LCFC Fan Engagement – The latest ‘Your Ninety Minutes’

Around 30 fans attended the ‘Your 90 Minutes’ session, an integral part of the club’s Fan Engagement Framework, held at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday 17 September 2024.

Supporter Liaison Officer, Jim Donnelly hosted the session and allowed a free an open discussion in dealing with items raised by the fans. He provided explanations, noted concerns which could be fed directly to people at the club, and where appropriate, refer issues to the Fans Consultative Committees (working groups developing improvements).

The only item off limits was financial fair play/profit and sustainability.  Jim advised he didn’t have sufficient information about the current position, and couldn’t therefore answer a question raised by the Foxes Trust about any personnel changes or new controls put in place to avoid breaches this season and in the future.

The key issues raised by fans:

Safe Standing – Following on from discussions at a previous ‘Your 90 Minutes’ on 31 July, and the overwhelming support for the introduction of Safe Standing in the Foxes Trust Survey, this topic was the one that had the greatest time allocated to it.

Whilst Jim wasn’t able to give a commitment to introduce safe standing in advance of ground redevelopment, there’s a realisation, with thirteen Premier League clubs now having rail seating, that LCFC are perhaps falling behind with its introduction.

Issues to consider and resolve are:

• locations for rail seating,
• sight lines,
• encouraging a movement of fans affected by the introduction who want to remain seated, and
• encouraging fans to move to the rail seated areas once it’s in place.

The take up of season ticket holders moving to the ‘singing section’ hadn’t been in the numbers predicted resulting in the club moving some fans unnecessarily. Although a full impact assessment is needed before installing rail seating Jim thought initially it may mean introducing it in a small section of a home area. If that proves successful, then the club can look at extending it. No commitment was made around timing.

Stadium Expansion – Planning permission granted in 2023 runs for 5 years and as long as work is started within that timeframe new permission will not be required. It is unlikely that work will start before 2026.

Other changes to the stadium and surrounds

• Every three years the club is assessed for disability access, and this may mean the need to install handrails along the stairways to enable people to access seats at a higher level in a safer manner.
• Improving the Wifi in the stadium is being looked at.
• The loud volume of tannoy announcements before the game will be fed back.
• The need to improve the cleanliness of the toilets during the game will be fed back.
• The club want a better Fanzone outside the stadium. They are looking for ideas for improving the outside activities. A number of clubs who do this well were suggested.

Catering – Supporters felt that catering inside the ground has not improved.

The variety of food may be better but the service provided by staff on the concourse outlets remains poor and it’s hit and miss whether cooked produce will be hot, cold or burnt.

Jim advised that the Compass Group continue provide catering on the concourse and the Operations Director is demanding improvements from them. Outlets outside the ground are not run by Compass and the variety and quality of food has improved.

Cost of replica kits – Fans feedback was they were overpriced with some fans reluctant to buy them early season when past experience has shown that as the season end approaches prices drop dramatically. If kits where cheaper at the outset more sales may occur.

Fans feel that Addidas are just using the same style of kits for several clubs – distinctive designs specific to individual clubs is no longer happening.

Members access to matchday tickets – There is concern from fans that membership doesn’t provide the benefits it should. Many struggle to get tickets for games.

Jim advised there are 18000 members and on a matchday they’ll be around 3000-3500 tickets available for members. Suggestions for improving members access to tickets including ballots, offering opportunities to buy tickets for a batch of home games, were suggested, along with providing members with a discount on matchday tickets.

Jim advised that the Fans Consultative Committee for Ticketing and Products is looking at how they can improve things for members.

Away tickets and priority points – Away priority points accumulated by some fans, means it can be impossible for other fans to watch Leicester playing away. They have no chance of building up points to compete for tickets in the future.

The current away points system has enabled fans to accumulate points since 2013. It is thought that some of the fans with high priority are buying tickets and passing them on to others, maintaining their high priority points without going to away games.

Jim advised that the club will look at this, perhaps adopting the England model of refreshing the away points every 2 years, and having a greater control of ticket use to ensure they are only used by the person making the purchase.

Jim said that a ‘Your 90 Minutes’ session may be arranged to look specifically at this issue.

Away travel – Jim advised that coach firm prices have significantly increased. Roberts is the current coach provider and because cost per journey can vary from £19 per head (to nearer locations) to £41 per head (predicted cost of going to Newcastle), it was felt best to have a flat rate of £28 for every trip (last year it was £24). Little to no profit is made by the club in providing this service.

Away stewarding – LCFC stewards who travel with fans to away games have no jurisdiction once they are in the ground. They can only observe, provide advice to away fans, and to home stewards if it is sought. They cannot actively intervene in stewarding situations.

Fan Engagement at LCFC – Explaining the pyramid of the fan engagement process formed part of the evening’s discussion, with Jim advising ‘Your 90 Minutes’ is designed to get regular feedback directly from the LCFC supporters about their issues and concerns.

You can read more about the LCFC Engagement Framework on the club’s website – A guide to fan engagement at Leicester City Football Club

If you want to take part in a ‘Your 90 Minutes’ session look out for future announcements on the club’s website.