Angry Fulham fans urge Shahid Khan to revise season-ticket price hikes that are ‘out of touch with reality’
Seats in the new Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage will cost up to £3,000
The most expensive season ticket in Fulham’s new Riverside Stand will cost £3,000
/ Getty Imagesulham fans have called for the price of season tickets to be lowered, with a seat in the new Riverside Stand costing as much as £3,000.
The club announced season ticket prices on Wednesday and the three other stands at Craven Cottage are due to rise by 18 per cent.
That has angered supporters, but the biggest uproar has come after prices for the new Riverside Stand were revealed, with the most expensive ticket there costing £3,000.
The Fulham Supporters’ Trust (FST) say it has caused “distress, anxiety, anger, and disillusionment” among fans and have urged owner Shahid Khan to reconsider.
“Seats priced at £3,000 appear to be among the most expensive non-hospitality season tickets in football worldwide,” the Trust said in an open letter to Khan.
“While we appreciate the investment and support you have given to Fulham, both on and off the pitch, we believe this pricing structure is out of touch with the financial realities facing many of our loyal fans.
“In the Hammersmith, Putney, and Johnny Haynes Stands, we ask that the average price increase is kept at or below the rate of inflation, especially in light of the ongoing cost of living crisis. In the Riverside Stand, we ask that the pricing model is significantly revised.”
Riverside Stand tickets this season were £1,000, but fans were informed that was for this term only and these are new prices, not a renewal.
Over the past 20 years Fulham’s prices are a low base by comparison to other Premier League clubs, as referenced by the FST earlier this week, with an average rise across the seasons of two per cent. Ticket prices at the club are a commercial decision focused on profit and sustainability.
Fulham have lost five games on the spin and are back in action on Saturday, when they travel to Everton.
Fulham boss Marco Silva coached Everton to eighth place in the 2018-19 season, but was sacked in December 2019. He will not be on the touchline, as he is serving the second and final game of his ban.
“When you manage a club like Everton, it’s always a huge honour to be there,” he said. “It will be good to see some familiar faces.”