Consumer group FanFair Alliance has reported Vivid Seats, a ticket resale platform part-owned by Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly, to UK watchdogs over alleged illegal ticket touting.
The company has been referred to both the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) amid concerns over its marketing and reselling of tickets.
"Given the ongoing controversies around online ticket touting, I'm not surprised that so many football fans are unhappy about the links between Chelsea's Todd Boehly and Vivid Seats," said Adam Webb, campaign manager of FanFair Alliance.
The platform has been selling Premier League match tickets at significantly inflated prices, despite such resales being a criminal offence in football since the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.
Todd Boehly has come under fire amid an alleged ticket touting scandal
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Tickets for Chelsea's upcoming home game against Southampton are being listed on Vivid Seats for between £98 and £1,036.
Even steeper prices appear for Chelsea's clash with Liverpool on May 3, ranging from £685 to £6,560.
For Liverpool's potential title-deciding final game of the season, tickets are being offered for as much as £19,369.
Vivid Seats takes a 10 per cent commission and service fee on sales, despite stating on its website that events must take place in the US and be sold to US residents.
The platform primarily targets foreign-based fans, often selling tickets for thousands of pounds above face value.
The Chelsea Supporters' Trust has condemned Boehly's connection to Vivid Seats as a "breach of trust" and potential conflict of interest.
"Vivid Seats currently lists hundreds of Chelsea FC General Admission tickets at significantly inflated prices," a CST spokesman said.
"As these tickets are not sold by the Chelsea FC website, they are considered by the club to be 'illegal sales.'"
A recent CST survey revealed widespread dissatisfaction with the club's handling of ticket resale issues, with over two-thirds of respondents believing ticket touting remains a major problem.
Only 17 per cent expressed confidence in the club's ability to effectively tackle the issue.
US billionaire Todd Boehly was part of a consortium that purchased Chelsea in May 2022
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Vivid Seats has defended its practices in a statement issued on Wednesday.
"Our policy restricts the sale of EPL tickets from UK sellers. We can confirm that we do not have any UK sellers listing EPL inventory on our marketplace," the company said.
The Football Supporters' Association strongly opposes such resale practices. "The FSA opposes resellers who place themselves between club and fan with the sole intention of making money—we'd encourage clubs to use their in-house systems. Supporters should have access to tickets at a fair price," they told City AM.
Vivid Seats maintains it does not set base prices for tickets, with only sellers determining and receiving the base ticket price.
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Chelsea have a strict policy against ticket-touting
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Chelsea has previously taken a firm stance against ticket touting, warning of serious consequences for violators.
The club stated last year that supporters caught selling tickets above face value would face sanctions, including removal of season tickets and memberships.
"In some cases, the matter will be reported to the police for criminal prosecution," Chelsea warned.
Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs' Council's lead for football policing, reinforced this position: "Ticket touting is a criminal offence, and those who are caught exploiting genuine fans through these means will face action."
Chelsea maintains that official club channels are the only legitimate source for general admission tickets.
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