Notes from July meeting with Fulham Football Club
Michael Gregg and Dan Crawford of the Fulham Supporters’ Trust
met with Alistair Mackintosh (AM, chief executive officer), Casper
Sylsvig (CS, chief revenue officer), Carmelo Mifsud (CM, communications
media relations manager), and David Daly (DD, non-executive director)
of Fulham Football Club at Motspur Park on Tuesday 10th July 2018 at
10:30am
MATCH TICKETS
Following the commencement of
sale for the first three home games of the season it came to the
attention of fans that those who had purchased Membership to Fulham
Football Club were to given first choice in buying available match
tickets ahead of Season Ticket holders, this being a change from past
practices. The Trust asked the club for clarification on the rules in
place for buying Match Tickets.
CS confirmed that for home
league games that those with Membership will be given first choice in
buying home tickets. It will vary from game to game with regards how
many they can per membership and that there will be a window for them
to buy tickets before they are then released to Season Ticket holders
and finally General Sale.
Reasons given were past purchase
history data (Number of tickets sold to ST holders) and also to give
those purchasing Membership value for money and help build the future
fan base of the club.
The Trust asked if any changes like this
in future could be published not just mentioned in the T&C’s so not
to cause confusion and unrest in future.
The procedure for away
tickets has not changed from previous seasons and will still be based
on allocation and loyalty points. The Trust asked when tickets for
Spurs away would become available and CS confirmed it should be during
week commencing 16th July.
SEASON TICKETS
The Trust
asked if the club would be using a scheme for Season Ticket holders
who could not attend matches to have the ability to resell the Tickets.
CS said that they were finalising the details and should be launched soon.
PRE-SEASON
With FFC playing a couple of games at Aldershot the Trust asked why
they were being held there and not at Craven Cottage. AM replied that
it was in part to save the pitch as it would not be fully ready until
the first friendly and a combination of costs and ground availability
elsewhere.
The Trust thanked the club for putting on the Coach
for those fans who are going to be in France but again pointed out that
better communication on when and where games would be played would
have helped.
NEW KIT & SPONSORSHIP
The Trust asked when the new kit would be made available and was informed it would be launched the day after the meeting.
On the question of main sponsor CS would not say who it was but did
confirm that a higher calibre of sponsor had been reaching out to the
club to get involved in many areas. He also pointed out that the club
wanted to be faithful to previous sponsors where possible.
FULHAM FCTV
When asked if this would continue in the current format and pricing CM
said that it would and that the content was looking to be enhanced and
provide more for the subscribers.
PLAYOFF AND SEASON HIGHLIGHTS DOWNLOADS
Following up last month’s question on the ability to download and
purchase both the Playoff Final and Season Highlights packages CS said
they were still looking into it.
PREMIER LEAGUE GROUND REQUIRMENTS
The Trust had received a couple of complaints due to fans being moved
from seats they had bought as Season Ticket Holders. CM replied that
while the regulations required the club to increase the size of the
Press Box and also make space in the Riverside for a Camera site. The
complaint we received was on how this had been dealt with and CM said he
would look into the complaint and hope to resolve it. A point from
this is that club have to make space for 3 UK based broadcasters and 15
overseas rights holders.
The Cottage Café has also now been closed and turned into a Press/media area for interviews and press conferences.
PA SYSTEM & ON PITCH INTERVIEWS
Once again, the Trust had received requests about the PA system. AM
confirmed that new microphones had been purchased and that the system
had been looked at close to the end of the season.
The Trust
asked if it would be possible for the interviews that take place with
ex-players at Half Time be recorded and made available on the website
due to fans unable to hear them at the time or even watch on the big
screens. AM asked CM to look into this and felt this was a good idea
and one they should go forward with.
RIVERSIDE STAND
Asked by the Trust to give an update on the Riverside AM confirmed that
no contractor was in place yet and that the date of a working group
meeting to discuss the movement of Season Ticket holders would be chased
and given to the Trust
COACHING CHANGES
The Trust
asked what had led to Scott Parker coming back to the club and AM said
that Scott had been asked to stay before he left for Spurs, but felt he
needed to manage the U18 team there.
Following this last
season the club approached Spurs and Scott re-joined the coaching team
in the role vacated now by Stuart Gray.
TRANSFERS AND CONTRACT EXTENSIONS
The Trust asked about ongoing transfers and AM said that they are
progressing and that news of arrivals should be in the next day or so.
While they have a number in mind with regards the total number of
players they want to bring in, the club did not want to make that public
through these notes.
Work on finding some of the younger players
clubs they can be loaned to has already started with two players
already gone on season long loans.
Contract extensions are ongoing and hopefully a number of others will be announced over the coming weeks.
HISTORY PROJECT
Meeting was still to arranged between DD and the Trust to kick off the
work required to help make sure the new Riverside Stand incorporates
Fulham’s History
Meeting closed 11:35am
