On 11 September 2024, West Ham United held its first Fan Advisory Board (FAB) meeting, bringing together elected representatives from the supporter base with senior club officials. 

As it was the first meeting, the agenda covered important administrative topics to set the FAB up for success, alongside a focus on the club’s ticketing and concession policy. 

As part of the meeting, Andy Payne from Hammers United was appointed Co-Chair of the FAB, alongside Cat Smith, Head of Supporter Services & Fan Engagement. Austin Gigg, from the Junior Supporters Board was appointed Vice-Chair. These votes were carried unanimously. 

A vote was also taken on having an additional role on the FAB, representing the Away Season Ticket scheme. This vote was carried, and an election will take place ahead of the next FAB meeting. 

Attendees:

Date: September 11, 2024 6-8pm
Location: London Stadium / Virtual 

Fan Advisory Board representatives: 

1. Andy Payne (Hammers United)
2. Apu Vyas (Inclusive Irons)
3. Austin Gigg (Junior Supporters Board)
4. Cathy Bayford (Disabled Supporters Association)
5. James Brown (Claret Member)
6. Joshua Dodd (Pride of Irons) attended virtually
7. Kevin Hind (West Ham United Supporters Trust) attended virtually
8. Martine Dodwell-Bennett (Bondholders Committee)
9. Mike Field (Old School Hammers)
10. Peter Tyler (Co-Chair, West Ham Women’s Supporters Board)
11. Paul Christmas (West Ham Official Supporters Club)
12. Scotty Burkhart (Overseas Supporters Rep) attended virtually

Club Representatives: 

13. Tara Warren, Executive Director, West Ham United
14. Nicola Keye, Director of Ticketing, Executive Director of the Women’s Team
15. Catherine Smith, Head of Supporter Services and Fan Engagement
16. David Chaplin, Head of MarComms Operations
17. Dan Francis, Senior Communications and Editorial Manager

Additional attendees: 

18. Ashley Brown (Head of Governance and Supporter Engagement, FSA)

Agenda:

1. Introductions and Overview
2. Appointment of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
3. Overview of West Ham United and role of the FAB 
4. Concession Policy and Ticketing Strategy
5. Away Season Ticket Scheme Vote 
6. Fan demographic data ask and timeline 
7. Ways of working 
8. AOB 

Key Points Discussed:

Concessions and Ticket Pricing

• The Club’s concession policy and ticket pricing was a significant theme throughout the meeting
• Supporter Representatives shared stories and feedback from fans and their members who had very serious concerns about the current policy to show the impact of that policy and pointed to other public displays of dissatisfaction, including a fan petition which had 20,000 signatures, and total negative sentiment expressed from supporters who attend the Supporters Club
• The Club confirmed they would discuss accessible concessionary policy with the Disabled Supporters Board. The Supporter Representatives stressed that this should also undergo consultation via the FAB and it was agreed this would be discussed with both consultation bodies
• Supporter Representatives stated that there was real anger that has been expressed on the Club’s concessionary policy. The Club acknowledged this anger and recognised a consultation process had been needed for changes for this nature and re-iterated its commitment to consultation with the fan representatives going forward
• Supporter Representatives also noted the Club’s overall affordability and pricing structure and the need to remain financially competitive
• Supporter Representatives encouraged the Club to work with them to find solutions for the future that either fully reverted to the 2023/2024 pricing structure or enabled affordable and fair levels of concessionary discount across the stadium.
• Supporter Representatives offered to work with the Club on building a policy, understanding what financial targets the Club wants to achieve over the coming years and working on solutions to hit those targets without penalising those who have age and disability concessions. 
• Supporter Represented urged the Club to uphold existing promises made to supporters e.g. founder junior concessions. The Club agreed any commitments would be considered as part of any policy changes
  

Improving Understanding of Policies:

• The club emphasized its desire to establish clear and transparent policies that are easy to understand and communicate to fans, undergoing consultation on critical policy changes.
• Supporter Representatives gave positive suggestions on how to bring specific policies to life, including the Club and Supporter Representatives creating and editing content together to help mitigate misunderstandings among the supporter base.
  
  

Season Ticket Utilisation:

• The discussion touched on the importance of maximising attendance and seat utilisation during the season. Both the Club and Supporter Representatives expressed a shared goal of ensuring that as many fans as possible can experience match days and acknowledged the clear need for the loyalty price benefits afforded to season ticket holders to be realised, to have a full crowd behind the team and in recognition of those on the Season Ticket waiting list who are purchasing match-by-match tickets. It was noted that supporters have the chance to ticket forward free of charge or resell their ticket via the Ticket Exchange. 
• The Club shared they would be contacting supporters who do not list or attend (utilise) their seat and that it may be necessary to revoke ticket privileges. In response, Supporter Representatives said that the current system was not very well publicised and that there was confusion amongst fans about how it worked. 
• Fan representatives suggested that there were a number of potential reasons why Season Ticket Holders may not take their seat for some matches and offered suggestions for how to encourage use of the system, including more communication, a review of the Club Cash refund system whereby Season Ticket Holders can only get their money back via credit against merchandise or a future season ticket and the timings of when supporters are able to list their ticket on the Ticket Exchange. Club and Supporter Representatives agreed to work together to investigate further and spread this message 
  

Inclusivity and Accessibility:

• The meeting underscored the club's commitment to inclusivity, with Supporter Representatives stating their intention to advocate for accessibility and inclusivity through the FAB.  The Club agreed to review existing policies with a key goal being having games accessible for all. The Club clarified the existing concession policy, confirming the accessible concessionary policy is unchanged for the 2024/25 season, and that any proposed changes would be specifically brought to the Disabled Supporters Board and the FAB for consultation

Future Fan Engagement and Strategy:

• The FAB agreed to work collaboratively on shaping future ticketing strategies. This will involve ongoing consultation, workshops and an open dialogue to address fan concerns and with the goal of decisions reflect the diverse needs of the West Ham United community. The Club stated it is eager to create a policy that is transparent, fair, and forward-looking.

Agreed Actions:

• Supporter Representatives to work with the Club in an open and transparent way to submit any further suggestions regarding ticketing and concession policies for the Club (Due: In good time for December FAB meeting)
• The Club to review all supporter feedback, creating a proposal for consultation (Due: December meeting) 
• The Club to share the plan for the election of the Away Season Ticket Scheme member with Supporter Representatives (Due: 26 September) 
• The Club to deliver Away Scheme election (Due: December meeting) 
• The Club to consider additional communication channels to enhance the club’s communication strategies, including exploring the use of podcasts, Q&A sessions, and direct emails to better inform fans about ticketing policies and seat utilization (Due: December meeting)
• The Club will offer a meeting to Supporter Representatives to share its current approach to encouraging use of the Ticket Exchange and Ticket Forwarding, asking Supporter Representatives to provide feedback (Due: October) 
• The Club will consult the Disabled Supporters Board on any changes to ticketing policy as part of their formal meetings with Club executives (Due: November)