Update on Survey Calls to Action

Comms Sub Group Latest

The Foxes Trust can today provide an update on dialogue with the Club regarding our End of Season Survey and the associated Calls To Action.

Following our first meeting with the Club, we had requested the following next steps on each of our Calls To Action:

  1. Jon Rudkin’s Departure – we had requested the opportunity to meet with Top to share survey findings (given that those in the Fan Engagement team we had met with did not have the appropriate remit to discuss this one with us)
  2. Reset The Fan Engagement Framework (FEF) – we shared this paper [Read it here] with the Club detailing our full review of the FEF and suggested changes
  3. Reduce Ticket Prices – we requested matchday ticket prices be reduced and season ticket holders be offered either a rebate or some form of other compensation given the club’s relegation (with our suggestion being free home cup tickets)
  4. Communicate A Credible 5-Year Plan – we recommended the club run a Q&A Forum with fans with senior leaders like Kevin Davies and Jon Rudkin on the panel to answer questions and share plans for improvement
  5. Consult Fans On Matchday Experience – we requested that the first Your 90 Minutes session of the new season to be on Matchday Experience and this to be hosted online to allow as many fans as possible to participate, with a record taken of suggested improvements so that progress through the Fan Engagement Framework to the point of actual change/implementation could be tracked as well as each supporter group having the opportunity to meet with the club direct to discuss what they’d like

On Friday 26th June, members of the Foxes Trust board (Jamie Barnard, Steve Potter and Lynn Wyeth) met again with the Club (Anthony Herlihy Communications Director and Jim Donnellly Supporter Liaison Officer) as the agreed next step to re-convene before the end of June, and once the results of the survey had gone live, from our previous meeting on Tuesday 26th May.

It should be acknowledged that the Club’s willingness to meet with us regarding the survey results twice in a just a few weeks shows that they have received the survey results with an openness to listen and hear what supporters who participated are saying. Meeting after the results went live gave us the opportunity to also feedback what we’d heard from supporters following their publication and get an update on what the Club has done with the results and the actions we requested.

We shared that the Trust had received a largely positive response to the survey results thus far but that there had also been some scepticism that the club wanted to listen or would take action. The Club confirmed that the full survey results had been shared with the Executive leadership of the club (including Kevin Davies, Jon Rudkin and Kamonthip ‘Monica’ Netthanomsak) for their review which showed us that the results have reached a senior audience within the Club.

Our most recent meeting provided the opportunity to discuss next steps on our 5 Calls To Action and the associated next steps we had requested:

  1. Jon Rudkin’s departure – Club representatives confirmed that matters relating to club staffing sat outside the defined scope of supporter engagement and consultation and, while the right of supporters to express their views was acknowledged and respected, it would not be appropriate to progress the matter through supporter engagement or consultation. It was confirmed that the complete findings of the survey and all five of the Trust Board’s Calls to Action had been shared with the club’s executive leadership.
  1. Reset the Fan Engagement Framework – the Club acknowledged that the Fan Engagement Framework is not perfect and that all football clubs are still in the process of learning how they can improve what are relatively new structured processes. That said, the Club acknowledged the findings of the Trust’s review, the time taken to conduct the review and that it raised a number of constructive suggestions. It was recognised that a number of the proposals would have implications for the wider Fan Engagement Framework and supporter engagement beyond the Trust itself. The club therefore explained that these would require wider consideration before any structural changes could be taken forward. The club welcomed the Trust’s continued contribution to those discussions, which the Trust intends to review up to November 2026.
  1. Reduce Ticket Prices – the Club is evaluating options and fan feedback received on this topic, alongside wider operational and financial factors. They shared that when it comes to ticket pricing for cup games there are a number of factors that need to be considered such as required split of gate receipts with opposing clubs, the cost of a matchday operation and requirements by football authorities that have to be met. We had asked for progress before the end of July so will wait to see what happens next.
  1. Communicate A Credible 5-Year Plan – the Club has heard the sentiment from supporters that they want greater clarity about its direction, and acknowledged the importance of clear communication from senior leadership over time.
  1. Consult Fans On Matchday Experience – the Club has already taken action to do this. There will be a Your 90 Minutes session on Matchday Experience on Wednesday 22nd July at 6:30pm and this will be hosted online to allow as many supporters as possible to attend (which aligned with the Trust’s recommendations). The Club will also agree to document the key themes that come from this session on the night, so that they can be tracked for progress as they move through the Fan Engagement Framework to the Fans Consultative Committee and then the Fan Advisory Board.

We will now await further developments on the above and the Club knows that the Trust is available to consult on and partner with any areas relating to the survey. We will maintain an ongoing dialogue as we continue to fulfil our role and objectives to:

  • Lobby, campaign and engage in regular, constructive dialogue with Leicester City Football Club, at executive level, and to publicise, when relevant, any resultant actions taken.
  • Hold Leicester City Football Club and its owners to account for the highest standards of business management, and operational and commercial decisions that directly affect Foxes Trust members and the wider supporter base.

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