Chelsea are keen to increase ticket costs next season.
No company decision has been made during the ongoing consultation process, but discussions in a series of meetings have left supporters expecting costs to rise.
Chelsea continue to discuss their strategy with the Fan Forum (a group of elected supporters and senior club officials) and the Fan Advisory Council (seven designated supporters who attend the club’s board meetings).
The club looks set to replace its pricing strategy after owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake froze ticket costs this season after a disappointing first year at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues have spent more than £1 billion across three transfer windows in an attempt to get the team to work, but they want to generate profit streams (adding up profits from the matchday) to operate sustainably.
Stamford Bridge’s operating prices have risen 31% since 2018 as inflation hits the football sector hard.
Chelsea, on the other hand, has the lowest operating margin among the six most sensible classic clubs, which in the end affects how much can be invested in the pitch in the era of Premier League and UEFA currency controls.
General ticket prices have been frozen since the 2011/12 season, and season ticket prices have fallen by 32% in real terms since their last increase.
Arsenal, Tottenham and Fulham all have particularly high ticket prices in London and only Manchester City currently have a lower average ticket price among the Big Six classics.
Ahead of the current season, 17 of the 20 Premier League clubs have raised their ticket prices.
Chelsea believe their ticket prices are lower than the Premier League average. Despite its disappointing performance over the past 18 months, demand for tickets remains higher than ever.
New CEO Chris Jurasek is in favour of tactics to increase profits across the board and is willing to back unpopular decisions regardless of Chelsea’s final position in the league this season.
Chelsea will face demanding situations off the pitch in the coming years due to a desire to rebuild Stamford Bridge or build a new stadium with the logo. They also intend to invest in Cobham’s educational field.
A poll conducted by Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) this month found that a majority of fans would accept a 4% increase in season ticket costs.
But the majority of fans also believe tickets are already a fair price amid a cost of living crisis, which may be jarring against some of the transfer fees paid in the last 18 months.
The CSE has already criticised Chelsea this season for subsidising coaches for away travel. The Chelsea Women Supporters Group also complained about the accumulation of prize money to watch two-time winners Emma Hayes.
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