| + Visit Cardiff FC for Latest News, Transfer Gossip, Fixtures and Match Results |
https://thefsa.org.uk/news/sustain-t...ionship-tests/
One of the five principles of our Sustain The Game! campaign is supporter engagement and yesterday we featured the good with Accrington Stanley demonstrating how valuable a good relationship between club and fans is.
Today, we’re looking at the bad. Unfortunately for the Bluebirds and the Bantams it’s Cardiff City and Bradford City showing us how it isn’t done…
Ahead of the new Championship season, the relationship between Cardiff City and their supporters has rapidly gone downhill after the club published its plans for season tickets without consulting fans.
Whilst many fans appreciate clubs are in a difficult position (losing vital match day income during the public health crisis) being totally ignored isn’t something fans will tolerate much of.
Cardiff City have certainly fallen foul of that this summer, as the club launched their 2020-21 season ticket plans without speaking to fans – something Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust called “cavalier”.
Chair of the trust Keith Morgan said: “We fully appreciate the need for the club to generate cash following a long period of very limited income caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“But we are very disappointed at the cavalier way the club has launched the new season ticket without any official discussions with supporter groups.
“Sadly, it smacks of a lack of respect for fans.”
In recent weeks, the FSA’s inbox has been filled with questions about refunds, access to streams to watch games taking place behind closed doors, the future of loyalty points and potential ballots for reduced-capacity games.
“If the club had talked to us we might have been able to resolve some of the genuine concerns raised by our members and other supporters,” Keith said.
“There are so many questions that need answering.
“Why is the club not offering refunds if matches are played behind closed doors or if there are reduced attendance matches which supporters are unable to attend?”
Like some other clubs in the EFL Cardiff City have been criticised for offering streaming passes in lieu of actual refunds, something the trust argues is in no way equivalent to the real matchday experience.
Legal advice we’ve published also outlines how fans are entitled to full refunds for games cancelled or played behind closed doors – more on that here.
Keith says: “The offer of streaming against no refund is not good enough and very poor value for supporters.
“The no-refund offer would seriously impact on families in particular, potentially costing them hundreds of pounds, if a number of games are behind closed doors.
“It is quite possible that full crowds may not return until 2021, yet the club is not offering refunds.”
Yesterday, as part of our supporter engagement series Accrington Stanley showed how good dialogue can alleviate many of the concerns fans have about the return to live football.
Stanley have been involving the Accrington Stanley Supporters’ Trust in all their planning for the return of fans to the Crown Ground. Reliable consultation has built a solid relationship between the two parties, and supporters seem happy with the arrangements they’ve put in place for 2020-21.
No such luck at the Cardiff City Stadium however, as chief executive Ken Choo emailed the trust expressing his disappointment and accusing the supporter group of undermining the club.
Responding, Keith said: “Our criticism, reflecting that of the fans, is that it is the club that has failed to communicate and consult with its fans in a meaningful manner through the readily available channel of elected fans’ groups.”
I think that statement from the Trust came out some time ago when City announced the season tickets. It put me off buying one, but I spoke to the Club , and whilst there are no refunds they will give credit for matches that cannot be attended. So I am told by a good source at the club, I hope so because I went and bought one. If we have to miss games I am quite happy for credit towards next year's ticket.
I suppose the criticism is justified if the Club's idea of meaningful consultation is bouncing a few ideas off Vince Alm and then presenting him and the rest of us with a fait accompli that has proved to be somewhat controversial.
The question of refunds is a vexed one. However, no problem if you are a Wurzel
https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/season-cards-update/
Perhaps the club were applying social distancing rules between themselves and the Trust .
Yes, and the Disabled Supporters Group.Originally Posted by life on mars
Better than us to be fair, but you have to watch Bristol City!
Tbh I think £250 is a good deal to potentially watch every city game, online or not. People pay more for Sky and BT sports packages.
That’s in the order of what I paid to renew but is it such a good deal if you’ve paid more than twice that to sit in the prawn sandwich seats?
Yeah almost certainly not - but then surely the prawn sandwich lot could've done a bit of research and just moved to a cheaper costing seat and then if we end up back in the stadium just upgrade?
By and large, the club have got most things right since the rebrand, but their attitude has seemed almost confrontational during this episode. Why? I think generally supporters are sympathetic with the position that clubs find themselves in due to the virus, but, for me anyway, City have handled the matter insensitively and over aggressively - has that attitude cost them in terms of season ticket sales? It's impossible to know because I don't believe there's been any indication as to the number of season tickets sold since the announcement that 3,000 were bought on the first day they went on sale.
Agreed, they could do that. However, the likelihood is that they will lose a seat in a good position which suits them very well close to friends. One of my reasons for renewal was to ensure I kept my seat which, for me, is in an ideal position.
And this is where the club have you by the short and curlies!
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote