Chelsea are giving their supporters free tickets for this
month's rescheduled Premier League match against Everton at
Goodison Park.
The Blues are unhappy at being asked to play two league
games in the space of 72 hours after their trip to Goodison Park
was rescheduled for television.
The club insist the change, which sees the game put back two
days to Thursday April 17, "undermines the sporting integrity of
the competition", as it comes three days after they host Wigan.
Chelsea will use the TV money gained from the game to pay for
tickets and travel for their supporters.
"We've continued to make very strong representations for the
date of the Everton away game to be changed," Chelsea said in a
statement. "This now seems unlikely.
"Under these circumstances, Chelsea believes it would be
inappropriate to profit from the television fee for this match as
per normal."
Chelsea have been allocated 2,900 seats for the game and will
offer refunds to fans who have already bought tickets.
They also plan to pay for train or bus tickets to get supporters
to and from the game.
Everton have previously described the fixture change as an
"uncomfortable precedent".
At the time of the switch, the Premier League defended the move,
saying: "The compilation of the fixture list is a complex
procedure.
"It faces enormous pressure from international match and
European competition dates, as well as the need to balance the
important requirements of the police and our broadcasters.
"We are also required by the European Commission to televise 138
matches per season, which brings its own inevitable pressures."
