Aberdeen Football Club estimates vaccine passports could cost £1.5 million in lost income.
A “huge number” of season ticket holders say they want their money back if “forced” to get double jabbed, a north-east MSP has revealed.
Douglas Lumsden was contacted by club chairman Dave Cormack around proposals to introduce vaccine passports in Scotland, prior to the scheme being approved by MSPs on Thursday.
The Conservative north-east MSP says the AFC chief told him that clubs with more than 10,000 attending will be “severely challenged financially”.
During a debate held in Holyrood on Thursday, Mr Lumsden said: “I have been contacted by the chairman of a football club, he told me: ‘Clubs with over 10,000 attending are going to be severely challenged financially.
‘We’ve already had a huge number of season ticket holders state that if we force them to get vaccinated they want their money back.
‘We have done everything not to make anyone redundant at the club.
‘Our initial estimate is that this will cost us at least £1.5 million in lost income’.”
Speaking on Thursday, the First Minister said vaccine passports are a “reasonable response to a very difficult situation”.
‘A hammer blow’
From October 1, individuals will be required to show they have had two Covid jabs to gain entry to events including football grounds, nightclubs and music festivals.
Mr Lumsden told MSPs the scheme will be a “hammer blow to those clubs who have already suffered hugely over the past 18 months”.
He said: “I would urge the government that, if they do force this through today, to work closely with these clubs and don’t hang them out to dry.”
Aberdeen Football Club declined to offer further comment.
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