Chelsea Football Club has received a payment of £93,000 from the controversial ticket reselling site, Vivid Seats. The transaction was listed under "transactions with related parties" in the club's accounts for the 2023-24 accounting period.
Vivid Seats is linked to Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly and has been a subject of controversy due to its business practices. Boehly has served as a director at Vivid since 2021. Last month, the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) urged the Premier League to investigate his connections with this American website.
Vivid is included in the Premier League’s list of unauthorised ticket websites. It offers users outside the UK an opportunity to buy and sell tickets for sporting events and concerts often at prices higher than face value.
Payment details
The club accounts did not provide further details about what this payment relates to. However, it is known that Vivid was Chelsea’s official United States pre-season tour partner in summer 2023. As part of this partnership, members of Vivid were given an opportunity to purchase premium VIP packages which included exclusive perks such as access to open training sessions.
Ticket prices on Vivid Seats for Chelsea’s final home Premier League match on May 18 range from £439 for general admission up to over £3,000 for hospitality in Stamford Bridge's Harris Suite.
Concerns raised by CST
Last month CST wrote a letter addressed to Richard Masters - Premier League chief executive - expressing concerns raised by their members and wider fanbase over reports about Boehly’s connection with Vivid Seats. However, they declined further comment regarding the recent £93k payment made by vivid seats.
In addition to this controversial transaction with vivid seats , other financial highlights include the £200m valuation of Chelsea women’s team. The Premier League is currently assessing whether this valuation, which was made to a subsidiary of Chelsea's parent company, represents fair market value.
The sale contributed to a profit of £128.4m in the accounts for the year ending June 30, 2024. However, UEFA does not include the sale of fixed assets in its calculation of a club’s income. Sources close to Chelsea have stated that they are working with UEFA on a “path to sustainability”, taking into account mitigating circumstances. This comes as clubs breaching UEFA financial regulations have been subject to fines and settlement agreements in the past.
