The Board of Bolton Wanderers Football Club have today issued the below information to supporters who purchased season tickets and matchday tickets for the 2019/20 Sky Bet League One Season.
The restrictions placed upon society due to the COVID-19 pandemic have altered how we all go about our daily lives – from how we socialise with our families and friends to how we work and earn a living.
There have been so many challenges that have affected so many people.
But the one constant that we have seen is how communities have pulled together to help one another as we face challenges that we have never experienced before.
As a club that is very much at the heart of our community – in thanks to the tremendous and crucial work undertaken by the Bolton Wanderers Community Trust - we are acutely aware of how the virus has impacted the residents of Bolton, whether that be physical and mental health, financial or emotional.
This of course includes our staff and our supporters who make this football club very special.
With over 146 years of history, the Club has overcome many challenges which have emboldened our resolve and allowed us to bring magical moments to generations.
There is no doubt that we will face more challenges as lockdown begins to ease and life starts to gradually return to a semblance of normality.
Sport, just like many other industries, has suffered in terms of revenue lost due to the scheduled matches not being able to take place. We appreciate that many of you purchased season tickets in good faith at the beginning of last season with the intention – just like every season – to see the campaign through until the end. We cannot thank you enough for your loyalty.
But we have to be honest with you and say that we have not been immune to this unanticipated loss of income.
However, we want to reassure you that as a Board we are absolutely committed to overcoming these challenges, and together as one club, one community and one town we will work very hard to ensure Bolton Wanderers Football Club bounces back so that we are in a position to bring more magical moments in the future and that we remain central to the people of Bolton for many more generations to come.
To that end, we need your support as much as we have ever done to help us get ready for the future - as a club, as a community and as a town.
We apologise for the delay in contacting you with this information but we’ve had to consider many factors to ensure we provide the best possible solutions for you all. We thank you for the patience you have shown us during this time.
We have put together some options for those of you who purchased season tickets and home and away match tickets for the 2019/20 season.
We really appreciate that many of you have already expressed that you do not wish to claim a refund for the curtailed games of last season and we cannot thank you enough, in particular those that responded to the Bolton Wanderers Supporters' Trust survey. We have been in communication with the Trust throughout this time and we thank them for their continual support.
We also recognise that some of you will not be in a position to forego any refunds owed to you, which of course we fully understand.
Options
The options we are proposing are as follows:
- To waive all pro-rata monies owed to you for a 2019/20 season ticket(s) and/or home or away match tickets. This will support the Club and our wider work in the community. If you choose this option you will automatically be entered into a prize draw, the details of which are below.
- *To claim a pro-rata refund from all the matches that were curtailed in the 2019/20 season.
Option 1
Those who forego the refund owed to them for the curtailed fixtures, will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win one of the following:
As well as entering the prize draw, everybody who foregoes the refund and renews for the new season will be entitled to claim a free ticket for Wanderers’ first EFL Trophy match at the University of Bolton Stadium where fans are permitted to attend. Also, the club will donate £1 to the Bolton Wanderers Community Trust on behalf of everybody who waives their right to a refund.
Survey
We would ask that season ticket holders and those who purchased individual match tickets for the games that were curtailed to fill in a survey by clicking here.
Deadline
Please note that this survey will need to be completed by 5pm on Friday 31 July. If we do not have any instruction from you after this date, we will assume that you wish for us to waive all pro-rata monies owed to you.
*Any supporter who purchased their 2019/20 season ticket(s) on the seven-month direct debit instalment plan and were in arrears for both March and April 2020 will not receive a pro-rata refund. Those whose payments were missed for just April 2020 will be entitled to a partial pro-rata refund.
Option 2 - Refunds
For those who wish to be refunded, we ask for your patience while these applications are being processed. Please bear with us during this process as we may need to contact you.
At this time the Ticket Office at Bolton Central remains closed to the public and further information regarding its re-opening will be announced in due course. For all queries in relation to ticketing please email ticketsales@bwfc.co.uk
2020/21 Season Tickets
Season ticket information for the 2020/21 season will also be announced in due course.
Corporate customers will be contacted separately with information as soon as possible. However, please contact sales@bwfc.co.uk if you have any questions.
Thank You
We cannot thank you enough for your support and patience throughout these worrying times, but we want to reassure you that we will continue to work assiduously so that Bolton Wanderers Football Club continues to be a beating heart at the centre of our town and community.
We look forward to seeing you back at the University of Bolton Stadium as soon we are able to reopen but in the meantime please look after yourselves, your families and your neighbours.
Yours,
Sharon Brittan
Michael James