Doug King has been praised for listening to Coventry fans’ feedback with a U-turn made in his statement after backlash to a recent decision.
Five days ago, recent alterations impacting Junior Sky Blues supporters at the Championship outfit have led to anger on social media.
Numerous supporters, including parents and long-distance fans who purchased season tickets are feeling frustrated by the diminishing value of their investment.
There was a growing sense that the club had been driving the upcoming generation of Coventry fans away, with certain modifications actively excluding children despite the original intention of the Junior Sky Blues to broaden the fan base beyond those who could attend matches regularly.
But now it seems a U-turn has been made, common sense prevails…
📝 Doug King writes letter to Sky Blues fans ahead of the new season. #PUSB
— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) July 29, 2024
STATEMENT:
The summer is moving forward at speed and with less than two weeks to go before another season gets underway, I would like to comment on recent developments at the Club as we begin another phase of our journey.
Pre-Season comes in earnest this week as we have two high profile fixtures at the Coventry Building Society Arena after our recent visit to Germany. As we know the Arena normally has an active concert season each summer and alongside pitch maintenance needs, it is usually extremely difficult to fit any friendly games in… this season looks therefore to be unusual, so if it fits in alongside your holiday plans we would love to see you there.
The training facility at Ryton has thankfully been transformed. With a broader and more focused support team alongside recent positive changes in our coaching structure, we are establishing a facility now in both infrastructure and personnel that is in keeping with the elite level that Coventry City FC requires to be successful.
As always with transfer business. “No comment” … Just to say that our head of recruitment and his team have been busy. It is interesting to note that since my takeover of the Club eighteen months ago, our recruitment and analysis departments have been significantly upgraded in terms of both resources, caliber of personnel and analysis tools. This area is critical to the long-term sustainability of our Club and is an area that is and will continue to be prioritized.
You the fans continue to support our Club incredibly. The uptake for Season Tickets has been nothing short of record breaking and remarkable. Despite the increased access to games this year through the new broadcasting deal, you know nothing beats the live experience of supporting our team and I thank you for making that choice.
The changes to the Family Zone for this season were met initially with some concerns and as you will know, the Club slightly adjusted its criteria regarding purchasing in this area. As was made clear at the time for the 24/25 season, we are introducing a Ticket Exchange for that zone, and I am confident that this area will be far better populated on match days than previously and allow better/wider access to those with children. This section has sold-out all Season Tickets based on these new criteria.
Your support is absolutely critical to us. As I have made clear from the outset, the higher revenues we can drive secures a stronger/deeper first team squad, allowing the Club to challenge in the upper half of the championship and target the Play-Offs. It also enables the Club to be competitive in other competitions (such as the FA Cup) and the memories from last season there will stay with us for a lifetime.
Reckless spending without sufficient revenues and substantial multi-year operating losses normally ends in tears. If our revenues had not moved substantially higher in the last eighteen months, we would not have the first team squad we have today.
So when you purchase hospitality or a match day ticket or one of our amazing new first team shirts, remember what it enables and I am sure that will make it easier!
There is no doubt in my mind that when we finally succeed in reaching the Premier League, every one of you who has supported this Club with your financial backing will have enabled that success.
JSB Membership
Last week the Club made a mistake by linking the iconic JSB membership with having to own a Season Ticket at the Club. This has alienated around three hundred and fifty or so of the nearly 4,000 JSB members from our Club. As always as leader of this Club, I take the blame for that oversight but as of today this requirement has been shelved and JSB Membership will remain available to all those who want it and of course we encourage our young supporters to sign up again and begin what we hope is the longest possible journey with our Club.
Given the speed of change at the Club and prioritising particular needs first, it is clear that other areas have been left behind and are under resourced and need more dynamic change, quality, focus and support. We are investing in external third party reviews of such areas and I will also be personally shifting my attention to those areas in the coming months as we look to set up a Club that functions at the higher level needed to support the jump in revenues and facilitate the further growth that we need to make our Club successful and sustainable.
Finally, a shout out to our new front of shirt sponsor Monzo. A brilliant disruptive creative business that aligns with our goal to write our new history and do things differently. We thank them for their vision and hope that this leads to a long-lasting collaboration and partnership.
Here’s to a hugely enjoyable season!
Doug
Fans tell Coventry City to reconsider ‘awful’ changes affecting Junior Sky Blues supporters
As mentioned, Doug King praised for listening to Coventry fans’ feedback with a U-turn made in his statement after backlash…
@KevinUnitt: Went from zero communication for years to this. What a leader does, owns the mistakes as well as the wins. Fair play, we move on.
@WardySBE: What an owner this bloke is 👏
@1987Coles: He was pretty honest when he first started out. He said they’d be mistakes but he’d listen. I think this is the fourth time where his plans haven’t gone down well, but he’s listened and he’s said he was wrong! Refreshing 👏👏
@thejodiefry: Fair play, great decision to U turn and put his hands up to making a mistake. Great communication that
@skybluecol: Can’t knock DK. The guy simply listens to the fans. The guy simply gets it. What an owner. 🫶
@MarkMorrison94: 👏👏👏 yet again DK owns up to his mistakes
@SephtonMark: Doug Listens! Can’t say fairer than that. #PUSB
@Patch_Adams_319: What a great leader of our club – Doug not only listens and responds, but is also running it so diligently 📈👏 I’m so pleased for all the youngsters, who, for whatever reason, don’t have a season ticket but want to be a JSB and get so much from it – including my youngest 🙌
@adamreeve87: Fair play, terrible decision in the first place but he’s held his hands up and listened – can’t ask for more really
@gaz_buckley: Well done Doug, the right decision in the end on the JSB’s but surely those numbers are wrong? Got to be more than 350 non season ticket JSB’s
@jackbrowncov: One of the nicest blokes I’ve met , absolutely love him 😍👏🏻
@pusb_coventry: Woke up this morning feeling fine, I’ve got Doug King on my mind
@SeanIsCross: Well done Doug.
@_Deez_Games: Transparent and honest owner… most of us have never experienced this in our lifetime, and its beautiful
@2ToneTownPUSB: This is just sheer class from Doug. Admitting your mistakes publicly is no easy thing, let alone reversing them and acting swiftly on fan feedback. To the Doug haters out there, ask yourselves when SISU ever did this. #pusb
@Dave_Unwin67: Owning a mistake and rectifying it shows great leadership. As a business man I know it takes guts to publicly admit an error, but this is a classy move and deserves respect. Thank you DK. PUSB.
@paulbhutchings: Good to see the change on JSB, and a sensible business model – we might not move forward as fast as some may like but it’s better than risking it all and plummeting back to where we were a few short years ago
@dharvey4: We don’t ask for much but communication is so important, well done Doug 👏
@dan_flindall: Well done Doug 👍🏻 owned up to the massive mistake and made the changes to shelve it.. great communication
@PeteDudgeon1: Good to see Doug and the club have owned up to messing up and reversed the JSB decision.
@_martinshaw: Ambition, accountability and transparent communication. It didn’t take much to unite this wonderful club and it’s supporters but it still amazes me how lucky we were to finally get an owner of Doug’s business calibre and deft personal touch. To the Premier League and beyond… 🩵
@dwcskyblue: Club of the people. 👏🏻

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