The Fulham Supporters' Trust are putting pressure on the club to rethink their approach to season tickets in the new Riverside Stand, after it was confirmed that a flat rate of £1,000 would be charged.
It was initially expected that the new stand would be ready for the start of next season, but following delays Fulham have confirmed that only a limited area - the lower tier - will open from the start of the new season.
The club say more than 2,000 tickets went on sale, from Tuesday, at a flat rate of £1,000 for adults who formerly held a season ticket in the Riverside Stand and £500 for under-18s.
In some limited areas of the stand, this means season tickets will have risen by over 300 per cent. The cost of renewal in 2018-19, the last season before the renovation began, ranged from £299 to £839.
Fulham are also yet to confirm the price for renewals in the three other stands at Craven Cottage, meaning those who have the opportunity to return to the Riverside Stand will be unable to calculate the difference in price from where they are currently sitting.
Season ticket prices for the rest of the ground will be announced in May, once Fulham know which division they will be in next season. Fans offered the chance to move to the Riverside Stand only have until April 18 to take up their priority offer to return.
Fans who previously sat in the Riverside Stand but do not elect to take up the offer to return next season will be offered the same chance once the stand opens fully so long as they remain season ticket holders.
Fulham say that food and drink will be served on the concourse but that the stand will not be completed, meaning fans face paying £1,000 to sit in a building site.
When contacted by Standard Sport, Fulham pointed to their press release on March 17 which confirmed the prices and sale process.
The Fulham Supporters' Trust, who were not consulted before the announcement but are in dialogue with the club, have called on the club to re-think this approach and ensure that prices across the rest of the ground ensure affordable tickets for supporters - though there is no sign that Fulham are changing their plans.
In a letter to members this week, Trust chair Tom Greatrex said: “It was disappointing that despite the Trust in previous years having done a lot of work on ticketing and pricing there was no consultation on the prices announced for the lower tier ahead of time.
“While Fulham have said that the flat rate price of £1,000 for 19 games is for one season only, they should not be surprised that the response has been far from warm.
“If they had asked us, we would have been able to predict it pretty accurately. Perhaps that is why they didn’t – perhaps they knew too, but wanted to test the market beyond our existing supporters regardless.
“Removing concessions for older fans throughout the stand, a flat rate price, and not announcing pricing elsewhere in the ground at the same time have unsurprisingly been the issues of concern. Over the last few days, members of the Trust board have been in discussion with the club on these points – explaining the feedback and asking for changes.
“We know these points have been relayed to the decision makers at Fulham, we don’t know whether they will decide to act upon them.”
Greatrex added: “There is no doubt that the Riverside Stand is an impressive addition to our ground and, when fitted out and fully open, has the potential to be the ‘game changer’ in terms of additional income streams and expanded capacity.
“The Fulham fanbase is not stupid. We know that when the new stand is fully open the best seats will be the most expensive in the ground, and out of the reach of many.”
