Chelsea owners warned by fans of slide towards ‘irreversible toxicity’

Chelsea are facing more supporter dissent after being warned that a slide towards “irreversible toxicity” in the stands is likely to end in protests against the ownership. In a letter sent to Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali this month, the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust cited concerns about higher ticket prices, the cost of merchandise and travel to games and a lack of communication from the board.

The CST, which said Chelsea had “become a laughing stock on and off the pitch” since being bought by Boehly and Clearlake Capital in 2022, pointed to anger and frustration over a sense that supporters are being used to raise revenue streams.

Related: ‘They need to trust the club’: Mauricio Pochettino’s plea to angry Chelsea fans

The low mood has been reflected at recent games. Raheem Sterling was booed after struggling during Chelsea’s win over Leicester in the FA Cup last Sunday. Mauricio Pochettino, the head coach, and Boehly, the controlling co-owner, were abused during the recent 2-2 draw away to Brentford.

“The current feeling amongst Chelsea supporters in our opinion is at its lowest since the early 1980s,” the CST said. “While this may be expected with our current run of form and position in the league table, a significant number of supporters that we speak to are quick to express concerns that the lack of any public-facing vision from the new ownership has led to an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

“Supporters are saying that there currently seems a fast-growing lack of trust from much of the fanbase, especially matchgoers towards the board, partially due to severely limited communication. Many supporters have significant concerns about the future of our club.

“The views of a quiet few became a vocal expression of a larger number of Chelsea supporters present at the [Brentford] game. Much of our recent dialogue with supporters reveals a lack of belief in the decision-makers at the top of our club. The current mood amongst supporters is critically low and cannot be ignored. The feeling that the club has become a ‘­laughing stock’, both on and off the pitch, is growing.

“The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust regretfully believes that we are close to, if not already experiencing, a significant shift in supporter opinion that could result in irreversible toxicity, almost irrespective of results on the pitch. Unless the situation improves, this seems likely to manifest itself in more targeted chanting, especially at televised games, and quite possibly more organised, overt, and impactful forms of protest by some sections of the fanbase.”

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The trust said the owners had communicated after their takeover that they would explore every commercial avenue possible in an attempt to bring Chelsea’s income in line with other major Premier League clubs and that charging supporters more would be done as a last resort.

It claimed this pledge had been broken by a number of price increases and budget cuts. Examples cited included prices for coaches to away games increasing by £53, replica kits by £5, tickets to cup games by £1-£13, programmes by 50p, youth fixtures by £2, women’s matches by “record amounts” and food and drink in general admission areas by 5-15%.

It remains to be seen ifwhether Chelsea have not revealed season ticket prices this summer and the CST said. “The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust acknowledges you are seeking to optimise income, but we have significant concerns regarding ticket pricing going forward.” It said many fans were “fearful that they will be priced out of watching the club they love by above-inflation increases”.

Complaints over a lack of engagement with fans centred around silence from Chelsea, who are 11th in the league despite spending more than £1bn on signings in the past two years, over their stadium redevelopment plans.

Chris Jurasek, Chelsea’s chief executive, responded to the CST on Wednesday. “We deeply value the dedication, commitment and desire from all our supporters to continue to develop Chelsea FC into the most successful and admired club in the world, both on and off the pitch,” he said.

“Part of achieving that goal will be done by working with our supporters. We want to ensure we engage with our supporters regularly to provide them with clear lines of communication.

“With the establishment of the Fan Advisory Board, who liaise with the Club on a regular basis, we are confident that there is a great deal of shared discussion and an intention to work closely with a number of key stakeholders.

“Our goal is the same as your goal: to ensure Chelsea Football Club has a bright and successful future. To do so, there is a necessity to increase club revenue to put us on a par with our rivals and allow us to compete in both the Premier League and Women’s Super League, as well as in domestic and European competitions. There are several ways we are already doing that and will further explore.

“We recognise there is a concern about rising costs on a matchday and the impact ticket prices can have on our supporters. Rest assured, we are taking frequent advice and engaging in regular consultation with the Fan Advisory Board to ensure that we take a holistic approach in this vitally important issue.”

Mark Meehan, the chair of the CST, criticised Jurasek for failing to respond to concerns raised in the original letter. “We are supporters, not customers,” Meehan said.