Fans' Forum Minutes: April 2024

The event was chaired by Hannah Powis, the club’s Head of EDI and Engagement, and the panel of AFC Bournemouth representatives were:

• Neill Blake, Chief Executive
• Jim Frevola, President of Business Operations
• Chris Gerrish, Operations Director
• Nick Zombolas, Chief Ticketing Officer
• Steve Cuss, Head of Community Sports Trust and Women’s Team Manager

For the evening to run as smoothly as possible, and to enable club staff to further investigate ongoing matters ahead of the event, supporters were invited to submit questions in advance. This allowed the club to coordinate questions into general topics of discussion, removing any duplicates in the process, before opening each section to the floor for additional questions not submitted in advance. The below is a summary of what was said.

Owner and chairman Bill Foley was in attendance for the opening 15 minutes and before the main agenda points, took questions from the floor.

Question: How are the plans coming along for a new stadium?

BF explained that the club is taking a staggered approach to Canford, completing the men’s first-team section first, which will bring a knock-on effect to Vitality Stadium developments as this will enable the current office space to move into The Pavilion where the first team is currently based. There is a need to increase club revenues and improving the club’s infrastructure will help that. A new stadium is on the horizon, and while there is a lot still to be discussed, the current plan is to begin with 18,500 seats, with a view to increase this. BF said there is one eye on current interest rates as building a new stadium doesn’t come cheap and it is key that it can be built in an affordable way. 

Question: Is the planned stadium size not too small?

BF said the club is satisfied that 18,500 is the right number when balancing the finances to build it against the need to ensure the stadium is full. BF continued by saying any new stadium will have ways in which to expand, and that it won't be ready until 2027 or 2028.

Question: What does the future look like for the key players in the squad?

BF praised Dominic Solanke for having great year but stated that he is aware of the possibility that he may want to move on soon. BF reiterated that he doesn’t want to lose Dominic or any of the players, but he will make sure the deal is right for the club if it becomes a reality this summer. BF acknowledged that the squad is large at the moment, and that there probably is a chance that some will want to leave, but it is for the club to convince the players to want to stay, or to find appropriate replacements should they be required.

Question: With the stadium only in use a small number of days per year, what plans are in place to improve this?

BF advised that the club wants to make sure a new stadium is multi-purpose, that it can host other events such as concerts to help support the stadium sustain itself financially. BF described parallels to the venues in Las Vegas.

The evening then moved on to the prepared agenda.

Stadium and Matchday experience

1. Will the needs of those with additional needs be considered in our future plans?

JF referenced Bill’s comments about the stadium plans still being in their infancy, and as such confirmed that there is still plenty of fan engagement to be made on this topic. JF confirmed all fans’ needs will be considered.

2. With regards to the community and its physical presence. Will there be any plans to redesign, decorate and invest in the outside areas that the fans walk through such as the tunnel close to the stadium?

JF confirmed that this is currently in progress, that there is community involvement with local artists and the club hopes for the project to be complete by summer. JF advised that the club has had similar discussion regarding the Pokesdown station entrance/exit.

3. Could we invest in a local pub such as the Queen’s Park to make it more of a home fans pub with more merch, more activities on match days such as bands?

JF said he’d been to that particular pub on Saturday and then again on Tuesday with Bill. JF explained that the club is working with beverage partners to see if there might be opportunities in the local area, and that the club is looking at a kit drop initiative in such local establishments. JF acknowledged that it’s tough as there are many pubs in the area but where the club can engage it will.

4. With one of the fewest seats of any club in the league, does the club think it is fair to set aside so many tickets for the hospitality stand - which are almost double the normal ticket price?

NZ noted that the club still offers approximately 5% of the stadium to hospitality, where the Premier League average is around 12-15%. NZ stated that it is important for the club to offer more hospitality to provide supporters with different experiences and also to help subsidise general admission seating. The 5% of seating packaged with hospitality represents 33% of the total revenue generated across hospitality and ticketing. NZ advised that the club is mindful of the small stadium, but that it remains one of the lowest hospitality offerings in the league by percentage.

JF then said the change made recently by converting approximately 200 seats into hospitality helps keep general admission seats being raised by as much as 40%.

5. Are there any plans for a middle level of hospitality, maybe somewhere to sit with a buffet menu?

JF confirmed this is one of the plans being drawn up for when the back of the East Stand is vacated by first-team staff when the move to Canford takes place. JF acknowledged that it’s not everybody’s choice to have a three-course meal experience, and so it is important to offer up what he has heard termed as a ‘premium general admission’.

6. How does the club plan to assess the views of the fans when planning the usability of any new stadium?

JF guided that the club plans to have extensive consultation with a large number of groups; FAB, SEG, CT, as well as a larger consultation with the community, to make sure they’re on board with what is being considered. JF reiterated that the club doesn’t want to roll something out that only the club wants, that it’s important to ensure the club engages with supporters.

7. If you built a new stadium, how would you see its strategic role in Kings Park in terms of not only investing in the adjacent approaches to the stadium but also in bringing about a positive uplift to the park as a high quality greenspace benefiting wildlife and the public alike?

NB said the club is taking significant measures on this. NB advised there will be a lot of work to undertake together with the council to make sure all things are taken into account, but efforts to maintain greenspace are being considered.

8. Are you able to comment on why the ‘Nonny chant’ was suddenly removed from the pre-match atmosphere?

JF assured supporters that if the topic was something the club could comment on, it would. JF advised the chant wasn’t removed because the club doesn’t like the chant, or because of any connotations of its wording. JF said it’s simply not appropriate to answer. The club welcomes supporters continuing the chant at kick-off.

Operations

1. I am always saddened by any negative attitudes towards individual players, who might be the latest victim to be the subject of blame for any poor performances. True fans of great clubs support all their players who pull on the team shirt. How can we educate more of our fans to have a spirit of inclusivity and support for all the players during a game?

NB agreed that there have been multiple players receiving such abuse, that certain players have acknowledged it privately and have wanted to leave as a result. NB asked for supporters to try to get behind the players as much as possible as it does have an impact, especially when securing contract extensions, or when trying to attract players within what is a small world of football. NB stated that abuse is never going to help the team on the pitch, that it can only make things worse. NB said he is happy to listen to ideas on how to try to change the fans’ approach.

2. How do the board propose shortening the long turnstile queue times for the Steve Fletcher stand? Do we need an extra turnstile?

CG said the club wasn’t aware of this being an issue until this question was submitted in advance of the event, and as a result he had a look during the Everton game. The club noted a number of things that can be arranged to limit the impact of this, including increasing the number of female searchers. CG said the club remains a little unclear on what the issue is from a searching perspective and would appreciate supporters approaching the club on this with more feedback. The club has seen on average 97.5% of supporters scanned into the stadium at kick-off each match, towards the top of the PL.

NB reiterated that searching is a key component, and that the club has a responsibility to make the stadium the safest possible place it can be, that the club wouldn’t do it just to frustrate supporters.

3. There has been some negative social media PR recently due to banning of flasks, etc from the club. I appreciate this could be done for legitimate reasons. Are there any opportunities for better communications processes possibly by official media accounts on fans social media channels so messages can be accurately communicated and explaining underlining reasons?

JF said he has taken a number of questions on communication recently in fan group meetings, but that the topics raised as having not been communicated were included in various web articles and emails sent by the club. JF said the club doesn’t shy away from fronting up tough questions, and that it is trying to communicate as comprehensively as possible, but the communications are being made in advance.

4. The safe standing will this be extended to the south stand or is it an issue with the structure being temporary? Where we sit/stand is very vocal but we are restricted by not technically being able to stand to create an atmosphere?

CG outlined that the South Stand is a scaffold structure and that its engineering wouldn’t support it. CG encouraged supporters to share the message that the authorities have the power to reduce capacity due to the persistent standing problem where supporters continue to stand outside of the safe standing areas. CG said the club will work on moving supporters out of safe standing if they no longer want to be situated there, and that this will potentially open up an opportunity for supporters to move there.

JF said that with the size of our stadium, the club is always going to have tricky situations where it can’t facilitate every single supporter’s needs, that the club needs to hold some of those safe standing seats back for match day points holders, to prevent season ticket holders from having exclusivity of watching a match from there.

NZ explained that there were obstacles behind implementing the change mid-season, but that it was also a blessing in disguise as it allowed some supporters to trial the safe standing area for a smaller number of matches, than committing to an entire season. NZ said that s a result, there’s a chance there will be a number of spaces open up in the summer.

CG added that there’s a different system in place for the away end, dictated to the club by the SGSA. CG said the club has to consider persistent standers and will always encourage them to sit down. The whole away section does not include safe standing as there has to be an offer of seated tickets. The club reports to the away club afterwards which of their supporters were persistently standing, for the away club to manage themselves.

Commercial

1. How can we encourage investment opportunities for local businesses?

JF agreed that the club’s local business partners are just as important as those it engages with globally and confirmed that the club will continue to offer a wide range of sponsorship offers. JF noted that the club has more than 50 local businesses sponsoring the club.

Ticketing

1. As a season ticket holder and drummer in the South Stand. We are starting to create really good atmosphere in the stand. Most fans are max point holders but not all the time they can get the same seats week in week out. Is there a way to give max point holders the chance to purchase ticket before they go on sale?

NZ explained that the club started this season with significantly more max and near max points holders than at the same stage last year. NZ said the club is in the Premier League now and more supporters are purchasing nearly every league home game, and that the club regularly monitors the groups of points holders and will continue to make educated decisions on those point drops. NZ assured supporters that the first drop will continue to facilitate every person in the group next season, and acknowledged there is a balance to be made between rewarding loyalty and expanding the fan base ahead of a potential new stadium.

2. What's your plan to tackle tickets getting into the hands of the wrong people (e.g people who purchase tickets then give them to others or away fans)?

NZ said the club worked with the operations team to introduce a new sanctions policy to cover this. NZ added that as 95% of seats in the ground are sold to season ticket holders and high-level points holders, the issue comes down to ticket touting and ticket transfers, which completely defeats the object of a points system. NZ wants to encourage supporters to let the club know seat details so it can address incidents of this nature, which is a great help.

3. Have you a plan to look at ticketing history and loyalty over for the last 10 years and factor that into future options of gaining season tickets?

NZ said his department has undertaken a lot of work on the points system and has liaised with the club’s data team. NZ explained the club has a long history of ticketing data, which stretches beyond the current ticket provider, and this will definitely be taken into account. NZ added that the club is also considering current season ticket holders and how they are able to select new seats in any potential new stadium.

4. Why can’t a better and easier ticket purchasing process be implemented?

NZ spoke of the club’s frustration with its current ticketing provider, adding that the deal has one year remaining. NZ said that as a result of this, the club will be delaying the introduction of digital ticketing. NZ appreciated the feeling among supporters, said the club has tried to implement small changes to help, but acknowledged it needs to improve further.

5. How would you improve the opportunity for younger fans to attend matches?

NZ said the club knew pre-season matches, women’s team matches, and development squad matches weren’t selling out, so made the decision to incentivise attendances with a home point to give those younger fans the opportunity to attend a match, with a view to building up their chances of coming to a Premier League match. NZ revealed there has been a 24% growth in the 0-15 age group and a 19% growth in the 16-20 age group over the last 2 seasons.

6. Ticket prices - I understand the need to increase our income from tickets but the price hike this season has been steep- why so expensive? Is there a way tickets can be made more affordable?

JF acknowledged this, highlighting increased operating costs along with the recent investment in infrastructure and investment in players that are helping to grow the club. JF said it is never easy to make those decisions, but the club needs to keep up with its competitors, highlighting that only one of 11 PL clubs to have announced season tickets for next year are freezing their prices. JF said taking all of this into account, he does expect there to be an increase in the club’s prices next season but the rates are yet to be confirmed.

On prices, NZ added there is a need to expand the variety of our offering in the long-term, and one of the benefits of a potential new stadium is how it could bring differing vantage points, which may be priced accordingly.

Women’s Team/Community

1. If the women’s team were to reach WSL in 5 years, where would they play their home games?

SC said with the women’s game growing at such a pace, it’s important we keep up. SC spoke of the new training facility at Canford as a potential venue, and suggested an improved Ringwood will also be included. SC added that the improvements made to the club’s infrastructure provides a number of options, and that the club needs to make sure it has facilities one step ahead of the level it is playing at.

2. How do the club plan to develop their community programme in schools?

SC said the work is constantly developing, with education a top priority. SC said the Community Sports Trust is generally in around 20 schools a day, running two different Premier League programmes, Primary Stars and Inspires. SC said there is a great team of 36 staff in and out of schools on a constant basis, who know the impact they can have in inspiring young people in many ways. SC said the CST is in huge demand and is trying to reach as many schools as it possibly can.

3. The club has a rich and varied history of helping the community, and it's great, and sincerely appreciated, to see this continuing: what new initiatives can we look forward to?

SC spoke of the CST’s passion for its work in the local community, that it is looking to continue offering its core activity, while remaining keen to listen to new programme ideas and how it can work with new groups. SC said the CST offers hot meals to children during school holidays, and this offering is now expanding to provide breakfast in schools where classroom activity is delivered. ‘Cherries, Together’ is a new programme the club is working on, which seeks to engage with those harder to reach groups.

First Team and training ground

1. Could you provide an insight into the club’s long-term strategy for player development and talent recruitment?

NB said achieving category 2 status in the academy was a priority, and as the club builds the site at Canford, it will aim to obtain category 1 status once complete. NB said the club can see the results already and are beginning to attract better young talent, while acknowledging the importance of the multi-club model. NB said the club is scouting all around the world at young age groups, and the multi-club model gives the club the opportunity to develop the players under its umbrella, offering a development pathway across a number of top-flight leagues across the world.

2. When the new training facility is open will there be an opportunity for fans to take tours?

NB acknowledged that the work on the Canford site is delayed, but that once next season finishes, the club will be in a better position to look into this. NB noted this is not something the club can offer in the short-term while it remains a construction site.

3. Where do you see AFCB in 5 years’ time on and off the pitch?

NB said that first of all, having first class facilities is the most important step in order to attract the best players. NB reiterated that Bill Foley wants European football, but warned that the club can’t become reliant on one owner to keep writing cheques, and so the infrastructure allowing the club to help better run itself is key. NB said that he wants to create a secure future for AFC Bournemouth in the top-flight. NB said the club has come a long way from his first day 15 years ago when the club had bailiffs at the door.

Financial

1. How are the club monitoring and managing compliance to the Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules?

NB confirmed the club knows exactly where it stands in regard to its financial submissions each year, and is comfortable with the current level. NB added that the accounts published recently show that the club is in a good place.

AOB

Question: As a max points holder, it is so difficult to get tickets together. Can max points holders have specific seats earmarked for them?

NZ said the club has roughly 3,000 max points holders now, and said this would create a de facto season ticket. NZ spoke of the need to diversify our supporter base, and the need to provide a chance for others to attend, while balancing existing supporters as well. NZ said the club needs to look ahead to the new stadium and ensure it has the right number of seats available, adding that it is difficult to talk about being a community club if we close off the opportunity for others to attend.

Question: Can the South Stand be expanded?

NB said it is extremely complicated, mainly because the club needs to ensure emergency vehicles can access the whole stadium. After detailing how the club had already looked into the idea, which included having to build a vehicle access route underneath the stand, NB said redeveloping the current stadium is much more complex as a business case, as it would be expensive and take longer than building a new one.