That’s a figure comparable to Harry Arter’s salary for this season – or half that of Divock Origi, for that matter. It’s also roughly equivalent to the difference in prize money for finishing one place higher in the Premier League table.
Nottingham Forest are estimated to generate between £2 million and £2.5 million ($2.5 million to $3.1 million) in additional revenue after deciding to increase season ticket prices by 24 percent on average.
In football terms, that’s not a significant amount of money. Forest’s earnings last season – their first return to the Premier League – stood at £154.8million. So for the club it looks like a big gamble for very little reward. And at stake is Forest’s most precious asset: his relationship with the fans.
For the better part of three seasons, Forest’s greatest asset has been the fierce sense of unity and togetherness at the City Ground. The wall of noise at the famous old stadium helped push Steve Cooper’s side over the finish line to promotion and then kept them in the Premier League last season.
Cooper spoke of a club and a city with “a football soul”. But with its current course of action, is the club hierarchy at risk of selling this soul?
There are several factors that explain why the decision to increase prices makes sense from a business perspective. The main one is the simple logic of generating the highest possible revenue from your product. (Forest are far from alone on this front; they are not the first and will not be the last club to raise prices.)
Forest will point out that their tickets remain among the most affordable in the league. They will watch as Premier League clubs have unanimously voted in favor of a new set of spending rules, which will come into force at the start of the 2025-26 campaign.
The team cost measures will replace the current Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR) that Forest recently fell victim to – leading to their four-point deduction, which is under appeal – with spending limits determined by a club’s turnover and player sales. Indeed, a flexible salary cap replaces the traditional rigid safety net providing for acceptable losses.
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How Nottingham Forest receive their four-point deduction for PSR breach
For Forest, this effectively means it will have to cut costs further unless it can increase revenue.
As President Tom Cartledge said in the release announcing the start of ticket renewals: “We aspire to keep our season passes among the most affordable in the league. At the same time, it is imperative that the club continues to grow financially in order to remain competitive, particularly in light of the upcoming Squad Cost Ratio rules, which will cap spending as a percentage of club revenue.
All of this is true. Although there is a very real threat that Forest will not be in the top flight next season and the deadline for renewals comes at a time when there are still two games remaining – where Forest’s fate could be undecided.
Supporters are therefore being asked to commit, without knowing whether they are paying to watch Premier League or Championship football.
The fact that Cartledge’s Twitter account appears to have been deleted or temporarily suspended could speak to some fans’ reaction, even if he wasn’t personally responsible for the decision. He was only its public face.
The fee structure was drawn up by chief operating officer Paul Bell, who previously held a similar role at Leeds United, before joining Forest at the start of March, and was approved by the club’s ownership group.
Running a football club is about more than just operating like a normal business. You are not just the owner: you are the guardian of something more. It is a community asset, part of the urban fabric. Forest previously seemed not only to have recognized it, but to have actively embraced it.
The decision of the Forza Garibaldi supporters’ group to withdraw its cooperation regarding the planned display of flags/banners during the upcoming home match against Manchester City is something that gives a clear picture of the supporters’ state of mind .
“While this is far from the ideal time, we feel we have no choice but to take a stand,” Forza said in a statement. “We understand that this may disappoint some of you as well as the team who need our support, but it is important for us as a group to not let this decision by the club go without action.
“While we realize that such a move may ultimately prove futile, we believe it is appropriate to demonstrate our frustration at this time and highlight how vital supporters are to the club. We remain keen to maintain these visual displays, but only at a time when the club is ready to listen and recognize these real supporters’ concerns.
A statement on the recent announcement of season card pricing for the 2024-25 season: pic.twitter.com/hk2jw7gmbM
– Forza Garibaldi (@Forza_Garibaldi) April 17, 2024
While many will be grateful to Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis for his continued financial support – in March he turned £41million of additional loans into share capital – Forest are not owned by one man. That’s up to the fans.
As Forza’s statement also points out: “Some may now be faced with the difficult problem of explaining to their children that they cannot afford to take them to Forest. Is this really what the club wants?
These fans supported Forest during the Covid pandemic, with many paying for their season tickets even though they couldn’t attend matches. Even though the support from the stands was exceptional during the promotion season, there were still half-season tickets on sale. The club’s remarkable rise since then has attracted enormous interest. It sparked something throughout the city, far beyond the confines of the stadium. But it is something that must be defended rather than exploited.
Additionally, people in Nottingham – like many others in the UK – are experiencing financial difficulties due to the cost of living crisis and inflation.
Forest can point to the fact that 11,000 people have now paid £10 for a place on a waiting list for season tickets – a message which, whether intentional or not, had the distinct nuance of a warning when it has been issued: if you do not renew, there are many others who will take your place.
All of this has resulted in a rapid wave of renewals, which the club says are reaching record levels despite rising costs. But that is only a reflection of the unwavering loyalty of Forest fans.
Former Bayern Munich club president Uli Hoeness was once asked why his club chose to cap the price of season tickets at €104. “Let’s say we charge €300,” he said. “We would get 2 million euros? When discussing a transfer, you can discuss this amount for five minutes. But the difference between €104 and €300 is enormous for the fan. We don’t think fans are like cows that you milk.
Forest’s most expensive adult season ticket has gone on sale for £850, up from £660 for 2023-24, while the cheapest ticket has gone from £465 to £550.
The club also announced an adjustment to the age groups for ticket grouping. Last season, fans aged 12 to 19 could purchase a youth season ticket. But these bands were changed, reducing the age range from 14 to 17 years old. The cost of children’s season tickets, meanwhile, has increased from as low as £90 to an overall price of £190, representing a 111% increase on last season.
Reducing the youth category from 19 to 17 has created a situation where someone who has just turned 18 can see their price rise from £190 to £850 in the premium areas of the Brian Clough or Peter Taylor Stands.
The Forest Supporters Trust (NFST) also issued a statement, the final paragraph of which summed up its mood.
“NFST strongly opposes these price increases which will have a negative impact on all supporters attending matches. We believe the incredible support from our fans has been a key factor in the remarkable success of these past few seasons. This is no way to reward this contribution,” he said.
This is the first time that the trust, formed in 2017, has rightly criticized the club. This is a sign of the importance of their intervention.
Forza and NFST have expressed concerns that the opinions they expressed at a recent fan advisory board meeting were apparently not listened to. As a result, Forza requested an emergency meeting of this board to voice its concerns.
During the last two home matches, against Manchester City and Chelsea, the City Ground will be filled to the brim: thousands of supporters will take their seats in the hope of bringing Nuno Espirito Santo’s team to safety.
The truth is that, even if they are relegated, the City Ground will undoubtedly be packed again next season. But it would be a huge shame if some of those who have had this remarkable journey with the club and played their own part in it found that their experience with Forest must come to an end because they can no longer afford to continue.
(Top photo: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)