Middlesbrough Supporters Forum……Minutes 54
Middlesbrough Supporters Forum Meeting
Monday 2nd October 2023
18:30 – 20.00
Zoom
MEETING MINUTES
Present MSF: Mark Motley (MM), Michelle Coleman (MC), Matthew Gale (MG), Kulbir Kaur Peacock (KP), Nind Singh (NS), Rob Nichols (RN), Jeff Collins (JC), John Brunger (JB), Caroline Walker (CW) John Donovan (JD), Dana Malt (DM), Jill Atkinson (JA),
Present MFC: Lee Fryett, Yvonne Ferguson
Apologies: Paddy Cronesberry (PC), Ifshaan Mahmoud (IM), Owen Swift (OS), Helena Bowman (HB), Paul Dews (PD)
1 – Leeds Reciprocal Ticket Prices
MFC confirmed they are going ahead with the reciprocal ticket pricing with Leeds Utd following feedback and consultation with MSF.
2 – Membership Scheme
MFC confirmed the new membership scheme will be launched within the next International Break.
MFC advised that the membership scheme should be in place to purchase for the Birmingham City game (21st October)
With the season already being underway, the price will be reduced from £20 to £15 to account for the dates of the launch I.e., the games already played. (From research the average price of these types of schemes for championship clubs is around £20)
There will be two options – a digital membership and a physical ticket. Those supporters that opt into digital ticketing will get a greater discount than those that opt for paper tickets. If you opt in for digital, you will get a £1 discount and no booking fee. If you opt for paper, you will only get £1 discount.
If supporters opt for mobile version – they will save £2.50. Once supporters have attended seven games, they will have got their initial £15 back. There will also be an appropriate amount of priority points allocated to a membership.
Club are reviewing booking fees for print at home.
3 – Away Ticket on sale times
MSF raised the point around away tickets going on sale closer and closer to the time of the game. Ideally, they should be on sale at least 4 weeks before the match takes place.
MSF have asked MFC if there is anything they can do to raise this point with the EFL.
MFC advised that they do put pressure on away clubs to get away tickets as early as possible. MFC advised that they would speak to EFL and raise this as a point.
4 – Digital Ticketing
MFC advised that they plan to move forward with the next phase of the digital ticketing roll out for the Birmingham fixture (21st Oct).
The proposal is to ring fence certain turnstiles / blocks in the North stand. (West side).
Supporters that fall into this category will be contacted by MFC. If MFC doesn’t contact you, then you are not included and should continue as normal.
MFC advised that they have had no issues with digital ticketing reported over the last few games and that ticket forwarding is still on the agenda to get resolved.
5 – Foodbanks
Discussion on the next set of dates to hold foodbanks at the Riverside. MFC to confirm.
These are:
28th October – Stoke City
9th December – Ipswich
MSF to also link in with MFC Foundation for boots and shirts.
Update 06.10.23 – Dates now confirmed.
6 – Sunderland Away Arrangements
MM and RN updated the rest of the group on arrangements for Sunderland away.
MM and RN had attended calls with Northumbria Police, Cleveland Police, SAFC and MFC to help support the planning for away fans.
Plans are very much the same as previous years. MM and RN advised that they had fed back concerns on the special train times and Police had taken an action to look at this. Official communication from MFC due on Wednesday.
7 – Exeter Away
MSF and MFC discussed options on how the club could potentially support travelling fans with costs in relation to long away trips to Exeter and Plymouth in the same week.
MFC to take this away to investigate.
Update: 06.10.23 – MFC notified MSF that the club would subsidise ticket prices for those travelling to Exeter.
8 – AOB
Vaping
Supporters that travel on official club coaches to away games had raised concerns to MSF about people vaping onboard. MSF asked MFC to take this away to be investigated.
Boro Brick Road
Further recording of the Boro Brick Road to take place on Sunday 15th October at 11am. More info to be put out. Open to all fans to help.
9 – Actions
1. LF to circulate details of draft membership scheme to MSF members.
2. MFC to raise issue with away ticket release timings with EFL.
3. YF to confirm foodbank dates.
4. JA to pass details on to YF regarding concerns around vaping on official travel club coaches.
5. LF to investigate options around Exeter away
