Todd Boehly's Chelsea won the Conference League last month, the first trophy since the £2.5bn takeover of the club from Roman Abramovich in 2022. The Premier League have written to Chelsea to seek clarification over the club's position with ticket re-sellers - amid controversy over Todd Boehly's involvement in Vivid Seats. Boehly is both a director and investor in Vivid, described as an "unauthorised ticket seller" by the league, and also owns a 13% stake in Chelsea. The website lists Chelsea matches on its platform, with some tickets last season at Stamford Bridge going for as much as £20,000. It is not allowed to operate in the United Kingdom, although is permissible overseas. Chelsea Supporters' Trust asked the Premier League to "act and investigate" the situation which they believe is both a"breach of trust and "a clear conflict of interest" in an open letter issued in March. Premier League CEO Richard Masters has explained they are discussing the matter with Chelsea in a situation described as "ongoing" at a Football Supporters' Association event last week. The Supporters' Trust has also submitted evidence against the American company to the government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Boehly, Chelsea and Vivid have been contacted for further comment. Vivid CEO Stanley Chia is quoted bySportico,externalas saying "economic and political volatility" has impacted the ticketing market as the company's share price fell by 61% this year. Chelsea have recently pledged to take action on ticket touting, although without naming Vivid or other ticket re-sellers, which the CST letter said it was "encouraged" by. There have been concerns about a "flat" atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, highlighted by previous manager Mauricio Pochettino and echoed by current head coach Enzo Maresca at times last season, amid trials of a singing section in the Conference League. Chelsea are currently participating in the Club World Cup in the United States and next face ES Tunis in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
Premier League contact Chelsea over Boehly ticket website
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Premier League Requests Clarification from Chelsea on Ticket Reselling Practices"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
Todd Boehly's Chelsea Football Club recently celebrated winning the Conference League, marking their first trophy acquisition since the £2.5 billion takeover from Roman Abramovich in 2022. However, the Premier League is now seeking clarification from Chelsea regarding the club's association with ticket resellers, particularly following controversy over Boehly's connection to Vivid Seats, a firm labeled as an 'unauthorized ticket seller' by the league. Boehly holds both a directorial role and an investment stake in Vivid, which has been listing Chelsea matches on its platform. This has raised eyebrows due to the exorbitant prices some tickets commanded last season, with reports of tickets at Stamford Bridge being sold for as much as £20,000. While Vivid is not permitted to operate within the UK, it is allowed to function in international markets. The Chelsea Supporters' Trust has urged the Premier League to investigate what they perceive as a breach of trust and a conflict of interest, expressing their concerns in an open letter sent in March.
The Premier League's CEO, Richard Masters, acknowledged the ongoing discussions with Chelsea regarding this matter at a recent Football Supporters' Association event. The Chelsea Supporters' Trust has taken further steps by submitting evidence against Vivid to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Vivid's CEO, Stanley Chia, indicated that the company's share price has suffered a significant decline, attributed to 'economic and political volatility' affecting the ticketing market. Meanwhile, Chelsea has made commitments to address ticket touting issues, although they have not specifically named Vivid or other resellers in their statements. Concerns about the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge have been voiced by both past and current management, with suggestions that the environment has felt 'flat' at times. Chelsea is currently engaged in the Club World Cup in the United States, with their next match against ES Tunis scheduled for Tuesday night in Philadelphia.
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