some matches.
Representatives proposed a range of split options, including 80/20 and 60/40. The Club said it could sell all tickets on points. One representative commented that Arsenal fans were in the away section for our match there last season. The Club said this couldn’t happen if we only sell to ST holders, unless they come from sponsors or players.
It was suggested that the Club establishes demand for a particular match before deciding on the sales process. It replied that those expressing interest may not end up going.
European away scheme
The Club was asked if Astana could be exempt given the distance and replied this was being sold in a reasonable time period so no exemption would apply. Some will be missing it as there one match anyway. The Club added it treats all UEFA opposition equally as regards the missable match.
In response to a question, the Club said UK away scheme members are not being replaced if they drop out, so more GA tickets are available. We can revisit this if we are in a bigger European competition but for this season we are visiting some very small grounds. Demand for a new country is higher anyway for the novelty value.
European match ticket collection
The Club confirmed this system will continue as it helps eliminate touting and we want to ensure we can monitor behaviour. Digital tickets may be possible in due course. A supporter commented that in Italy you have to take your passport to a match and another added passport details are printed on the ticket there.
European match corporate seats
The Club was asked if corporate fans receive a disproportionate number of tickets. Loyal fans should have the first option for tickets. The Club responded that hospitality receives 20% of away match tickets and, if not sold, they are returned for other fans to purchase. Hospitality tickets can’t be bought by non-hospitality fans. Every club receives 200 earmarked hospitality tickets which include sponsor and player tickets. Hospitality fans at Chelsea receive 20% of our away tickets but have 25% of the Stamford Bridge seats, so is under-represented in that sense.
Away travel
The Club said it looks at travel for matches. There is subsidised travel for women’s UK matches thanks to an external sponsor. We look at each match separately. Heidenheim travel prices would have been expensive compared to direct routes. We didn’t have time to arrange Servette travel. The price for Kazakhstan came in at over £1,000 for the flight only. We don’t have the tickets for that one yet anyway.
Cup final seat selection
The Club commented, in response to a question, that it doesn’t plan to offer the choice of specific seats if we get to Wembley. We sell in Wembley’s stated order but you can choose your category and your tier. Fans at other clubs could choose a seat a couple of years ago at Wembley as they outsourced the process.
NON-TICKETING AGENDA ITEMS
Pre-match music/ volume
It was raised that the genre is not great and the volume is still a problem in the Matthew Harding Lower. The Club said that, as regards the acoustics, we have to work with the system in place. As regards the type of music, we have had feedback from different supporter groups and the Club has attended meetings on this. We have an atmosphere group that will meet quarterly to review music, banners and the look of the ground. We have asked players for their input as one of the aims is to inspire them.
A supporter said you can hear Stamford Bridge music in Lillee Road. The Club added that there will be a PL survey released this week in which you’ll be asked about the music you want to hear.
The Club said we have a singing area which started a few years ago but a lot of those who moved there, to the Shed Upper as a block, didn’t sing. The Matthew Harding Lower is largely full of ST holders anyway. For the Spurs match at Wembley in 2015, there was an atmosphere group in place and again many who bought through that process didn’t sing.
The Club added that the matchday activation team decides on the music.
It was raised that the West Lower is too loud as well. The Club repeated its comments about the acoustics.
Seat row visibility
There was a request to have clearer seat row numbers in the Matthew Harding Lower. It was raised previously for the West Stand and fans seem lost looking for their seats. At Wembley it’s clearer whether rows are above or below the entrance. The Club said there have been attempts to improve this over the years and we will look at this issue again. We know there are inconsistencies with seat numbers around the stadium.
It was suggested that the ticket could state whether a particular row is above or below each entrance and whether it’s to the right or left. The Club will look at this.
Bottled water
The Club confirmed you can bring in a plastic or metal water bottle.
FAB update
The FAB representative commented that there is a meet and greet at the Tea Bar regularly on a match day. We want to be visible to fans and aim to be there for all PL games. The Club said we have a late kick off for the Brentford home match because of the players returning after the midweek match in Kazakhstan.
The representative added that its survey summary, after working with other supporter groups, should be published soon. We have a new FAB member, Zane. The FAB has sub groups including on heritage and the stadium. We have instigated “Pride in our Bridge” with the CST and local residents. We are still finding out what works well and what doesn’t for the FAB. The Club added that the FAB played a big part in advising on ticketing for this season.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Spurs away
In response to a question about collection of tickets, the Club said away scheme members are included. Some will be asked to collect tickets as it’s a high risk game. By next Friday we aim to notify those who will need to collect. It’s being implemented further to discussions with Spurs and the authorities. The collection point is right by the away turnstiles so it will affect small numbers.
The queue at Forest for ticket collection shouldn’t be repeated. It won’t be like a traditional collection point as it’s right by the turnstiles.
Under 21 matches at Kingsmeadow
A representative said the CSG appreciates the Club making under 21 matches free at Kingsmeadow for ST holders.
The Club was also congratulated on the Wrap up Warm campaign run by the Foundation.
Special events
The Club commented that it intends to announce special events for our 120th anniversary in due course.
Safety of fans
The Club was asked about ensuring particular groups of fans aren’t targeted, further to events in Amsterdam this week. It responded it is very aware of potential issues in the stadium and aware of the police’s plans for fans outside the stadium area. Safety is always the primary focus in match planning. There is a partnership meeting for everyone involved inside and outside the ground as regards planning for every match.
There are no immediate plans to include fan representation on the Safety Advisory Group.
The meeting finished at 8.00pm.
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