My email to the club for what it's worth (absolutely nothing). I have no hope whatsoever that it'll be read by anyone with any kind of influence over ticket prices at Molineux but it made me feel 1% better on what has been a very, very shit day.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Please take this email as instruction to cancel my Season Ticket for the 24/25 season and to stop any further Direct Debits from my bank account.
I have struggled with this decision for some time since the 'announcement' (if you can call it that) of next season's season ticket prices. I have many issues with your decision to raise what I consider already far too high prices which I will list below but I want you to know that the reason which tipped me over the edge was that I just couldn't bare the shame of renewing and giving credence to such a heartless policy, a soulless shell of a football club and a disgrace of a CEO.
There have been times in my life where I've despaired at performances on the pitch, disagreed with owners decisions, wanted managers to leave, but even when we were at our lowest ebb I was always proud to tell anyone who asked that I was a Wolves fan. Until now.
I desperately wanted to renew, I love Wolverhampton Wanderers more than you could ever know. When I bought my first season ticket (a lifelong dream for a fan who grew up some distance from Molineux in a family that couldn't afford to travel to Wolverhampton ever other week) I still lived in Central Scotland. I would get on the 05:15 train leaving my home town and wouldn't get back home until past 01:00 the next day. Over 12 hours of travel every single week. It was never a chore though because win, lose or draw I felt that my support was appreciated. That I was following a football club that meant something to it's community, a truly rewarding passion that would be part of me until the day I died. I live just an hour away from Molineux now and I am making the decision to not renew my season ticket, to not buy a membership, to not attend a single game in the 24/25 season and to not spend a single penny on any goods or services relating to Wolverhampton Wanderers or any of their partners.
That you have managed to lose a fan like me is truly astonishing. My loyalty & my attendance shouldn't ever have been pushed to this breaking point but somehow you've managed it.
The other reasons behind my decision are as follows:
1) Benchmarking. I'll break this into 2 parts:
- In the incredibly patronising FAQ article published on Friday 31/5 you stated that your prices were 'cheaper than most' in the Premier League. This is not true and it is insulting to suggest otherwise. Other clubs publish their season tickets on their website so it isn't hard to find the figures to disprove your claim.
- In his rambling column in the Express & Star Jeff Shi stated that the aim was to be 'not too much higher and not too much lower' than our peers. It shouldn't matter what other clubs are charging. If other clubs are fleecing their fans as well, that's their shame, I expect my club to hold itself to a higher standard. Equally, if other clubs are charging lower prices I'm not going to go and watch their games instead. I'm not a fan of Leicester, Aston Villa or Newcastle and have no interest in how much they charge for admission to their stadiums.
2) Income vs Spending. Wolves have stated that this increase is crucial to compete at a high level. This is also complete nonsense. Wolverhampton Wanderers does not have an income problem, it has a spending problem. We had over £70M worth of players out on loan last season. Players who our management have spent vast sums of money on only to decide they weren't good enough. Players who other clubs now can't afford to sign because we can't take the financial hit of letting them go for their true value after wasting so much money on them. We also reportedly spent £13M on agents fees last season despite barely signing anyone for the first team.
If a reduction in spending means a reduction in quality on the pitch then so be it, at least we'd still be by your side supporting the club and inevitably renewing our season tickets every year. It doesn't have to be that way though and you know it. Wolves can absolutely spend within their means, retain a respectable position within the league AND not alienate their fans with obscenely high ticket prices.
I'd also like to point out the example of Fortuna Düsseldorf who have reduced their admission prices significantly, are actually trialling games where they let fans in for free and have seen their commercial revenue go up. There was a time when Wolves might've done something brave like this. Not any more.
3) Mental Health. Wolves have received praise nationally recently for their work raising awareness for Mental Health charities. These ticket prices must feel like a punch in the gut for the people who work for the Wolves Foundation. Financial difficulties, the loss of routine, the loss of the social aspect of football, of the shared community spirit which holds a football club together, the feeling of betrayal by an institution which really should have your best interests at heart... These are all things which can cause vulnerable people to spiral into depression. This has been highlighted to the club multiple times since the announcement but the only communication we have had in return is 'don't be sad mate'. Utterly shameful.
4) Disabled/U14s tickets. The price rises for these categories are truly unconscionable. I have no words.
5) The price. What it all boils down to. £735 for my ticket in the South Bank. It's not worth it and I've no idea how anyone can look at that price and think it is.
6) Jeff Shi. Jeff Shi is a proven liar. He has lied to fans, managers, players and backroom staff in his time here. He has treated those fans, former managers & former players with nothing but disrespect. He has handled this entire debacle appallingly. He has previously spoken of his disdain for 'legacy fans' like myself and in his rambling column in the Express & Star spoke of how he dislikes talk of owners being 'custodians' of football clubs. I would like it on record that I find those thoughts to be utterly at odds with every aspect of football supporting culture. He clearly has no idea of how important football clubs are to individuals and to the communities they are supposed to serve. The fact that he still has not managed to grasp this fact after so long in his current role only speaks to his lack of character.
I'm not actually sure what it would take to recover my support at this stage but rest assured, it can be recovered. As I mentioned earlier on, I was absolutely desperate to renew this season. I implore anyone who reads this email to do everything they can to help reverse this decision and salvage whatever good will is left from fans like myself. Perhaps there is no appetite to do so? Perhaps the owners would be happier with someone paying the extortionate match day prices, someone who would buy some overpriced tat in the club shop and spend hours in the stadium buying food & drink only to return home and never think about Wolverhampton Wanderers again after the match is done. Personally, I think that would be a crying shame and an incredibly short sighted stance to take for someone who wrote recently that he wanted to be considered a 'long-termist'.
Our club motto is 'Out of Darkness Cometh Light'. It has been close to the dark before, ran into the ground by owners wanting to drain it for every penny. It found it's way back into the light. Among the group of friends who I attend match days with are some of the grandsons of one of the men involved in saving our club in those dark days. Like me they grew up a long way from Wolverhampton but their love for the club transcended generations. I'll miss them and the rest of my friends next season. I can only hope that the club finds it's way out of this dark spell.
Regards,
