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Supporters in the dark over price rises

The surprise announcement of price rises of Season tickets has not been received well on social media by West Ham supporters.

Ane neither myself or Hugh are happy with the way this has been handled.

One common question which has been asked of me is whether the West Ham United Official Supporters’ Board (OSB) were consulted or briefed in advance of yesterday’s club website statement.

I am not a spokesman for the OSB nor do I have any authorisation to speak on their behalf but I am a member representing Claret and Hugh’s readers.

And I have to say immediately that I can personally confirm there was no consultation, dialogue or communication on this issue in advance which both I and Hugh find very disappointing.

My band 3 season ticket in the London Stadium West stand will rise by 9.3% next season while my kids two band 3 tickets will rise by 50.5% costing me £158 extra this May.

We all accept prices must eventually rise if West Ham is to have ambition on the pitch but this price rise could have been better consulted and better communicated.

If I had been consulted in advance I would have advised against the rise for U16 founders pointing out that new U16 season ticket prices had already risen last season, the remaining £99 tickets in band 1,2 and 3 would have automatically have phased out over time as all U16’s at one point become over 16.

On the adult and other concession season ticket rises, I would have advised that it should be communicated well in advance, explain why the prices were required and what the money would be spent on.

For added fairness, I would have suggested it the percentage rise should be uniform across the price bands and not a range between 8% and 11%.

The question of a mid-May renewal deadline is also questionable and surely that could have waited waited until a June 1 deadline, the day after most people are paid!

The same could be argued about the finance option deadline being in April which is before the end of the season which means the final home game’s ticket exchange club cash cannot be used and will be lost when balances are cleared down in May.

It’s a missed opportunity by the club which harms the credibility of the OSB  – a group of volunteers just trying to make a difference to West Ham supporters’ match day experience.

Next Thursday I meet with the club’s head of ticketing for the OSB ticketing subgroup with others but it feels it now feels all too little too late.

A big own goal!

 

About Sean Whetstone

I am Season Ticket Holder in West stand lower at the London Stadium and before that, I used to stand in the Sir Trevor Brooking Lower Row R seat 159 in the Boleyn Ground and in the Eighties I stood on the terraces of the old South Bank. I am a presenter on the West Ham Podcast called MooreThanJustaPodcast.co.uk. A Blogger on WestHamTillIdie.com a member of the West Ham Supporters Advisory Board (SAB), Founder of a Youtube channel called Mr West Ham Football at http://www.youtube.com/MrWestHamFootball, I am also the associate editor here at Claret and Hugh. Life Long singer of bubbles! Come on you Irons! Follow me at @Westhamfootball on twitter

3 comments on “Supporters in the dark over price rises

  1. We were saying on the way back from another fun filled away day in Cardiff that with all the tv money they wouldn’t dare raise prices Shows how much we know

  2. Sean wrote a piece recently explaining the TV money is used by all clubs to pay wages

  3. The key point here is that it shows once again that Brady is not open to true meaningful engagement with the fan base. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the SAB, OSB or any other three letter acronyms, she does what she wants and does not care what the fans think. The sooner people realise this will always be the case whilst she’s in charge, the better!

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