Fans will recall that on 4 June CTWD wrote to James Mooney, Hull City’s Marketing and Online Commercial Manager, raising issues of concern arising from the season card renewal forms that had been sent out to supporters. These issues were the conspicuous absence of the terms “Hull City” or “Hull City AFC” in any part of the form and the use instead of “Hull City Tigers”, “hulltigers” and “hullcitytigers” in email and postal addresses. This, of course, preceded the club’s announcement of a new badge that too had had the words “Hull City AFC” obliterated from it.
Mr Mooney was on holiday when the club received the letter, but we were told he would deal with it upon his return. He has today – almost a month later – informed us that our enquiry has nothing to do with him, it is for the owners to respond.
It is surprising – to say the least – that the member of staff with responsibility for the marketing of the club, including the very season card renewal forms that were sent out to supporters, is unable to answer some basic questions about his own public communications. It is dismaying that the club feels it acceptable to take so long to reply to an important and legitimate enquiry sent on behalf of its most loyal customers, the very same season card holders it was asking to pay 30% more for the cost of their support.
This response, or rather the delay in supplying one, comes barely a week after the Ehab Allam revealed the new badge, introduced without the supporter consultation the club had promised. It does not appear that the club’s owners’ attitude to their customers is improving.
The Allams’ refusal to use Hull City as the club’s name comes across as childish and vindictive. This uncertainty about the very name of the club is damaging to the club itself. We know of long-term supporters who are not renewing their season cards, and they are doing this not because of increased costs but because they can no longer tolerate the owners’ attitude to City supporters.
We have asked that our letter of 4 June be passed on to Ehab Allam for a response. We now await that reply.
