Yahoo News Nottingham Forest season ticket price rise latest as 'leadership' question raised
Nottingham Forest continue to be urged to reconsider season card prices for the 2024/25 campaign.
There has been a fierce backlash to the Reds’ decision to increase the cost of season cards for next term by an average of 24 percent. The messaging from the club around the announcement also angered fans.
Supporters’ group Forza Garibaldi say they and the Fan Advisory Board (FAB) have “engaged the club on concerns related to season card prices” over the past week. Forza shared a review of season card prices across the Premier League on social media.
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They wrote on X: “Forest refer to their season card pricing as ‘one of the most affordable’ in the Premier League. We invite the club to demonstrate this because, while this could be true for certain categories, it does not appear to be on the whole.
“A more detailed version of the data shared here was forwarded to the club on Tuesday and we await a formal response. At the time of submitting, we reiterated a number of points that are documented within the analysis and in line with concerns raised by the FAB.”
They added: “In summary we feel some key points are: Pricing does not reflect where we are in the table or the jeopardy of relegation; our closest rivals generally offer better pricing; the 18-20 age group are being treated very harshly; age banding across all bands is often unfair.
“In comms to the club that accompanied this comparison and complimented similar points raised by the FAB we have proposed the following: An overall review of season card pricing; a reinstatement of the Young Adult band; a review of age bands inc Seniors reverting to 65 years; an extension of the renewal deadline; better value being added to the prices such as cup competitions, club shop discount etc; consideration of home membership and matchday ticket prices for 2024-25 to keep them affordable.
“We have also proposed an emergency meeting of the Fan Advisory Board to be called to allow these thoughts to be openly and constructively discussed with the club, considering that initial consultation around season card pricing fell short of what was expected.”
The most expensive season ticket for 2024/25 costs £850, up from £660 for the most expensive adult season card this term. The reconfiguration of age bands also has a significant impact for a large number of fans.
Forest say theirs remain among the “most affordable” season cards in the Premier League. However, there is no adjustment for if Nuno Espirito Santo’s side suffer relegation and end up in the Championship next term.
Moreover, the deadline for renewals is May 10. The Reds will have two games left to play at that point and their fate could still be up in the air, leaving fans potentially having to decide whether to renew without knowing which division the club will be in.
Late-night social media posts from the club on the back of the announcement only served to stoke the strength of feeling among supporters. Forest were criticised for “not reading the room” with their posts about “record” renewals and an 11,000-strong season card waiting list.
On NottinghamshireLive’s Garibaldi Red podcast, Reds fan Dave Astbury said: "When my season card went up, I kind of thought, do they see me as a sheep to be sheared? Is that what they see me as? Because I'm not a billionaire, does that mean I'm a lesser human being? I don't know. It just struck me.”
Supporters’ Trust board member Steve Bennett added: "For me, it comes down to leadership. The complete lack of leadership over the announcement over the season card renewals; having to read a six-page black and white document that deals with the small print that tells you that if you're about to become a concession at 65, oh, you're not anymore, you have to be 66. It tells you about the age categories. It tells you about how you can no longer in the future pass on season cards and all that sort of stuff.
"And the absolutely crass emails about 50 percent have renewed more than last year. Well, what does that mean? Three versus two? We've got 10,000 people on the waiting list. And then at 20 to midnight, we've got 11,000 people on the waiting list.
"Where's the leadership of the club that is actually saying, as it has for a number of years, we recognise that things are not easy out there in society and in the community; we recognise that perhaps we need to keep the fans on board in order that they support the team, in order that the team supports the club. That just hasn't happened.”
He added: "As the Trust, we have been, and are, in pretty serious dialogue with the club about season card prices. The people you feel really sorry for are those who were 16 a couple of years ago and are now 18. Those season cards are going from £190 to, if you're in the most expensive area, 850 quid. That's at a time when the club need the most vibrant, the noisiest, the most passionate fans, which is that group of fans.
"So again, I come back to leadership. Who on earth has put that plan together at a time when we need every fan we get? It's so misguided, it's untrue.
"We're trying to have a conversation as a Trust with the club about that and try to get some changes. That's being done through the FAB, which is the formal channel. We've adopted a stance of let's try to sit down and talk. T
"There was temptations to do some, if the FAB isn't working, what's the point? But actually the best way is to try to get around the table and talk about it.
"As a club, in terms of prices all we've done is announced season season card renewals. People are forgetting there hasn't been an announcement yet about when you've not renewed and therefore your season card is available for the 11,000 people on the list, how much are they going to have to pay? It'll be higher than the renewal.
"If you're one of those people who can't get a season card and you've had a home membership or an away membership, what are they going to come in at? What are ticket prices going to go to?
"There's a huge disconnect at the moment between the fans, who are the ones who fill the stadium, support the team, make the noise. What irony in that video a couple of weeks ago - ‘bring the noise’. Bring the noise at the time when you're doing everything you can to discourage the fans from actually being passionate and involved in the club and in the game.
"All that needs lots of conversation. It needs lots of discussion, needs lots of people sitting down and going, OK, how actually do we repair this perhaps for next season, irrespective of which league we're in?”
