Town have increased their season ticket prices by 6% for the 2011/12 season, their first rise for five years. The Blues have blamed an increase in overheads, including a remarkable 743% hike in the rent they pay to Ipswich Borough Council for the land on which their Portman Road stadium is sited.

The Blues’ price rise means that an adult seat in the lower tier of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand or South Stand purchased prior to the early bird deadline on April 15th will cost £390 compared with £368 this season.

Chief executive Simon Clegg says that despite another underachieving season, the club was left with little choice other than to raise prices: “To the best of my knowledge we’re the only club in the Championship that’s been able to hold their season ticket prices for the last five years and during that time we have had to absorb increasing costs.

“Over those five years our electricity costs have increased by 25%, our water by 26%, our rates by 44%, our police bill has doubled and the expected increase in the police rate for the new season is a further 100%.

“On top of that, last year we were hit with a 743% increase in our rent from the council, increasing it from £15,000-a-year to £111,000.

“Over and above that, we’re all acutely aware that the taxman has hit us with further 2.5% on VAT, increasing it from 17.5% to 20%.

“Therefore, reluctantly, we have decided that we’ll have to increase ticket prices next season. In the main they rise by around 6%, that includes the 2.5% increase for the VAT man and the remainder is effectively an inflationary increase.”

Clegg argues that the increase when looked at per game is not huge and some age groups will be exempt: “What that means in real terms is that we’re looking at about an additional pound or £1.50 for most adult season ticket holders per game and 50p for under-16s.

“The under-11 season ticket price will be frozen at £10 because we continue to believe that we need to encourage more young people to come through our gates.”

Town will again be offering their payment scheme and Premier League incentive: “We will continue to run the 0% interest-free scheme over eight months so that people can have the opportunity of spreading their payments and the early bird deadline effectively means people are getting a quarter of all the games free of charge when compared with buying on a matchday ticket basis.

“Our Premier League pledge continues, whereby 50% of the forthcoming season ticket price will be rebated and offset against a future season ticket price should we be promoted at the end of next season.”

Clegg says that despite another disappointing season, he hopes fans will have seen an improvement since Paul Jewell took over as boss: “We changed the manager at the beginning of the year and I think people generally have seen a significant step up in terms of the performance of the players and the team on the pitch.

“The owner, the manager and I spent five hours in Dublin last week talking about the plans for next season. We are very focused in terms of where we want to take this football club.

“There has been absolutely no waning of the enthusiasm of the owner or the determination of the owner, myself and now Paul to take this club back into the Premiership at the earliest possible opportunity. I think bringing in people like Kieron Dyer and Jimmy Bullard just reinforces that vision.”

The chief executive is aware that like the club fans have been hit by the financial strife of the last few years but, with £5-£6 million of Marcus Evans’s cash underwriting Town annually, says the increase was necessary: “I recognise that we are all operating in a difficult financial environment but I have a responsibility to ensure the financial robustness of this football club, particularly bearing in mind the history of what it went through only a decade ago.

“It is important for us that we do run this football club on sound financial grounds and we cannot continue absorbing those increases which are being placed on us by third parties, particularly an additional £100,000 by the council.”

Clegg says that huge hike came as a shock: “743% is a significant increase, although I’m sure the council would argue that we’ve benefited from having our rent pegged for a number of years.

“When we undertook a rent review, it won’t surprise you that the council’s expectation was much greater than ours was and we got to the situation where we were effectively arbitrated upon and that’s where the arbitrator came down.

“We were hit with this in the middle of last year and we have already absorbed those additional costs from the back end of last year.

“I recognise that the council has its own challenges, but obviously the quantum of the increase was a major concern to us, and a surprise.

“We took into account those increases which we would have to bear that are applied to us by external sources and as a result of that reluctantly we came to the view that we needed to increase ticket prices.”

Clegg says that season ticket holders remain the club’s main concern and says this year has seen them receive more additional benefits than ever before: “I continue to prioritise our support for our season ticket holders.

“This season for the first time ever we’ve introduced a third season ticket promotion, the Crystal Palace game coming up in a couple of weeks’ time, and for the first time ever we have offered discounted tickets for the Carling Cup for season ticket holders.

“My intention is to wherever possible try and provide added benefit for our season ticket holders.”

Nevertheless, Clegg is realistic that a reduction from the current figure of 14,300 season ticket holders is likely for the season ahead: “We need to recognise that fan numbers are dropping around the country.

“I know the one thing that we can do to bring fans back to this football club is winning football matches on a regular basis, and that’s certainly the plan for next season.

“We’ve still got some way to go this season, let’s not totally write off this season. There are a number of important games to be played here, particularly the derby against Norwich.”

Clegg also announced that from next season under-12s will not be allowed in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand lower tier, where there have in any case been no concessions for children for some years, for safety reasons. This year there were four under-12 season ticket holders in what was formerly the North Stand.

The chief executive says Town, who will continue to run the Gold and Silver Clubs, will be strict on the early bird date having been more relaxed in previous years: “The early bird deadline is at 12 o’clock on April 15th and I mean 12 o’clock dead.

“You won’t believe the number of excuses which arrive on the desk the following day from people who have not had the chance for whatever reason to make that deadline.”

Town’s often criticised matchday ticket prices are yet to be decided and are being assessed, but the chief executive played down the likelihood of a drop: “I’ll look to see what we can do. I don’t want to create any expectations that those will reduce. I’ve made it very clear since I’ve been here that the priority is to our loyal season ticket holders.”

Clegg says that like most Championship teams the Blues run at a loss and rely on Marcus Evans’s backing, whose determination to get Town back into the top flight remains undiminished: “This football club, like most clubs in the Championship, doesn’t run on a balanced book basis.

“We’re totally dependent on the ongoing support of the owner and the most important message that I want to give the fans is that there has been no waning of the enthusiasm of the owner or his determination to get us back to the promised land.”

Full pricing details are on the club site here.

Photo: Action Images

BlooooCD added 07:10 - Mar 22 I will renew my tickets as will many others, but the club owner needs to take a punt with a chest of cash to get our club where it needs and should be! What a really important summer awaits; i hope Clegg has learned in his short spell how to get deals done! I anticipate mass speculation each and every day. Come on town.. Another mediocre season and we are fcuked! All together now... Blooooooooo Army! COYB's!

0

Tillz9 added 07:13 - Mar 22 Bloody council, suppose they need that money to pay for chief execs wages, guru and photo's !! Disappointed with the rise but looking at the figures can understand it. Will still be renewing mine, more in fear that if I don't we are bound to have a great season !!!
0

DiamondGezzer added 07:32 - Mar 22 At the risk of sounding like a knee-scrapper, I think we have to thank Mr. Evans for his continued financial support. Don't think in all honesty I could lose the kind of money he has put into the club and still show the continued support he does [ not that I've got that kind of money anyway ]. All this ' put your hands deep into your pockets Mr. Evans ' is some kind of sick joke when you consider how many times he's done it [ and continues to do it ]. We all want the best for the club, but demanding, I don't think is the right way. IMHO.

0

hampstead_blue added 07:33 - Mar 22 We shall be renewing. It's only fair to pass on some of the costs, we cannot expect ME to keep shelling out. Any criticism should be pointed at the Police and Council. Their increases are ridiculous and (as paying consumers of their services) we deserve an explination to why they feel such huge increases are reasonable. Clegg in!
0

Premiertown added 07:34 - Mar 22 Things need to change if the club runs at an operating loss. How about a smaller squad with less high salaries. For a fan living over 100 miles away the costs of getting to Ipswich have doubled since i last had a season ticket and a rise however small on top of a price way to high anyway is irrelevant. Gates will fall again and the fewer fans still going will pay even more.

0

DiamondGezzer added 07:35 - Mar 22 hamstead blue :- Absolutly !
0

itfc1981 added 07:37 - Mar 22 Typical Tory gits!
0

itfc1981 added 07:41 - Mar 22 Tory Council belives ITFC is to much like fun for the workers.
0

JonTheBass added 08:01 - Mar 22 @Tillz9 - The authority with the high salaried chief exec and the photoshoots is Suffolk County Council, whereas it's Ipswich Borough that the club rents the ground from, otherwise I'd be agreeing with you on that one. Good job really, if it was SCC that owned the ground site they'd be selling it off for profit by now and we'd be playing home games in Chantry park. On the other hand... that rent rise up 743%... when you look at that as a part of the ticket price, to cover the extra they're charging, if you divide it all by 23 home games, then divide by (say, optimistically) 20,000 average home gate, that would stick 21 pence per fan onto the ticket price. A nice headline grabber, but really by no means the lion's share of the increase. Yet that's the one that the club will point to.

0

nthstd added 08:01 - Mar 22 I will renew my season ticket. Disappointed but not surprised. For the record the VAT rise is NOT a cost on the club as they already operte a VAT payment and reclaiming setup. VAt is simply a business collecting tax on behalf of the goverment. It would be a cost if they had not been doing it before but they have been doing it for years.
0

Garv added 08:11 - Mar 22 No 'Clegg out's? :O
0

dobbie73 added 08:20 - Mar 22 I will be renewing also, but really not very happy. I fully expect some sort of loyalty reward or something for season ticket holders, given that we shell out so much of our cash and have had precious little return in the last few years.
0

apm_77 added 08:22 - Mar 22 I doubt I'll be able to renew, moneys toight enough as it is with a six month old daughter, but what concerns me is the prospective cost of a ticket when I do manage to go (ideally about half the home matches). The upper tier of the North Stand was priced at £33.50 on saturday, the lower at £28.50. Clegg acknowledges that these ticket prices need to be looked at, and rightly so, as with a likely reduction in Season Ticket renewals a decent crowd needs to be attracted from somewhere. The club are right to reward loyalty in Season Ticket holders, but can't isolate fans who can't commit to that much money.

0

Behind_Enemy_Lines added 08:28 - Mar 22 Not suprising but I don't see why we don't offer a 12 month direct debit rolling where you have to opt out, also cheap tickets up to age 18 seeing as they are the future of this club. Sadly I still can't afford a season ticket due to living 80 miles away and when we do go it's all four of us so it can be very expensive but hats off to S Clegg for introducing the cheap ticket deals this season no surprise that the attendance went up like 6000 , the main issue is cost so let's not forget this!

0

textbackup added 08:29 - Mar 22 i feel bad now that i get a 25% single persons discount on council tax... had it not been for that we'd prob still be paying £15k rental! sorry all
0

bluetoba added 08:37 - Mar 22 Here's to Mr.Evans having a very successful olympics. With the 6% increase and Marcus with a wedge, who knows.
0

dirtydingusmagee added 08:53 - Mar 22 Premiertown, i dont think its that simple ,smaller squad smaller wages, prob = smaller ambition,smaller acievements, smaller gates,and lower league status.I am perhaps wrong and no doubt someone with an over active brain and not much to do will come up with a barrow load of figures and prove me wrong.I think M E should go for it , strengthen the team try and get us up and with that an increase attendance, Norwich are flying [wether we like it or not ] and their gate has increased as as the season ticket demand .As ME /Clegg say ''we have under achieved again '',that has to be reversed .Higher prices and poor performances are a recipe for disaster.

0

jas0999 added 08:55 - Mar 22 Very disappointing news. But in all honesty I expected this may be the case. Evans had a poor World Cup and also by all accounts in struggling with Olympic tickets. For once, I don't believe we should be blaming Clegg. The question is how many people will be able to justify spending more to watch Jewell's negative one up front at home? I suspect many will be put off. Let's be honest, there has been little entertainment over the past 3 games - and much criticism for Jewell's decision to play just one striker. I would have thought season ticket sales will be nearer 8-10K this year. Overlooking the poor standard of football there is much more to consider. I, like many others, have a 150 mile round trip to each game. With the cost of petrol rising and with additional costs such as food/drink/parking I doubt (sadly) I will be able to justify spending an additional 6% on my ticket (about 30.00 extra). This of course is just the additional cost for matches, let alone cost of living increases and no pay-rise! I will of course continue to support ITFC and will attend a number of matches, but probably on a match by match basis.

0

Marshalls_Mullet added 09:02 - Mar 22 I would have thought that the 44% increase in the Rates bill could be appealed and reduced, 44% does sound excessive and it has to be in line with the market. And to those complaining about the Counci, increasing the rent. This will be in accordance with the lease, and judging by the percentage increase it probably hasnt been review for c.20 years. I would be interested to hear what the rent review cycle is and the mechanism. Doubless though that ME continues to put his money where his mouth is and the first increase in 5 years does seem to come from passing costs on. I DO HOWEVER HATE THAT FOOTBALLERS WAGES CONTINUE TO SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL AND FOOTBALL CLUBS HAVE BECOME A CONDUIT TO TAKE MONEY FROM FANS AND PASS THEM ON TO THE PLAYERS LEAVING A TRAIL OF DEBT BEHIND. THE BEAUTIFUL GAME?!

0

Dissblue added 09:09 - Mar 22 itfc1981 - typical left wing boll*cks. It was Labours incompetence that got us into this. They should not be allowed to run a jumble sale let alone the country.
0

Karlosfandangal added 09:10 - Mar 22 Another reason for drop in season tickets will be the price of petrol, for me its a 200 mile round trip. that adds around £40-£50 a game plus a fiver to park Work patterns also hinder watching games, mid week games I have to take a day's holiday as I work till 7 O'clock. I expect that most of the season ticket sale will come from people living in the Ipswich area and as that is not a massive area compared to Londons etc the club will never have a huge season ticket base.

0

DavidLing added 09:11 - Mar 22 743%!! Another reason to join the Anti-cuts demo in London on Saturday. COYB
0

SammyT added 09:20 - Mar 22 Its ok because the 9000 fans who went to Arsenal will all buy season tickets....
0

PunchNoHopers added 09:22 - Mar 22 Will probably renew, might wait first to see who is offered new contracts and will be around next season. Have been considering we might have to downsize our seats for some cheaper ones next season, so we will have to now, just a pity that is not possible for everyone in the same situation.
0

village_blue added 09:34 - Mar 22 SammyT dont you believe it about the 9,000 who went to Arsenal buying season tickets a lot of people who went there were the glory hunters who come out of the woodwork for glamour matches like that. I remember when they played Chelsea two years ago that as a season ticket holder not being able to get tickets but know someone that didn't hold a season ticket managed to get there hands on one by default.

0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls