Statement from fan groups ahead of new season

Ric said:
Not sure if already posted, but it's an important message that deserves it's own thread, as these changes affect many of us:

Click to expand...

Thats interesting and captures the issues well. Its by Fan Groups though. I don't see City Matters signature at the bottom. I wonder what their take on this is?
 
I didn't realise the exchange had gone back yet again to only allowing you to list up to 24 hours before a game.

So if I or my 8 year old wake up really ill, it'd count as a complete non attendance and a few of those and we may lose our ticket. As I have zero people to transfer it to. Zero. No friends who like football (hardly any friends full stop). So it would go unused. There was no reason to scrap being able to list on the day. You don't always list for "being on holiday". Some people get ill without 24 hours notice.
More stress.

I was in Manc on Wed and nipped to the ground. Usually dead excited for the start of the season. I didn't. I felt anxiety and dread. I know that's just me.
 
Saddleworth2 said:
Thats interesting and captures the issues well. Its by Fan Groups though. I don't see City Matters signature at the bottom. I wonder what their take on this is?
Click to expand...
The head of Citymatters had advance notice of the statement. Not all groups need to be on the same statements clearly there will be differences in getting agreement all the time and everyone is entitled to convey differing views.. if there are any
 
One of my mates (not a member currently) uses my son's ticket for CL and FAC occasionally, he's tried to get a member number but failed before the deadline, so is now frozen out unless he pays for membership, and full price for a ticket. He's only an "occasional" matchgoer, but he'll now become a none matchgoer due to the distance he lives from Manchester.

City really don't help themselves at times.
 
Re the ticket exchange, I'm not even sure I understand it, do you have to put a ticket on there more than 24 hours ahead ? Next we'll need a sick note for not attending.

I thought they said the facial recognition wasn't going to be "in use" ?
 
cleavers said:
Re the ticket exchange, I'm not even sure I understand it, do you have to put a ticket on there more than 24 hours ahead ? Next we'll need a sick note for not attending.

I thought they said the facial recognition wasn't going to be "in use" ?
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They have said that it won't be used, but begs the question why would you install it if you have no intention of planning to use it one day..
 
I can’t read the statement in full as the screenshot cuts off the bottom. I don’t have X and if I click on the link I have to login in to something which I don’t want to do. Can you post the full statement in here please ?
 
OntarioBlue said:
I can’t read the statement in full as the screenshot cuts off the bottom. I don’t have X and if I click on the link I have to login in to something which I don’t want to do. Can you post the full statement in here please ?
Click to expand...
Here you go mate:

-------------------------------------------------

AS WE ENTER THE NEW SEASON

Last season saw unprecedented off-pitch unrest among City fans in the post-Maine Road era. Despite recent success on the field, two major in-stadium protests took place, with an estimated 16,000+ fans delaying their entry at the Leicester and Wolves games, and thousands more joining silent protests.

The triggers were rising ticket prices, season ticket availability, poor supporter engagement (including the Club refusing to meet City Matters on ticket prices for months), and away fans in home sections - often linked to third-party resellers like Viagogo, whose new partnership with the Club proved the breaking point.

The announcements of a season ticket price freeze and reduced matchday prices for 2025/26 were welcomed as a sign of renewed fan engagement. Unfortunately, the Club has instead introduced sweeping changes to season ticket terms and conditions, hitting some of our most loyal supporters and damaging long-standing fan culture.

New season ticket changes:
  • 10-game minimum personal attendance policy (first of its kind in English football)
  • Minimum ticket usage policy up to 16 of 19 games (up from 14 last year, 10 the year before, and none at all in past seasons).
  • A limit of three nominated unpaid members to receive transferred tickets, and no notice given for a 1 week window to complete this.
  • Nominations for the above restricted to 3 short windows (at first it was just one, with additional windows were only brought in after criticism)
  • A ban on transferring tickets to other season ticket holders.
  • Ticket exchange now only available 24+ hours before a game (was 3 hours for some games).
  • Season ticket download limit: twice per season.

Changes for all supporters:
  • Random ticket collection + ID checks for away games.
  • NFC-only stadium entry (ending barcode use), disadvantaging older or less tech-savvy fans.
  • New turnstile scanners installed with facial recognition capability.

Fans have raised serious concerns about the fairness of the 10-game attendance rule and the restrictions on transferring tickets – especially as the latter directly undermines the stated aim of “keeping the stadium full.” There are also fears some of these rules won’t apply equally to hospitality season ticket holders, introducing worries of inequality between fans.

These changes create unnecessary workload for ticket office staff, introduce barriers for digitally excluded fans, force some into paid memberships, and erode supporter culture. All while City Matters, our elected Fan Advisory Board, has repeatedly faced delays and broken deadlines for meeting minutes, with the most recent minutes now 59 days overdue from the June meeting.

No one wants constant conflict with the Club, but when official channels fail, protest becomes the only option. Last season proved that fan action can drive change.

We call on all Blues to:
  • Track and record if and how these changes affect you.
  • Make your voice heard – online, via City Matters, and through fan groups.
  • Join fan groups such as 1894, the Disabled Supporters Association, Canal Street Blues, Trade Union Blues, and your local OSC branch to discuss issues with fellow Blues.

Find your City Matters reps here: www.mancity.com/club/city-matters

We ask of the club:
  • Rethink the current policies around personal attendance and ticket transferral with supporters in mind.
  • Take a “fans first” approach when it comes to all future policies affecting supporters, engaging in meaningful consultation with fan representatives.
  • Honour your own commitments to publishing City Matters meeting minutes on time, within 10 days of the meetings.

City ‘Til We Die!

Signed:

1894
Canal Street Blues
MCFC Fans Foodbank Support
Solid Citizens
Trade Union Blues.
 
OntarioBlue said:
I can’t read the statement in full as the screenshot cuts off the bottom. I don’t have X and if I click on the link I have to login in to something which I don’t want to do. Can you post the full statement in here please ?
Click to expand...
AS WE ENTER THE NEW SEASON


Last season saw unprecedented off-pitch unrest among City fans in the post-Maine Road era. Despite recent success on the field, two major in-stadium protests took place, with an estimated 16,000+ fans delaying their entry at the Leicester and Wolves games, and thousands more joining silent protests.


The triggers were rising ticket prices, season ticket availability, poor supporter engagement (including the Club refusing to meet City Matters on ticket prices for months), and away fans in home sections - often linked to third-party resellers like Viagogo, whose new partnership with the Club proved the breaking point.


The announcements of a season ticket price freeze and reduced matchday prices for 2025/26 were welcomed as a sign of renewed fan engagement.


Unfortunately, the Club has instead introduced sweeping changes to season ticket terms and conditions, hitting some of our most loyal supporters and damaging long-standing fan culture.


New season ticket changes:


  • 10-game minimum personal attendance policy (first of its kind in English football)
  • Minimum ticket usage policy up to 16 of 19 games (up from 14 last year, 10 the year before, and none at all in past seasons).
  • A limit of three nominated unpaid members to receive transferred tickets, and no notice given for a 1 week window to complete this.
  • Nominations for the above restricted to 3 short windows (at first it was just one, with additional windows were only brought in after criticism)
  • A ban on transferring tickets to other season ticket holders.
  • Ticket exchange now only available 24+ hours before a game (was 3 hours for some games).
  • Season ticket download limit: twice per season.

Changes for all supporters:


  • Random ticket collection + ID checks for away games.
  • NFC-only stadium entry (ending barcode use), disadvantaging older or less tech-savvy fans.
  • New turnstile scanners installed with facial recognition capability.

Fans have raised serious concerns about the fairness of the 10-game attendance rule and the restrictions on transferring tickets - especially as the latter directly undermines the stated aim of "keeping the stadium full." There are also fears some of these rules won't apply equally to hospitality season ticket holders, introducing worries of inequality between fans.


These changes create unnecessary workload for ticket office staff, introduce barriers for digitally excluded fans, force some into paid memberships, and erode supporter culture. All while City Matters, our elected Fan Advisory Board, has repeatedly faced delays and broken deadlines for meeting minutes, with the most recent minutes now 59 days overdue from the June meeting


No one wants constant conflict with the Club, but when official channels fail, protest becomes the only option. Last season proved that fan action can drive change.


We call on all Blues to:


  • Track and record if and how these changes affect you.
  • Make your voice heard - online, via City Matters, and through fan groups.
  • Join fan groups such as 1894, the Disabled Supporters Association, Canal Street Blues, Trade Union Blues, and your local OSC branch to discuss issues with fellow Blues.

Find your City Matters reps here: www.mancity.com/club/city-matters


We ask of the club:


  • Rethink the current policies around personal attendance and ticket transferral with supporters in mind.
  • Take a "fans first" approach when it comes to all future policies affecting supporters, engaging in meaningful consultation with fan representatives.
  • Honour your own commitments to publishing City Matters meeting minutes on time, within 10 days of the meetings.

City 'Til We Die!


CFCFAM


1894, Canal Street Blues,


MCFC Fans Foodbank Support, Solid Citizens, Trade Union Blues.
 
The changes are really causing me some turmoil. Despite my user name I actually live in Manchester (after moving back from Canada). However I am moving out of the area in a few weeks and although I have renewed my seasoncard it’s highly unlikely that I will be able to attend more than a handful of home games. The round trip to the Etihad, including game time, will be over ten hours.

Under normal circumstances I would have used the ticket exchange or friends and family to transfer the ticket when I can’t attend but now I’m thinking I might as well just call the Club and cancel my seasoncard. They won’t let me renew it anyway next season. If I do hand it back I will just have to rely on SKY/TNT and IPTV to watch the team I have supported for over 60 years.

It’s very sad and just a little bit unnecessary in my opinion.
 
kippaxkid74 said:
I didn't realise the exchange had gone back yet again to only allowing you to list up to 24 hours before a game.

So if I or my 8 year old wake up really ill, it'd count as a complete non attendance and a few of those and we may lose our ticket. As I have zero people to transfer it to. Zero. No friends who like football (hardly any friends full stop). So it would go unused. There was no reason to scrap being able to list on the day. You don't always list for "being on holiday". Some people get ill without 24 hours notice.
More stress.

I was in Manc on Wed and nipped to the ground. Usually dead excited for the start of the season. I didn't. I felt anxiety and dread. I know that's just me.
Click to expand...


Yeah a couple of times last season we had to turn around on the journey because of snow and ice in the borders - that would mean we’d be 50% of the way to getting punted by the club for life now.
 

cleavers said:
Re the ticket exchange, I'm not even sure I understand it, do you have to put a ticket on there more than 24 hours ahead ? Next we'll need a sick note for not attending.
Click to expand...


It used to be up til 3 hours before kick off. Then 2 seasons ago I think they did a season of you having "up.til 24 hours before kick off to list your ticket".
Last season they changed it back to up to 3 hours due to protest about being unfair if you wake up ill. But this season back to 24 hours, as to them they push the transfer option. I've no one to transfer to. And even if I did (and I don't) they shouldn't have changed it to 24 hours for the exchange.
 
Are some of these changes even legal? Take the minimum ten game attendance one. If a person has paid their money to attend a game upfront but can't attend what right does the club have to demand an explanation, or penalise the person for not showing up? They paid for the seat it's their decision what they do with it surely?
If clubs hadn't sold themselves to tv then they might have a point, but people have lives outside of football and have to plan ahead. They do but tv then alters everything throwing those plans up in the air.
We all know this is the start of making it more and more difficult to retain a season ticket until eventually they are gone forever. Nobody likes being dictated to, attending a football game is supposed to be a pleasure not a chore.
 
paulchapo said:
Are some of these changes even legal? Take the minimum ten game attendance one. If a person has paid their money to attend a game upfront but can't attend what right does the club have to demand an explanation, or penalise the person for not showing up? They paid for the seat it's their decision what they do with it surely?
If clubs hadn't sold themselves to tv then they might have a point, but people have lives outside of football and have to plan ahead. They do but tv then alters everything throwing those plans up in the air.
We all know this is the start of making it more and more difficult to retain a season ticket until eventually they are gone forever. Nobody likes being dictated to, attending a football game is supposed to be a pleasure not a chore.
Click to expand...
If they are just not accepting a season ticket renewal from someone then there’s nothing illegal about that. They don’t even need to say why.
 
Changes for all supporters:
  • Random ticket collection + ID checks for away games.
  • NFC-only stadium entry (ending barcode use), disadvantaging older or less tech-savvy fans.
  • New turnstile scanners installed with facial recognition capability.
Click to expand...

The club can fuck off, what's with all these barriers?

It has to be about profit.
 
OntarioBlue said:
The changes are really causing me some turmoil. Despite my user name I actually live in Manchester (after moving back from Canada). However I am moving out of the area in a few weeks and although I have renewed my seasoncard it’s highly unlikely that I will be able to attend more than a handful of home games. The round trip to the Etihad, including game time, will be over ten hours.

Under normal circumstances I would have used the ticket exchange or friends and family to transfer the ticket when I can’t attend but now I’m thinking I might as well just call the Club and cancel my seasoncard. They won’t let me renew it anyway next season. If I do hand it back I will just have to rely on SKY/TNT and IPTV to watch the team I have supported for over 60 years.

It’s very sad and just a little bit unnecessary in my opinion.
Click to expand...
I'd implore you not to cancel your season ticket. The club have performed plenty of U-turns recently following pushback from fans and it's quite possible they could do the same with the 10 game minimum in-person attendance.

If they don't back down, consider getting a cheap burner phone that supports NFC and downloading your season ticket on to it. Then when you can't attend and family/friends go in your place just hand them the phone to scan themselves in so no need to transfer the ticket to F&F. Of course, if you're moving out of the area then the logistics of getting the phone to them and back to you might be an issue.
 
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