An update from Clive

Ahead of Gold Memberships for the 2025/26 season going on sale, I want to take this opportunity to address a few matters and provide additional context regarding the tough and unenviable decisions we have had to make. 
 
As a board and a group of backers, we remain committed to maintaining a competitive sporting budget and delivering the best possible fan experience. However, inflation across both the sporting and non-sporting aspects of the business has led to significantly increased operating costs. An example of this is that our matchday operating costs are currently expected to be around £200,000 more next season compared to like for like this year.  
 
Investment from the ownership group continues at unprecedented levels in the club’s history. While we may not get every decision right, our unwavering commitment is to keep Lincoln City FC moving forward, both on and off the pitch. 
 
We have played at what is now the LNER Stadium for 130 years, and our facilities are currently the best they have ever been, and with further enhancements planned over the summer; we again hope to take a major step forward in this regard. Despite the rising costs within professional football, we are investing in infrastructure and personnel that we believe will help us remain competitive and maximise our resources in true Lincoln City style. 
 
We also believe player trading can help us close the financial gap alongside our continued commercial growth. However the harsh reality is that, even with this forecasted growth, we are facing an increased annual financial commitment that will require increased support from the investors.
 
We, of course, will continue to do our part but, for Lincoln City to thrive, we also need to call on the support of our fans.  As a result, we have had little choice but to implement a modest increase in 2025/26 Gold Membership prices, which will be approximately 5% across all categories. This means that an adult renewing their membership in the upcoming window will be asked to pay around £20 more than last year - this is 87p more per game. 
 
Additionally, we are introducing three pricing zones within the LNER Stadium. However, we are committed to ensuring that any fan renewing during the first window will see no more than a 5% increase. Equally, as part of greater choice, there will be an option to move to a different zone and pay less if desired. 
 
We want to assure supporters that we are truly grateful for the unwavering commitment shown in recent years, particularly against challenging societal and financial backdrops. Every decision we make is with the intent of continuing to punch above our weight and competing against clubs with significantly greater resources. We have strived to be as fair as possible while asking everyone to play their part in driving this great club forward. 
 
Up the Imps 
 
Clive