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Notes from July meeting with Fulham Football Club

18th July 2018

Image of the facade outside of Craven Cottage

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

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