Jez Moxey talks TV and tickets amid Boro boycott

Jez Moxey says fans being inconvenienced by games being moved for TV coverage is a big problem – and that Wolves would use Premier League money to help keep ticket prices down.

Moxey, who is on the Football League board, revealed that matches being moved for TV is the 'hot topic' among members and that discussions are being made at top levels, although owing to a legal dispute between the league and Leeds United he couldn't divulge the specific issues being debated.

As many as 17 Wolves matches have had their dates and times moved for, or as a consequence of, live television coverage so far this season.

"The disruption to supporters is significant and is beginning to get to a point where everybody does need to be concerned," he said.

"Last week we had a board meeting and this is the hot topic we're discussing.

"Rest assured, behind the scenes where it really matters, discussions with Sky and the Football League, it is very much a subject we are debating.

"The Football League has been unable to say too much publicly because legal dispute with Leeds.

"We're in amongst it and we think it's a problem.

"We're acutely aware of it. It's a challenge to the very substance of what we in particular base our sales strategy, with regard to our relationship with supporters and season ticket holders."

Some Wolves fans are boycotting next month's televised Friday night trip to Middlesbrough, with supporters' group Hatherton Wolves electing to make a stand against ticket prices.

Moxey said of the issue: "It's a problem. What we want, as we saw on Saturday (at Reading), is 2,000 fans turning up to support our team. And that's what they want to do, we understand that. But if they're being priced out or inconvenienced, it doesn't surprise me.

"We fully understand anyone that's in that position.

"If Middlesbrough want to charge £32, there's nothing I can do about that.

"I'm happy to be judged on our prices. The vast majority of our adult season ticket holders are watching football at £15 a game."

"Our prices remain extremely competitive and we never hear of visiting supporters moaning about our prices."

Liverpool fans last weekend staged a walkout in protest at being charged £77 for certain tickets next season.

A few days earlier, Premier League clubs failed to vote in a new consensus that could have seen all away tickets in the top flight set at £30.

They fell just short of the required 14 clubs needed to pass the motion.

"That to me is really disappointing," Moxey said.

"We're of the view that given the amount of money Premier League clubs have got because of its television broadcast deal, they can afford to do much more for ticket prices if they wanted to.

"If we were in the Premier League, with all that money, we would be supporting the idea of making it as affordable as possible.

"We would be supporting initiatives like that (£30 for away tickets).

"It's up to individual clubs to set prices and it'll be very difficult to break that.

"We'd be looking to use that money to make sure we get full stadia at all opportunities.

"Do we think this is a problem? Yes we do."

Attendances at Molineux have been noticeably poor, with the 31,700 stadium barely half full for some matches.

And Moxey admitted he was concerned.

He added: "Fans want us to be challenging for automatic promotion, and we're not. So that, among disruption of matches, general discontent, boycotts at Liverpool, walkouts...it's a concern of ours.

"It's a real problem, we understand it.

"But from our point of view it's the football that drives everything. If we haven't got these injuries, if we're banging in goals, playing the 'Wolves Way' where its exciting football – and that will come under Kenny Jackett – it's a different situation."