Blackpool Football Club is pleased to reveal a proposed new supporter engagement strategy, which will be launched ahead of the start of the 2024/25 season.
Titled ‘Seasiders Together,’ the supporter charter details the aims and objectives set out by the Club to ensure all supporters have a voice and their views are heard, regardless of their background, age, gender, disability or residence.
To ensure clarity and the best level of communication across all areas of the football club and supporter base, the strategy will be split into three sections. These are all listed below:
Fan Panel
The Club will form a Fan Panel, with each member representing a different section of the supporter base. Examples include but are not limited to; disabled supporters, families, supporters from a black, Asian or mixed heritage background, season ticket holders, seasonal hospitality members, female supporters, under-25’s, over-65’s and LGBTQ+ supporters. Please note, new fan representatives can be added at the Club’s discretion should it be deemed that there is a demographic gap which is not currently represented.
The Fan Panel will meet with members of Club staff, such as the Club Secretary, Commercial Manager, Media Manager, Head of Ticketing & Retail and the SLO three times each season to discuss a range of topics which may effect the supporter experience – both on matchdays and non-matchdays.
Representatives on the Fan Panel will be appointed for a minimum of one term (two seasons) and can remain on the panel for a maximum of two terms (four seasons). Once a representative has served the full four seasons, they will be unable to stand for re-election.
To become a member of the Fan Panel, supporters will be able to nominate themselves as a representative of their particular category once nominations are open. Representatives will then be appointed.
Recognised Fan Groups
From the start of the 2024/25 season, supporters groups will be invited to apply for official status every two years in order to be identified as an officially Recognised Fan Group. A criteria on what defines a Recognised Fan Group will be announced in due course, though there will be two tiers of fan groups depending on the number of members the group has.
Once a group receives Recognised Fan Group status, groups who have 20-100 members will receive one meeting each season with Club representatives, and groups of over 100 members will receive two meetings each season. Other benefits will also be included, such as fan group contact information on the Club website and the opportunity to vote for the Fans Group Player of the Season.
Stakeholder Panel
The Club will form a Stakeholder Panel, with each member representing a different sector of stakeholders associated with the football club. These could range from the Council to Club Partners, local businesses and the charity sector. The panel and invited guests will meet with members of the Club’s Board of Directors twice each season to discuss a range of topics such as any long-term projects or business matters concerning the non-football side of the Club. Representatives of the Stakeholder Panel will be directly appointed by the Club, whilst minutes from the meetings will be published across the Club website and social media channels.
Blackpool Football Club is committed to engaging in constructive dialogue with as wide a range of the supporter base as possible, taking on board any and all feedback which may effect the fan experience. In addition to the introduction of the Stakeholder Panel, Fan Panel and Recognised Fan Groups outlined above, the Club is also committed to:
- Holding one open Supporters’ Forum per season. Entry to these events will be open to all season ticket holders.
- Sending out a Supporter Survey at least once per season to receive feedback from the fanbase about a wide variety of topics.
- Continuing to update fans on all news and information via Club channels with regular updates provided on the Club website, social media platforms and via email in the Club newsletters (published monthly to all signed up to receive Club News). Minutes of all Panel meetings, will also be published and shared on Club platforms.
The Club now welcomes feedback on the proposed Supporter Charter, with supporters asked to email their thoughts on the above to marketing@blackpoolfc.co.uk before Sunday 18 February.
Once all of the feedback has been taken into account, the final version of the Supporter Charter will be published. The nominations window for the Fan Panel will also open, allowing any supporter to put themselves forward as the representative for a particular section of the fan base.
The application window to register as a Recognised Fan Group will also open in due course, and groups will be able to apply for official status before the start of the 2024/25 season.
The Club thanks everyone for their continued support and looks forward to engaging with as many supporters as possible over the coming months.