Fulham supporters' trust 'worried' by price rises
- Published
Fulham Supporters' Trust has expressed "regret and worry" about a 2.8% rise in season ticket prices.
The west London club's prices range from a league-high £3,000 in the new Riverside Stand, to £473.
FST, the biggest fan group at Craven Cottage, began taking on Shahid Khan's ownership with a yellow card protest over ticket prices in April 2023, before a 4% increase last season.
It has continued to fight stadium price rise, while accepting the expansion of the new Riverside Stand, which has a rooftop pool and will be fully operational next weekend, is an important revenue stream for hospitality packages.
Marco Silva's side are chasing European qualification for the first time since 2011, and FST praised aspects of Khan's leadership and "continued investment in the club, the team and the stadium" in its latest statement, while criticising the price rises.
FST had argued for a price freeze in line with some other Premier League clubs, and questioned "whether increases in ticket prices will materially change the club's financial position".
It added: "Matchday revenue - not just tickets - amounted to a mere 10% of the total in the last financial results, dwarfed by revenue from the Premier League, commercial sponsorship and broadcasters.
"Ticket price increases have a disproportionately small impact on profitability but a much more material impact on long-standing loyal supporters.
"The new world-class facilities offered by the Riverside Stand should have been prioritised as target areas for revenue increases."
The statement also praised Fulham for keeping concessions and releasing further season tickets but criticised the club for not consulting FST. However, FST has a seat on the Fan Advisory Board (FAB), which praised the club for "maintaining affordability for supporters while long-term financial sustainability goals".
Fulham had already explained they "respect financial challenges can impact both supporters and organisations" and that the decision "was made with careful consideration, largely driven by the continued rise in matchday and operational costs".
"Our ambition to be financially sustainable, as well as competitive on the pitch in an ever-demanding Premier League, are also always important factors when deliberating ticket prices," the club added.