Women’s Fans Forum Minutes
CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB WOMEN FORUM
2024-25, 2nd MEETING MINUTES
Meeting held in Millennium Suite 4 at Stamford Bridge at 6.30pm on Tuesday 28th January 2025
Attendees Club title/ group represented
Andrews, Faye Kingsmeadow season ticket (“ST”) holder
Baker, Chris Club, Head of Matchday Safety
Bates, Chester Chelsea Women Supporters Group
Bromfield, Gillian Chelsea Supporters Trust
Brown, Tracy Fan Advisory Board
Clarkson, Megan Club, Senior Supporter Services Manager
Collis, Becky DSA
Cornall, Mike Club, Head of Supporter Relations
Curteis, Sam Club, Supporter Liaison Officer
Daine, Nav Club, Regional Manager for Retail Operations at Levy
Greenfield, Michelle Chelsea Supporters Group
Harrington, Abbie Access
Hayyez, Nick 65 or over
Indiano, Elena Club, Global Ecommerce Partner Manager
Kingsman, Simon Kingsmeadow Supporters Group
Knox, Saffra Female
MacKay, Holly 16-21 year old
Mandhar, Aki Club, Chelsea Women Chief Executive Officer
Mazzia, Guilia Club, Commercial Director (Women’s)
Metzger, Cashel Ethnically and culturally diverse
O’Nions, Rhys Club, Buyer and Merchandiser
Rattigan, Linda Chelsea Pride
Regan, Andy Forum Chair
Rodrigues, Stan WSL Stamford Bridge package
Shahrestani, Nadia Club, Chelsea Women Head of Stadium Revenue
Smith, Graham Club, Head of Ticketing
Sokeyo, Naomi Family
Stephens, Ed Club, Chelsea Women Marketing Lead
Travers, Hannah Club, Disability Access Officer
West, Darren Club Chelsea
Weymes-McElderry, Sophie LGBTQI+
Wittich, Margaret Chelsea Supporters Club
Apologies for absence
Davis, Marriane Co-opted
Formosa, Lawrence Overseas
Quinlan, Jacqueline Away ticket
(Action points are underlined.)
The Chair welcomed new attendees and in particular Aki, the new Chief Executive Officer for the women’s game and Giulia, our new Women’s Commercial Director. Becky was also welcomed to her first meeting.
MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
There were no changes to the last minutes. Action points were as follows:
Health adverts in the Kingsmeadow toilets
The Club said we have recently had a new Foundation CEO join who is reviewing the Foundation and its strategy. We will provide an update next time.
Sensory room at Kingsmeadow
The Club has been reviewing the stadium and we don’t have a space that’s accessible for all but we are starting to build a quiet space which will be bookable on the website once it’s opened.
Review of access facilities in tandem with the access guide at Kingsmeadow
The Club has published the Stamford Bridge access guide recently and is now looking at Kingsmeadow. We are carrying out a disability review with the DSA there on Friday to work out access issues and meeting points if our disability groups want to run an event there.
Positioning of banner clips in the West Stand at Kingsmeadow
The Club said there are some spare clips and has previously worked with Mark from the Supporters Group. Staff can’t replace the fittings but supporters are welcome to. The Club will investigate how the public are covered for health and safety for this.
AGENDA ITEMS
Women’s merchandising
The Club said there was a request for this to be addressed, as discussed in our last meeting, including merchandise opportunities. A representative said that cheaper items would be welcome for the women’s game so parents know their children don’t have to spend sizable sums but can purchase something. These could be on sale here for women’s matches too.
Representatives are invited to send in specific proposals for items.
The Club added there was an issue with pre-ordering and collecting at Kingsmeadow. The store manager and directors are looking at this. The mobile site can run out of items here, as attendees for women’s matches tend to arrive earlier than men’s matches attendees.
We are aware there are about 30% concession tickets sold for our matches here. A representative said activities for before the game or at half time, such as trails to follow in a pack with pencils, would be welcome. You wouldn’t need to use plastic so can be environmentally friendly. It was added that selling a pack of items for £5 to £10 may go down well.
Representatives said there is demand for Kingsmeadow products to be sold here, perhaps via pre-ordering so the Club knows how much to stock. The Club will investigate.
TICKETING
Price of cup games/ price communication
It was raised that some rivals charge less for cup games and, with a run of league and cup games together, the total cost for our tickets can be sizable in a short period of time. Cup games could be included in season tickets or £10 charged for cup and league matches. The Club responded that, from season ticket income, we would have to pay the other club so it would be an extra cost for us. Due to the larger capacity here, prices vary to those at Kingsmeadow.
In response to a request for early communication of price rises, if applicable, the Club said it is reviewing ticketing for next season and will make an announcement as soon as decisions are finalised.
ST package
A representative suggested that Stamford Bridge matches should be included in the season ticket package. The Club said that, as we started to play more matches here, there was a request from the FAB not to have that. There is little crossover in attendees at the two venues and we don’t want to force fans into feeling they must attend. Our rules are consistent with other clubs, to our knowledge.
47% of Kingsmeadow season ticket holders registered as attending the Arsenal match here last season, which is up to 54% this season. However that is not comprehensive information as some don’t book under their Kingsmeadow name here or may use hospitality here.
It was suggested that a clash of fixtures with men’s matches may be a factor. The Club said we have to work around the schedule as best we can.
A representative asked why the Matthew Harding Lower wasn’t on sale for the three game package in order to provide a better look of crowd size for lower tiers. The Club said it’s the biggest lower tier in the stadium so if we had sold out the other three lower tiers, we would have opened that one. We have to open the West Stand due to the access facilities there and it’s also opposite the cameras. We have to use the East as well. The Shed is open as there are away fans there. We have to provide personnel at every entrance point once a stand is open which is disproportionate if there are a small number of fans in that stand.
The Club confirmed it announces ticket sales as our official figure. We are clear about this. A very small number purchase here and don’t attend. The low rate is partly as we don’t give away lots of complementary tickets. We had to increase prices at Kingsmeadow some time ago as prices were so cheap that some chose to purchase and not attend, for instance if there was bad weather.
The Club said once we have mobile tickets, fans can access both grounds in the same way. That isn’t possible with cards.
Seating ST waiting list
In response to a request to establish a waiting list for seats at Kingsmeadow, the Club said there are at best a very small number of non-renewals but we can consider this. The demand by the authorities for seats, such as for sponsor tickets, there may increase and we may therefore have to reduce the number of general admission seats over time. The Club will look into this.
Loyalty points
A representative asked if loyalty points could be introduced for the women’s game. The Club said loyalty points were introduced for the men’s game to help manage demand for tickets. Once the women’s game is at that stage we can introduce a points system. There’s no purpose for it at present. Even for cup finals we can supply a ticket to all our season ticket holders.
At Kingsmeadow over 800 season ticket holders didn’t attend the Manchester United game, hence the Club’s consideration that a season ticket holder can’t keep their season ticket if they miss a certain number of matches.
Juvenile age
In response to a question the Club stated it wanted to assist younger fans so the under 20 concession was moved to under 18s. We are reviewing all concessions for next season. We had almost 100% renewals for season tickets here as well. We try and keep the policies the same regarding age concessions.
Refunds description in the ticketing policy
The Club said in response to a question that the precise wording is decided by the legal department to ensure compliance.
Post
In response to a question, the Club said it intentionally tries to avoid its name appearing on a ticket envelope for security reasons.
The Chair thanked supporters for their input today and in writing. These proposals are added to those from other forums, including the Fan Advisory Board, for the Club to consider.
OTHER TOPICS
Social media
A representative said there have been nasty comments made on social media in response to a number of stories. The Club said its new chief digital officer has brought in a fresh social media policy for staff so it’s clearer what medium is right for each type of story and how we deal with issues that may arise in response. The Club will report to the FAB on this soon.
As regards social media communication generally, there is a quarterly report arriving soon from the women’s supporters trust and, since around July, our women’s team TikTok channel is the most viewed TikTok channel of any sports team in the world. The men’s team has also ranked well.
In response to a suggestion not to have an X/ Twitter account at all, the Club said there are no plans to close that. It’s used widely by our fanbase but we have to ensure we use it correctly.
Cup game displacement
In response to a question about fans having to move from their seats at Kingsmeadow for a cup match but the seats remaining empty, the Club said it has to provide a certain proportion of seats and standing for cup matches to the away side, whether they are taken up or not. There is no absolute segregation in stands at present but that may change in time.
Away fan positioning is an issue for us and for every club. There is no rule for women’s league matches which is why West Ham doesn’t provide seats. There are rules for the FA Cup. We ask the away clubs here to ensure their ambulant access fans have appropriate seats to see a match in standing areas.
Disabled parking
The Club will check if there is a possibility of parking places behind the north stand at Kingsmeadow. The DSA may look at this in their inspection this week.
We had a Kingsmeadow residents meeting last week and we had a good turnout including police and council representatives.
Segregation of away fans
A representative said this was an issue here for the Barcelona match and the Club has made an announcement on segregation since. There were Arsenal fans in full kit amongst home fans at the weekend. Another commented that there were Celtic fans in our stand and they were moved.
The Club said there is no absolute rule about segregation in the women’s game but we advise away fans to purchase in their area. The problem is if demand exceeds supply for their tickets then they may purchase in the home area. We have a text line and deal with any issues straight away if they arise. Away clubs in European competitions don’t historically purchase for the away area which creates problems.
The Club added that the women’s game is special because fans of different clubs can sit alongside each other in their colours from the same family. Our stewards know there will be a neutral aspect and we are proud of this. As regards the exits, the police don’t hold fans back unless there is a major reason to do so. We can’t move fans of different teams out of the stadium here from the away end as their exit is the same as home fans, unless an away team has the whole Shed End in which case we can use the Bovril Gate for them. The Director’s Gate isn’t big enough for 3,000 fans anyway.
The Club added that two domestic teams’ supporters appear to have a more aggressive attitude here – Arsenal and Manchester United. Our team has been abused as they’ve got off the bus at Manchester United. We don’t want to give an away team the whole stand unless we have to. There would be an egress issue for the East Stand otherwise.
A representative said there was a steward who seemed asleep during the Arsenal match. The Club said it appreciates feedback as soon as possible by text or email ideally as it’s then easier to investigate. It added that there were photos of a steward asleep on social media previously who was an agency worker and was not asked back. The Club can investigate an issue much easier if it’s told at the time. Stewards have numbers on the back of their bibs.
A representative said non-agency stewards appear far more engaged. The Club said there would have been around 900 stewards for the Arsenal game so we are reliant on fans telling us if there is an issue. The retention level of stewards at Kingsmeadow is 87% for each game. When we started playing at Kingsmeadow we asked all our Stamford Bridge stewards if they wanted to work there. 24 responded positively and we have 12 of those staff still working at Kingsmeadow. This is for women’s and academy games; they are very hard working. Fewer than 50% of our stewards on the Stamford Bridge database turn up for all matches. We have great confidence in those on our database in particular.
Another representative said they know people who were denied the early bird food and drink offer for the Arsenal match. The Club will look into this.
120th anniversary
The Club was asked if the women’s team will be acknowledged in the anniversary celebrations despite not being founded then, and responded it will definitely be included. Some events will be only for men’s or women’s games and some aspects will be across the board, including academy teams.
The Club is in consultation with the Fan Advisory Board and is ensuring that fans are very much included in our planning. A representative said there were mainly corporate events for the 100th anniversary.
Promotion of games
A representative said there seems to be much more promotion for games here and not for matches at Kingsmeadow. The Club said it’s a far bigger stadium to fill here of course and we hit at least 90% capacity at Kingsmeadow generally. A representative said there used to be far more promotion in the Kingsmeadow area. The Club said it has to focus its budget for maximum sales, in particular with the fast turnaround of cup games. We wouldn’t want to widely advertise a cup match without knowing the opposition, a precise date or time.
It was suggested that electronic promotion via the boards during matches here wouldn’t cost much. The Club said the crossover for attendees is relatively low so it’s not worthwhile. We track exactly how successful each piece of marketing is so we can focus on what’s cost effective. A representative said that if fixtures are known approximately at the start of the season, a poster could be produced for pro-Chelsea businesses in the Kingstonian area to help advertise matches. The Club said that would lack a lot of accurate detail given how fixtures are moved and the unknown aspects of cup dates. We try to cross-promote and still draw good sized crowds at Kingsmeadow. The Club will consider such advertising.
Toilets
The Club was asked about the lack of women’s toilets and stated there are issues at both grounds. Kingsmeadow is in effect a lower division ground built for men and our stadium here is not new. Where we can switch toilets for matches here, we do, but that is only worthwhile if there are a sufficient number of cubicles. The West Stand here is likely to be a little better than our other stands as it’s more recent.
The Club added that there is a substantial project taking place in making toilets stoma and incontinence friendly across both stadia.
Seats in the Kingsmeadow bar
It was commented there were none in there when we took over the ground. There are still not a sizable number.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Growing the game
The Club said this feedback is very helpful but we would appreciate more proactive ideas to grow the game. Please do contact the Club separately for day to day matters, particularly complaints, so we can deal with them quickly.
A representative suggested a discount for women’s tickets here for Kingsmeadow season ticket holders. The Club said there is a local factor for those who only want to go to Kingsmeadow and such a proposal may be more feasible with mobile ticketing. It’s useful for supporter groups to find out what would encourage more Kingsmeadow attendees to come to Stamford Bridge.
The Club added there is a dedicated supporter relations team so please use that service and we can coordinate on issues with the relevant internal departments. The email address is supporter.services@chelseafc.com.
A representative said encouraging returning fans is important.
The Club said we will bring in specific departments to our meetings so please let us know which departments you would like to hear from. We value all your comments and the staff are really dedicated to the growth of the game. We want to become the biggest club in the world, from working with smaller communities right through to global reach. This includes the brands we work with, different strategies and spending our budget wisely. It can take time for some aspects to be fully introduced but we are striving for this.
The owners and board are very aware of our progress and our goals. A representative said the size of the staff representation here today and growth of the staffing team for the women’s game show that the Club is taking this very seriously. The Club added we want to hear from fans as to what works and what we can improve. There is great energy here.
We are proud to state we are the only WSL team to show attendance growth this season, including the league matches held at the Bridge. Representatives said there is a special feel about the Club at the moment. It looked good to introduce our new signing at the Bridge on Sunday.
The Club added Aki is our women’s CEO and is happy to address issues here. She is on the executive team for the Club. Giulia also appreciates hearing back from fans to help with marketing the women’s game.
6.45 kick off time
The Club confirmed last week’s kick off for a WSL match was determined by television. Cup games are scheduled for a different time. The Club feeds its comments in to the authorities regularly to make fans’ views heard regarding match times. There is no dedicated match time slot at present and as the league grows, there should be more certainty on kick off times. It’s challenging for the Club as well in ensuring staffing levels are correct for matches.
Turnover of representatives
The Chair added we will announce the next meeting date as soon as it’s finalised. In answer to a question, the replacement of half the Forum may take place this summer so we ensure continuity in half continuing for another season.
The meeting finished at 8.00pm.
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