The
Chelsea Supporters Trust (CST) has slammed the way the club are allocating
tickets for the return of fans to Stamford Bridge.
CST says it is "appalled" the club is charging £75 - the most in the Premier
League - for the majority of tickets against Leeds, labelling it
"exploitation", and via a ballot following talks with the club this week.
A maximum of 2,000 Chelsea fans will be allowed back into the ground for the
first time since March after London was placed into the second-highest tier
of new Covid19 restrictions, and tickets are being allocated for Leeds in
the Premier League and the Krasnodar Champions League game in December.
But the group said: "The CST is extremely disappointed with the CFC
announcement regarding the return of supporters to Stamford Bridge.
"Throughout all discussions we have had with the club, the consensus was
that tickets would be sold on 50 per cent loyalty points and 50 per cent on
a first-come, first-served basis with potentially a one-price ticket for any
part of the stadium.
"The club, in their wisdom, have decided to charge an eye-watering £75 for
the majority of sold tickets. The CST is also appalled to learn that this
price is the highest that any PL club is charging for tickets. At a time of
financial uncertainty, for CFC to charge supporters £75 for a match ticket,
the CST believe that this is a clear exploitation of supporter loyalty.
"The CST have expressed our disappointment and anger to the club
representatives in a phone meeting (on Saturday morning) and will continue
to push for a more appropriate scheme in the upcoming months."
On announcing ticket availability for the two December games, Chelsea said:
"With seats only available for a small percentage of our normal attendance
at Stamford Bridge, we empathise with the many who will be disappointed to
initially miss out when the tickets are allocated, which will be by a ballot
system.
"Before deciding on this method of ticket allocations, the club consulted
with supporter groups. We listened to all the feedback, and we appreciate
that not everyone will agree with the system being put in place, but at the
very heart of all the decisions we have made on this matter is the desire to
be as fair as possible to as many as possible."
Chelsea are offering tickets in only two areas of the ground; 80 per cent of
which will be in the west stand lower tier, and 20 per cent in the shed end
lower tier. For the Leeds game, tickets will be £75 in the former and £40 in
the latter, while all tickets for Krasnodar will be £35.
Sky Sports News has offered Chelsea the chance to comment further on CST's
reaction.
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