West Ham proudly announced had a record breaking day in the Ticket Office with over 9,360 supporters renewing their season tickets at the London Stadium for next season. That is a new record for the club and accounts for eighteen per cent of the current fifty-two thousand season ticket holders. A club insider said that previous renewals at the Boleyn Ground amounted to around three hundred on day one of the renewal window.
The announcement followed the confirmation that season ticket renews would be frozen in price but I am guessing that new season ticket will slightly rise when they become available as the club has made it clear the price freeze refers to renews only.
There is a little bit of marketing spin in these record figures. The 52,000 season ticket holders include up to 3,600 corporate Club London members all of which have signed up for three years so their automatic renewal was contractually obliged. Next was 3,000 band 5 season holders who paid two years up front when we increased from 54,000 to 57,000 capacity. They were renewed automatically too last Monday without lifting a finger.
Don’t get me wrong, the renewal of over 2,760 season ticket holders in one day was still an impressive feat considering that just a few hundred would renew on the day on before the move. Many of these early renewals are being driven by the promise of priority of relocation within the London Stadium on a first come, first served approach.
The logistics of how this mass migration will be completed is still unclear but it is potentially a logistical nightmare with thousands wanting to move seats.
On the financial side Interest-free credit for four months subject to a £30 admin fee and a low-interest loan at 6% over ten months (down from 19.9%) are also helping to spread the financial pain to supporters which is always welcome.
Reports that current away season tickets will not receive priority have been dismissed by the club as simply not true. I have been told that current away season ticket holders will receive priority if they sign up before the May deadline with the remaining allocation being sold on a first come, first served basis. However, the club do say the allocation of five hundred in the away scheme has never sold out in reality.
Season tickets holders will be able to both upgrade and downgrade bands in the relocation window subject to availability of seats elsewhere. You will first need to renew your season ticket at the current price and if you are successful with your band downgrade you will be credited back the money to you.
Upgrades from any of 10,000 junior season tickets to adult will be permitted but upgrades from junior to adult will not be allowed. The Under 16 season ticket holders will undergo an identity verification process before the beginning of September.
In twitter poll on social media of 400 season ticket holders 61% said they would renew their season ticket with 39% claiming they would not.
KUMB also ran a poll on their forums with nearly 300 voting. 41% said Yes 39% No with 18% Unsure
The London Stadium survey published yesterday had 4,392 supporters who claimed they were active season ticket holders.
2,546 fans say they will renew their season tickets which is around 58%, just 17% claim they won’t renew their season tickets which could account for as many as 8,840 seats if they really mean what they say! 1,082 were undecided which account for the remaining 25%; again history tells us many of them will bite the bullet and renew as the deadline gets closer so renewals could be as high as 83%. With a doubling of season ticket holders from 26,000 to 52,000 last season we were never going to get 100% renewals and not all of the reasons for non-renewal will be down to the London Stadium.
With the club claiming there are now 55,000 on the £10 waiting list for a season ticket holder we will soon see how many of those non-renewed season ticket seats are snapped up by the waiting list.
The club is keen to stress that this year the May deadline is the absolute deadline and you will lose your seat if you don’t renew in time. In previous years we have seen extensions for absent minded fans.
Key Dates
Friday 14 April Deadline for online Monthly Payment Plan applications. Applications can still be made before the renewal deadline but they must be made in person or by calling the Ticket Office.
Wednesday 31 May Renewal deadline. Make sure you renew by 5pm as, following this date, your seat will be made available to Season Ticket Holders wishing to relocate and offered to the 55,000-plus supporters on the Waiting List.
Thursday 1 June Priority relocation window opens. Seat relocations will be subject to seat availability at the end of the renewal window. Relocations will be prioritised by how early you renew your Season Ticket, and the priority window slots will be communicated to supporters nearer the time.
Thursday 15 June Priority relocation window closes.
Friday 16 June Season Tickets on sale to Waiting List.