Chelsea have angered some of their corporate fans by delaying the sale of season tickets for 2023-24 due to concerns they will not qualify for any European competition.
The club’s hospitality season tickets traditionally include seats for all three Champions League group matches, plus the option to buy tickets for the knockout stages, so they will come under pressure to cut their prices if those games are not available.
Chelsea have been wrestling with this dilemma, as Champions League qualification has appeared unlikely for months and even the Europa League and Conference League may be out of reach as they are 11th in the table.
Faced with the problem of accepting a significant drop in revenue or antagonising fans by charging the same prices for fewer matches the club have opted to delay the decision, a move which has not gone down well either.
Ordinary season-ticket holders, who do not get European matches included, fear they will be hit with a price increase as Chelsea have complained about the rising operating costs at Stamford Bridge in meetings with fans’ groups.
Chelsea fans do not know whether they will face a price hike due to season ticket sale delays
Owner Todd Boehly will likely be keen to avoid the drop in revenue from cutting prices
EVERTON JOBS SAFE… FOR NOW
Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has delayed plans to shake up his executive team at Goodison Park in the hope that external investors could be attracted by the prospect of a seat on the board.
The Iranian businessman was considering making changes given the club’s financial and footballing difficulties, with the positions of chairman Bill Kenwright and chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale thought to be under threat, but that will be put on hold until the process of bringing in investors has concluded.
Everton owner Farhad Moshiri (centre, with Bill Kenwright to his right) is set to delay rumoured shake-ups within the club hierarchy
FA FIGHT TO SAVE CUP REPLAYS
The FA have provided a strong indication of their determination to retain FA Cup replays by including the extra ties in their overseas TV rights tender from the 2024-25 season, which will be circulated to broadcasters next week.
The existing £820million contract with IMG and Pitch International expires at the end of next season and the FA will be under pressure to maintain the rights value at a similar level, which was viewed in the industry as a triumph for former FA chief executive Martin Glenn.
The Premier League want the FA to scrap all replays, which remain in place for only the third and fourth rounds, but are meeting resistance from the governing body.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham is understood to believe it was a mistake to scrap fifth and sixth-round replays to facilitate a winter break and is determined not to give any more ground.
The FA will look to defend their competition’s replays from Premier League interference
BIRMINGHAM FEAR POINTS LOSS
Birmingham face a potential points deduction or fine after being found guilty of accepting up to £8million in funding from third parties without gaining approval from the EFL.
Paul Richardson, Maxi Lopez and Matt Southall have also been found guilty of pumping money in during their failed takeover last summer and also face sanctions, which could include a ban, or suspended ban, from involvement in football.
The takeover through Maxco Capital was abandoned in December after five months of talks.
The Midlands club will hope to receive a sanction similar to ones meted out to Rochdale
The punishment will be determined by an independent commission, with Birmingham hoping to escape with a sanction similar to Rochdale’s suspended six-point hit for failing to comply with the EFL’s owners and directors test.
Birmingham’s rap sheet could count against them however — in 2019 they were docked nine points for breaching spending rules and the next year found guilty of failing to comply with a business plan agreed with the EFL
NO RUSH TO AXE BETTING CASH
The Premier League scrapped a vote on introducing a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling advertising at last week’s shareholders’ meeting when it became clear the proposed motion would not pass.
As reported by Sportsmail this week, the clubs want reassurances that other assets, such as shirt sleeves and LED advertising boards, will not be targeted by gambling regulation.
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The Premier League are confident that the clubs will eventually agree to outlaw betting sponsors from shirt fronts from the 2026-27 season, but a vote may have to wait until their AGM this summer
West Ham is one of the eight Premier League clubs with front-of-shirt betting sponsors