Chelsea Supporters’ Trust 2015 Membership Survey
About the Survey
This is the third annual Chelsea Supporters’ Trust Membership survey. The goal of the annual survey is to identify the issues that Chelsea supporters care about. This survey was conducted from the end of the football season (25 May) and the end of June 2015. It was sent out to approximately 2,020 Trust members. The overall response rate was 30%.
This year a decision was taken to limit questions about ticketing and the stadium, including atmosphere, to members who attend matches. The aim of this was to reduce the number of ‘not applicable’ answers and make the survey simpler to fill out. This change does not appear to have made a material difference to the trends of the previous years.
Below is a summary of the survey.
Chelsea Supporters’ Trust Membership Survey 2015
Summary
The quantifiable results of the survey are generally on a par with the previous year; ticket prices and atmosphere considered to be the main concerns, while approval for Club administration remains healthy. Management stability and development of young players continue to receive a high agreement rating.
A number of new issues were raised this year. Concerns about access to away tickets, the purchase process, ground capacity and touting have a basis in increased demand due to the team’s success during the season.
The extension of the age range for juvenile tickets, while welcomed, has raised problems of its own. Availability of this concession is in the Family Section but very few tickets are available in this area since most is given over to season tickets. The suggestion is to make concessionary tickets available in all parts of the ground, setting a cap on numbers if necessary to minimise loss of revenue.
The extortionate price of some away game tickets is noted. Price categorisation has made Chelsea supporters victims of their own success with several opposition clubs charging £50 or more. Chelsea also operate this policy and this makes the cost of regular attendance at home games a problem for non-season ticket holders. The survey’s respondents were enthusiastic for the Football Supporters’ Federation campaign for an across the board reduction in away ticket prices.
Safe standing, relocation of away supporters and tourists and cheaper ticket prices are seen as the means to improve the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. Whilst acknowledging that the Premier League TV windfall has been used well by the Club to subsidise away travel and some away tickets, the majority of participants agree that TV money should be used to reduce prices across the board.
