March 24, (THEWILL) – Chelsea’s licence has been upgraded by the British government to allow them to sell tickets to specific matches.
When Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich had his assets frozen by the government, the club was barred from selling tickets to anyone other than current season ticket holders as part of the penalty.
As a consequence, Chelsea could only bring roughly 500 people to their FA Cup quarter-final win against Middlesbrough. The club’s initial attempt to play the game in an empty stadium for the sake of “sporting integrity” did not fly and was rounding condemned.
Now, Chelsea’s licence has been amended to allow limited ticket sales as long as the club does not get any of the proceeds.
The change primarily affects UEFA Champions League matches, with Chelsea now able to sell tickets for their forthcoming quarter-final against Real Madrid, as well as any further ties if they advance.
Similarly, the Blues can sell tickets to the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley versus Crystal Palace, although all earnings will go to the English FA.
Chelsea are still prohibited from selling tickets to their own fans for home games outside of existing season ticket holders in the Premier League, but away fans can now purchase tickets.
The club management is still in talks with the government about making amendments to the licence, which, based on the terms of the current license, will be in effect until the club is sold to a new owner.
The Raine Group is still reviewing prospective bids, with Catalina Kim, a member of Nick Candy’s Blue Football Consortium, admitting that they had hoped to learn the final shortlist by now.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
