Dear Dario,
As we embark on a new Premier League season, we are keen to both thank you for your continued support of the Club as a valued Season Ticket Member and also provide an update in relation to the plans we have for the new campaign as we contend with the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new campaign has commenced with fixtures once again having to be played behind closed doors in order to combat the pandemic and minimise the risk of its spread.
This means that there will be Premier League games played that you will be unable to attend. With this in mind, and in keeping with the process implemented at the end of the 2019/20 campaign, a pro-rata refund will be available to you for every league fixture you do not attend.
Refunds will be processed to Season Ticket Members in three instalments during the 2020/21 season – in November 2020, February 2021 and June 2021.
Refunds issued in November will include all league fixtures a Season Ticket Member has not attended up to 31 October. February’s refund covers Premier League matches after 1 November and up to 31 January while June’s deadline ensures you will be refunded for any top-flight games missed between 1 February and the scheduled end of the Premier League season in May.
There remains no confirmed date for the phased return of fans into stadiums. We can assure you, however, that ensuring our valued Season Ticket Members can safely experience a matchday at Goodison once again is a priority.
With that in mind, we have been working diligently to develop a thorough and robust plan that will ensure there is a fair process in place for the allocation of tickets for you - and all Season Ticket Members - when fans are permitted to return to stadiums once again. An allocation process will be necessary as there will be a restricted capacity in the stadium in order to comply with social distancing and safety regulations.
This reduction will be due to Government guidelines, Premier League directives, guidance from the Sports Ground Safety Authority and the Club’s own priority to ensure appropriate safety measures are in place to protect those fans who do attend each fixture.
Over the coming weeks – and as there is greater clarity relating to the return of fans to stadiums - the Club will be sharing further information with you to explain the ballot process for ticket allocation for fixtures. This ballot process will provide fair and equitable access to the limited tickets available for each fixture and will be structured to ensure a fair distribution of tickets across all league fixtures at which fan attendance will be possible. This process will also ensure family and friend groups will not be split up when allocated tickets for fixtures.
The plan being developed by the Club is based on consultation with various fan groups. Season Ticket Members will be required to opt-in to each ballot for each available fixture. This will ensure each match ballot will made up only of Season Ticket Members able and willing to attend that specific fixture.
Each ballot will only be open to 2020/21 Season Ticket Members and there will be no match-by-match ticket sales for fixtures whilst there is a reduced capacity at Goodison Park.
In preparation for this process - and to help ensure Season Ticket Members can attend matches with their friends and family - the Club is asking all fans to review and update, if necessary, their personal details and contact information. It is vital that you have a valid address registered with the Club to enter the ballot and receive tickets.
It is also important this information is up to date, as it will enable the Club to fulfil the requirements of the Government’s Track and Trace system when fans are permitted into stadiums once again.
For any fixtures you do not attend, a pro-rata refund will be processed at the designated point in the season, as referenced above.
For further information relating to the refund process and other Frequently Asked Questions on ticketing, please click
here.
Once again, thank you for your ongoing support and for your understanding and patience during this challenging period.
COYB,
Everton Football Club
