Lewes FC ‘Austerity’ Measure Over Entrance Costs Is Both Wrong & Leaves A Sour Taste in the Mouth

Chris Harris argues using any opportunity to extract money from fans is both wrong, counter productive and greedy.

It should have been an exciting fixture for Lewes FC. A match at home November 7th versus Brighton and Hove Albion under 23’s in the Sussex Senior Cup. Brighton and Hove Albion are the current champions of Sussex. Their 14^th title.

The cost to get into the world class Amex stadium for the final in May this year was £10.

It is a meaningless cup, unloved, but a competition all clubs must enter, hence £10 for the final.

 So why the hell are Lewes a few months later in the same competition charging £12 for a knock out match? £12 is the entrance fee for our current successful league campaign. £12 for a meaningless competition is disgraceful. The lay person view is that maybe £6 would be a just entrance fee. Throw in as well, the Board managed to cock up the concessions, now rectified, but charged £8.00 concessions !

 As ever when there is a prospect of a windfall, Lewes FC are keen to maximise income. But is that fair enough, we are a cash strapped community club after all ? Or is it pure greed and a slap in the face to the ‘community’ membership who have stuck through some rough times and frankly could do with a pat on the back for loyalty. Surely getting Brighton should be considered a ‘touch’ or ‘a spot of luck’ not an excuse for the Board to greedily extract as much as they can for the supporters.

Let us remember the Board through benefactors on our Board are managing to throw maybe £100,000 at their pet project, the women’s initiative. But a nice evening out is seen as an opportunist moment to screw as much money out of the supporter. Many of whom are rightly miffed at this and will not bother turning up. I certainly won’t be ripped off and will not attend.

 Hilariously, possibly realising the stupid blunder the Board justified it by saying we would be putting out our strongest team. Talking about breath taking arrogance and insulting the intelligence of Lewes supporters releasing the sort of statement you expect from a top Premiership club referring to the Coca Cola or whatever it is now cup. Talk about getting way too big for your boots.

 Maybe the Board could consider other methods of getting themselves out of the financial mess they have got the club into. They have admitted they have not got a clue how to make the catering a viable lucrative income stream, so hey Board why not spend some time solving the puzzle of the catering to increase revenue rather that act like the Tories and just burden the public with more expenses.

 It merely confirms we have a Board who are excellent at some things but really struggle to understand the basic concept of ‘community’ ownership i.e work with us don’t penalise us for supporting our club.

 Some members of the Board have accepted in private that they have lost the town. No surprise with low grade, opportunist and peevish cash grabs like this. It shows a board bereft of ideas to breech the gap between their spend thrift operating costs and lacklustre income streams. Chiselling away at the losses like this achieves nothing other alienating than supporters form the community project.