Chelsea tripled the prices of tickets in some season ticket prices in the Westview Stamford Bridge, the question is it are they worth it?
The club spent the summer upgrading the facilities in the stand, holding prices where they are this season. It was clear though those prices were going to rise but fans are struggling to understand what a 360-degree bar and some catering upgrades do to justify the increase.
Overview Of The Westview Stamford Bridge
The Westview Stamford Bridge is the rebranding for the top tier of the West Stand.
It has always been one of the more expensive seats in the stadium and is normally where the sponsor and corporate tickets are sat.
So what do you get for your money?
Seats
The seats in the Westview Stamford Bridge are a far cry from the dilapidated terraces of yesteryear.
Your ticket gets you’re a padded seat, with space heaters throughout the stand to keep the cold of winter away. It is comfortable and designed for those that prefer to watch their football seated, eating fancy food and keeping noise levels to a minimum.
View
The view from the top tier of the West Stand is stunning.
If you have one of the pricier tickets on the halfway line you have the perfect view of the action, towering over the players with a true perspective of what is going on at all times.
If you forget the score, you also have at least two screens within your eyeline.
Meaning if your posh pie makes you sleepy, when your snooze is interrupted, you won’t have to ask the seat next to you what the score is.
Atmosphere
The West Stand is not known for its ferocious atmosphere and the Westview changes will only reinforce this. There are this season pockets of those that want to get involved, but realistically it is a much quieter and calm place to watch football.
Which for most fans will be quite a disappointment.
Concourse
The first thing you notice when you go through the turnstiles is the steps up to the concourse.
There are a lot of them!
You climb from ground level to the top of the Stadium winding up the stairs that seem to go on forever. This is an ordeal in itself!
If you are hungry the food options are more varied. Offering things such as pizza and rotisserie chicken that you do not typically expect at a football concession stand, as well as your standard burgers, pies and pasties.
These foods do not typically lend themselves to quick service.
You will be surprised by just how compact the concourse is. There is not much space and the queues for the food back up from the entrance to the seating block all the way to the back wall.
Meaning you have to dodge and weave to get from one side of the stand to the other picking through a sea of bodies.
These queues are only matched by those at the bar.
The much-vaunted 360-degree bars do provide quick service, but the packed concourse means it is still hard to get a beer and even when you do there is not much space to drink it.
After the game, the bars do remain open. It is only then that you can actually enjoy the panoramic views that the new configuration offers as you have a relaxed pint after the game. This is a unique touch compared to non-corporate seats where at the final whistle you are quickly ushered into the street.
Service lasts for around 20-30 minutes after the final whistle, so you will have to find another bar to properly celebrate or commiserate.
Ticket Prices
This is the painful bit for Chelsea fans.
The club clearly sees the Westview as a middle ground between standard prices and the nosebleed corporate packages that come with food, drinks and pre-match entertainment.
This is reflected in the ticket pricing.
Whilst ticket prices for 2022/2023 have not been announced, based on season ticket prices ranging from 1,500 to £3,900 (near the halfway line) the prices are going to be out of the reach of the average person.
Whilst a Westview season ticket covers domestic cup and Champions League group games the cost is still going to be over £100 per game.
This means tickets in the Westview for individual games are likely to be in the £150 range. I think this video sums it up
🤯 “How is a 300% increase justified?!”
❌ “It’s easy to sneer, but I would hate this at any rival club”
🤦♂️”After the Super League, I thought owners realised football without fans is nothing” @ChelseaRory voices his anger at Chelsea’s West stand season ticket price hike #CFC pic.twitter.com/GrdX1apkAO
— talkSPORT 2 (@talkSPORT2) November 18, 2021
Westview Stamford Bridge – Is It Worth It?
Having sat in the Westview a couple of times during the Champions League it is at 2021 prices an interesting novelty.
The incredible view and improved facilities are wiped out by the poor atmosphere and terrible value for money.
The refit and new facilities do not justify the price point. It is a middle ground between standard seats and corporate that does not really satisfy either market.
It feels more like a drive for revenue from the club. A lick of paint here and a fancy bar and catering to make a play to triple prices is not a great reflection on the club
Good food (that takes forever), a fancy bar with a good view of the street are not what watching Chelsea is about for me. This is not the way we enjoy watching football.
Who Is The Westview For?
The reality is that these seats are not for fans.
They are for corporates, sponsors, and tourists looking to take in a game whilst in town to tick an experience off the list.
As a fan this is disappointing, the club seems to have learned nothing from the European Super League fiasco. One can only hope that increasing revenue here, means the club keep prices stable in other more appealing areas of the ground.
We are not hopeful.
Should I Buy A Westview Ticket?
You pay your money, you take your choice.
We can certainly see the demand for tickets keeping these seats filled every game.
For those who do not have enough membership points can only make the odd game here or there any seat will do.
We cannot tell you whether to buy a ticket here or not, let us know your thoughts.
Final Word
If you want atmosphere sit in the Shed End or Matthew Harding Stand.
If you want a corporate experience – get a corporate package that may seat you in the Westview but includes all the trappings and comfort of the money you spend.
We do not think the price is worth what you get and will be buying tickets there in the future.
