Hearts prepare season ticket sales campaign to boost club finances

Hearts plan to launch season ticket sales within days and help offset a lack of income whilst football remains indefinitely suspended.

Marketing officials at Tynecastle Park are ready to put seats on sale for season 2020/21, which would generate a significant seven-figure sum in revenue during the coming months.

Hearts are waiting to discover if or when the current campaign will resume in order to determine which league they will occupy come August.

They asked players and staff to accept a 50 per cent wage cut earlier this month with football shut down due to coronavirus.

The postponement has impacted forward planning at every club, with many running short of cash and asking fans for donations.

Season ticket sales have already begun elsewhere in Scotland, including at city rivals Hibs. The Tynecastle club will follow suit early next month.

Hearts sold 13,500 seats last summer and a similar uptake this year would be worth £5m in total over the summer - based on an average price of £375.

They are currently bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership and remain eager for this season's final eight league matches to be played as they battle for survival.

A decision from the Scottish Football Association and Scottish Professional Football League on whether the campaign will finish or not has yet to be made.

The SFA are due to meet senior UEFA officials via video conference on Wednesday at 12pm to discuss the possible rescheduling of matches.

Hearts employees will be paid in full today for the month of March. They have been asked to confirm by 5pm on Wednesday if they accept the club's right to suspend their salaries whilst football is shut down.

Clause 12 in all SPFL contracts gives clubs the option to stop footballers' wages while matches are suspended. Hearts are reluctant to invoke that clause and hope 2020/21 season ticket sales can boost finances.

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