Chelsea Supporters’ Trust call for action against Todd Boehly over involvement in ticket website Vivid Seats | OneFootball

Premier League view it as an “unauthorised ticket website” but overseas fans can use platform to attend fixtures

Todd Boehly is a director and investor in ticket website Vivid Seats

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Vivid Seats is listed as an “unauthorised ticket website” by the Premier League and UK-based supporters cannot legally purchase tickets on the platform because reselling in such a manner is barred by British law.

However, overseas fans do use the platform to get their hands on highly sought-after tickets, often at significantly more than face-value. The cheapest ticket currently up for sale for next week’s London derby against Tottenham, for instance, cost £144, with some hospitality seats being offered for more than £2,000.

In a letter to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters, the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust said it was acting after receiving a wealth of correspondence from its members, who are “clearly infuriated”.

“Vivid Seats continues to list Premier League tickets for above face value at significantly inflated rates and our members have continued to indicate that Mr Boehly’s connection with Vivid Seats is a breach of trust and a clear conflict of interest,” a CST spokesperson said.

“Not only does this undermine the efforts of Chelsea FC, The Premier League, and The Metropolitan Police to combat ticket touting, but Vivid Seats contravenes the Chelsea FC ticketing policy, and is explicitly named by the Premier League as a known unauthorised ticket website.

Chelsea fans protested against the club’s ownership last month

John Walton/PA Wire

“We believe that now is the time for the Premier League to act swiftly and ensure that a major share-owner of a Premier League club ceases facilitating the sale of tickets for significantly above face value.”

Grievances about Boehly’s connection to Vivid Seats were aired as part of a wider protest against the club’s ownership outside Stamford Bridge ahead of the 4-0 win against Southampton last month.

There have been growing concerns among Chelsea supporters around ticket touting, with some fearing growing numbers of tourist fans are harming the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge.

A spokesperson for the Football Supporters’s Association added: "The FSA is right behind the points made by our members at CST. It is crystal clear that the Premier League needs to take action.

"Clubs, supporters' groups, the police and the Premier League itself has worked hard in recent years to combat ticket touting - there is no excuse for a club owner to be involved in such activity."