Chelsea bosses Todd Boehly & Co warned of 'irreversible toxicity' over ticket price hikes amid another underwhelming season

The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) have written a letter stating that the feeling among fans has plummeted to a low point not seen since the 1980s and urged co-owner Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital co-founder Behdad Eghbali to take large steps to fix the situation. They were also cautioned against making significant increases to ticket prices next season.

The CST said in the letter: "The current mood amongst supporters is critically low and cannot be ignored. The feeling that the club has become a ‘laughing stock’, both on and off the pitch, is growing.

"The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust regretfully believes that we are close to, if not already experiencing, a significant shift in supporter opinion that could result in irreversible toxicity, almost irrespective of results on the pitch.

"Unless the situation improves, this seems likely to manifest itself in more targeted chanting, especially at televised games, and quite possibly more organised, overt, and impactful forms of protest by some sections of the fanbase."

The letter was written less than a week after Chelsea fans voiced their displeasure at the club's board by chanting against Boehly and coach Mauricio Pochettino and singing the names of previous owner Roman Abramovic and former manager Jose Mourinho during the 2-2 draw against Brentford. Boehly and his BlueCo consortium purchased the club from Russian oligarch Abramovich in 2022. However, the American co-owner has failed to turn the London team into title challengers despite spending large fees on new signings, with Pochettino's side currently sitting 11th in the Premier League.

Chelsea CEO Chris Jurasek responded to the letter, with his reply - dated March 20 - published by the supporters' trust. His words will have done little to allay concern about ticket price hikes and communication.

“Our goal is the same as your goal: to ensure Chelsea Football Club has a bright and successful future,” he wrote. “To do so, there is a necessity to increase club revenue to put us on a par with our rivals and allow us to compete in both the Premier League and Women’s Super League, as well as in domestic and European competitions. There are several ways we are already doing that and will further explore."

Unbeaten in their last four matches, Pochettino and his charges will hope to boost morale among the crowd by continuing their positive streak when they host relegation candidates Burnley at Stamford Bridge on March 30. Less than a week later, they host Manchester United.