Chelsea freeze Ticket Prices

Chelsea Football Club announced today (Friday, February 27), that it will be freezing prices on all non-corporate tickets at Stamford Bridge for the 2009/10 season. It is the fourth successive year there has been an absolute price freeze on Premier League and Champions League knockout phase tickets, giving a net reduction of approximately 12% over the period when inflation is taken into account. There will also be a VAT decrease of 2.5% on season tickets following the reduction announced by the Government last year which Chelsea did not apply retrospectively on season ticket purchases. That means only season ticket holders will get the VAT decrease benefit for the entire 2009/10 season even though the tax is planned to return to 17.5% in December 2009. At that time members and general sale tickets will be readjusted in line with the return to the standard VAT rate as these categories had benefited immediately from the reduction. The price freeze covers season tickets and match day tickets for members, juveniles and senior citizens. Prices will also remain the same for the Champions League group match discount scheme, introduced last season, as well as the discount schemes for FA Cup and Carling Cup matches that have now been running for three seasons. These schemes have meant Stamford Bridge has been at capacity to Chelsea fans for all matches this season. Chelsea Chief Executive Peter Kenyon said: “In these uncertain economic times we believed that a price freeze for the fourth consecutive year was absolutely the right decision for our supporters. “We appreciate the monetary and other demands on our fans and value their loyalty. We believe Chelsea offers excellent value for money on and off the pitch which is why Stamford Bridge has been sold out to our fans for every game played here.“ Further detail on ticketing policy for next season including feedback from the Fans Forum on any major policy amendments will be announced in due course. The full policy will be posted on the website when those amendments are confirmed. Existing season ticket holders in hospitality areas have also had their ticket prices frozen provided they renew prior to the time hospitality areas are put on general sale.