In this month’s newsletter there are updates on ticketing, the FAB meeting, our event with David Pleat, a report from the Fan Forum, an update about the Fan Fund and the Football Governance Bill and information on the play about Walter Tull….
Ticketing update
You can read a full report of our recent discussions with the Club on ticketing here.
In addition, we’ve had questions about the lack of multi-ticket packages for the Europa League. We did raise this with the Club in June alongside a wider discussion about ticketing.
Fan Advisory Board meeting
The Fan Advisory Board met on 17 September. You can read the full minutes here but here are some highlights:
- The FAB raised concerns about some of the recent commercial partnerships and whether there was a pattern emerging. The Club’s Chief Revenue Officer reassured the meeting that there wasn’t a pattern, gave examples of other partnerships and stressed the importance of the Club’s values and due diligence.
- The FAB expressed particular concern about betting sponsorships and asked what protections were in place, particularly for children and young adults. Those concerns were acknowledged by the Club, which explained the measures being taken.
- The issue of stadium naming rights was raised and the Chairman repeated that the Club is open to pursuing a deal, but only if it is the right brand and on financial terms that are more beneficial than the value of ‘Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’ being globally recognised, through football and third-party events.
- The FAB recognised the financial value of third-party events and asked that this revenue be used to limit the amount of ticket price increases. The Club said that it was necessary to keep up with additional operational costs, but that third party revenue was considered in the overall picture. As the FAB said at the meeting, supporters add significant value to the Club and should see the benefits of extra revenue.
- Of particular significance was the discussion on the removal of all new Senior Concession Season Tickets. The FAB conveyed to the Club the strength, depth and breadth of opposition to the move and the widespread adverse reaction. The FAB asked the Club to set up a separate negotiation on Senior Concession Season Tickets and the Club agreed to set up a small core group to focus on this. This is a welcome development and the Chairman confirmed at the Fan Forum the Club’s commitment to meet with the FAB to look again at the senior concessions season ticket issue (see more detail below).
An Evening with David Pleat – tickets available – CHANGE OF DATE
In last month’s newsletter we shared details of the event that we have linked up with The Spurs Show to host – ‘An Evening with David Pleat’ to promote his autobiography, ‘Just One More Goal‘, published by Bite Back Publishing.
The event will be now be held on Thursday 31 October (so as not to clash with our EFL tie against Man City) from 7pm at The Albany.
The evening will include a live recording of the Spurs Show podcast, hosted by Theo Delaney. Theo will interview David about his career, his various roles at Spurs, and his views on Spurs managers and chairmen as well as football in general. You will have the chance to ask questions, get your copy of his book signed and have a photo with the man himself. It’s going to be a fascinating evening and an opportunity not to be missed.
Tickets are £33, which includes a copy of the book. Tickets are strictly limited and will be sold to THST full members initially. Should there be any tickets remaining, sales will be open to the wider Spurs fanbase. A link to buy tickets was sent to all Trust members – please email us if you haven’t received it.
If you have already bought a ticket and can’t make the new date, please email us.
If you can’t make it to the event but would like to buy a copy of the book here is the link.
Fan Forum report
The THST Board has asked Spurs for many years to be more open with fans and to find effective ways to communicate and consult with supporters on a wide range of subjects. The introduction of the Fan Advisory Board is potentially a big step in the right direction and gives elected representatives the opportunity to offer advice and a supporter perspective on many issues.
We have also encouraged the Club to hold regular Fan Forums. These are very different in that the audience comprises partly members of official supporter groups but mainly, Spurs fans who apply individually after receiving a club email invitation. Questions can be submitted in advance (and are selected by the Club) or asked from the floor. The audience includes supporters who want to grill the club on specific matters (on-field or off-field) such as on the removal of all new senior concession season tickets from next season, as well as others (including children) who have ‘softer’ questions, such as, for Sonny, “Who is your favourite ever Spurs player?” (Ben Davies obviously!) The content becomes publicly available, albeit with a day’s delay and the potential for cuts.
Fan Forums are not share-holders meetings so there is bound to be a real mix of people and questions, and the Club will use it as a chance to get their messaging out, and to give 30 golden ticket holders the chance to meet the players and club directors and managers.
We were given an allocation of tickets which we shared with our members, and were pleased to see many of them on the night.
From a Trust perspective we were very pleased that Daniel Levy confirmed what he had said at the most recent FAB meeting, that he would meet with a small working group to relook at the senior concession issue and see if a better way could be found to address the issue. This is a huge opportunity for us all and we will of course keep you, our members, updated on progress. In the meantime, please sign our petition and share it widely. Every signature counts and shows the strength of feeling against the current proposals. Sign here.
There were also questions around: the need for further minority capital investment, players’ match overload, our style of play and a need for pragmatism, prioritisation of matches and the need for trophies, good advice received, inclusion and how the men’s game might learn from the women’s, and the Club’s loan strategy. The Fan Forum can be watched on YouTube here.
We are very grateful to THST member Andrew Wilson for his personal reflections and report on the meeting. This reflects Andrew’s own views and is not an official THST view. It’s fascinating and you can read it here.
Fans Fund
The Trust continues to work with the Tottenham Foundation and Spurs to promote community food projects through the Premier League’s Fan Fund.
We’ve already set up a 6-a-side football team and had a great start by making the semi-finals in the inaugural tournament. The second event, designed to raise awareness of community food projects in Tottenham and Enfield, is a Community Event in Bruce Castle Park, planned for Saturday 29 October. We will tweet further details once they are available, but for now, if you live locally, please put the date in your diary. There will be a second tournament in early December with a further one to be scheduled at Hotspur Way next March.
These events aim to both raise money as well as help the Club to develop sustainable ways to support the work of Foodbanks. If this is something that interests you, and you have some spare time to volunteer, please get in touch via our email: info@THSTOfficial.com.
Football Governance Bill update
The Football Governance Bill is part of the Government’s legislative programme for this Parliament and will establish an independent football regulator.
A Trust representative attended a fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference where the legislation was discussed. The meeting was chaired by Paul Waugh MP and the panel was Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; Rick Parry, Chairman of the EFL; Kevin Miles, Chief Executive of the Football Supporters’ Association; and Gary Neville.
Lisa Nandy confirmed that the Football Governance Bill will be introduced “within weeks”, to include the measures to establish and appoint an independent regulator. The panel was dismissive of those arguing that the legislation should be delayed or weakened, in particular the recent suggestion that UEFA would seek to ban England from its competitions if regulation was established. That is simply scaremongering and is not borne out by the facts or by UEFA’s own letter.
Kevin Miles raised the issue of club’s removing concessions, particularly senior concessions. He also stressed that the legislation must ensure that clubs consult properly with fan organisations, by providing full information and engaging at an early stage so that there is genuine consultation with proper input from fan organisations before decisions are finalised.
Our Little Hour
Written by award winning playwright Dougie Blaxland and celebrated composer Chris Anthony, Our Little Hour explores how Walter Tull – grandson of a Barbadian slave – orphaned at eight years old, rose to prominence against all odds. The first black footballer to play at the highest level of the domestic game in the UK, for Spurs, he went on to achieve yet another historic breakthrough as the first man of his heritage to be commissioned as an Officer in the British Army. Tragically killed in action just a few weeks before the end of World War 1, Walter Tull’s pioneering achievements have earned him a distinguished place in British history and in the hearts of everyone who knows his story.
The production is supported by Tottenham Hotspur FC and Show Racism the Red Card and is appropriate for anyone over the age of 11 years. Tickets can be booked here.
Playwright, Dougie Blaxland, described Our Little Hour as:“A celebration of the life of an extraordinary man whose pioneering spirit continues to inspire the campaign for justice and equality. It is also deeply fitting that the production which will be staged throughout Black History Month and honour the memory of one of the most significant figures in British sporting and military history.”