The Premier League season is underway and stadiums across the country continue to sell out. With the increasing popularity of the English top flight, comes greater demand for tickets.
Some season ticket holders are unable to attend every match, meaning football ticket exchanges have become more common. Here is everything you need to know about ticket exchanges, with examples of specific club schemes.
Contents
Explaining football ticket exchanges
Football ticket exchanges allow season ticket holders and premium members to sell their seats to other supporters for matches they cannot attend. Different clubs in the Premier League have different rules in relation to how their ticket exchange system works, but a recurring theme is that it is a “safe and secure” way to sell your matchday seat.
Another common theme with ticket exchanges in the English top flight is that tickets bought on the system are non-refundable. The money paid to purchase the seat often ensures that season ticket holders or premium members who listed their ticket, receive credit on their club account.
The Ticket Exchange is now live for our home fixture against Fulham 🎟️
General Admission Season Card Holders can list their seats for resale, with these tickets being made available to all MyForest Members.
The Ticket Forwarding & Upgrades window is also now live.
— NFFC Services (@NFFCServices) September 16, 2024
This is the case for Fulham, who say on their website, “Once a purchaser is found and a sale is made, supporters will receive credit on their account to spend on future ticketing products.
“The amount of credit expected to recieve for each ticket is displayed prior to listing your seat for sale.”
‘We want to drastically cut the number of empty seats each game’
A fundamental aspect of football ticket exchanges is that they allow flexibility for supporters, and reduce the likelihood of empty seats inside the stadium.
At the start of last season, Brentford announced that their new exchange system had resulted in a significant uptake in fans accessing tickets for matches.
The club’s chief executive, Jon Varney said: “We are really pleased that there are more tickets being listed on the exchange. Our new ‘every seat counts’ policy is definitely starting to make an impact.
“More fans are listing and more fans are buying on the ticket exchange but there are still tickets available, including many in pairs, and there are still empty seats that we’d like to see used each game. You are playing your part by listing the tickets and we will work hard to tell Bees fans that tickets are readily available.
“What we would also say is, if you can't make the game, the earlier you list your ticket, the more likely it is to be sold.
“As a reminder, the whole purpose of the new policy and the introduction of the new ticket exchange is to pack out the Gtech for every home game. We want to drastically cut the number of empty seats each game and give as many Bees fans as possible the chance to attend. We are making good progress but there is still work to do.”
2024/25 ticket exchange examples – Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur
Chelsea’s ticket exchange system for the 2024/25 season enables season ticket holders to list their seat on the system for Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge. Only season ticket holders or members are able to purchase the seat listed on the exchange.
The system is slightly different for Chelsea’s rivals, Tottenham Hotspur. Both season ticket holders and ‘Premium Members’ can list their seat on the exchange up until four hours before a match begins.
‘One Hotspur Members’ can buy tickets listed during the Members’ Priority Window, but if the game goes on general sale, other supporters are eligible to purchase available seats using the club’s eTicketing account. Spurs have provided an in-depth ticket exchange and ticket share overview here.