Chelsea Supporters’ Trust has penned a strongly worded open letter to Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly over "unconscionable" proposed season ticket prices, warning of "irreversible toxicity" between fans and the club should costs increase.
An adult season ticket at Stamford Bridge ranges from £750 to £1,500, depending on location. However, far bigger prices have been mooted following improvements to Stamford Bridge, namely the West Stand Upper now dubbed 'Westview'.
Fan backlash last summer saw Chelsea row back on a number of price rises, but the club are expected to push for fresh increases ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Noting "the removal of Government support for household energy bills, continuing inflationary increases on essential goods and a general cost of living crisis", the CST believes increasing the amount fans are charged to attend home matches is "unconscionable" and risks alienating supporters.
"The Trust believes that, from April, our members and all Chelsea supporters will be forced to make significant sacrifices simply to afford existing ticket prices," the letter states. "It is our duty to protect the interests of our members and all Chelsea supporters on this critical issue.
"In light of this, we regard any increases to ticket prices as unconscionable and in direct contradiction to CFCs efforts to strengthen community ties and strengthen supporter relations. The Trust will not accept any such rises and requests further dialogue with the club over the issue of pricing to provide sustainable and practical solutions going forward."
The CST note the staggering outlay on new players since the Boehly-Clearlake takeover, spending over £600million across two windows in record-breaking fashion, but also the lack of improvement in performances and results.
"The men's first team is currently having one of the worst seasons since the 1990s," the letter states. We currently sit 10th in the Premier League and are 11 points off fourth place. This is despite enormous investment in players, management, and additional personnel.
"We strongly urge the board to read the sentiment of supporters. The current disconnect between the team and supporters would only be amplified by increased prices - this could lead to irreversible toxicity."
