Town’s season ticket sales ahead of the 2016/17 campaign are down almost seven per cent on the same point a year ago. The early bird deadline for purchasing seats at the cheapest prices passed at midday on Monday.
Current sales are similar to those at the same point in the summer of 2014 and represents a drop in revenue of around £200,000.
It had been expected that the Blues would suffer a drop this summer after a less successful season - particularly at home - last year’s play-off finish having boosted sales to just over the 14,000 mark.
The Blues are ultimately likely to see season ticket numbers drop back to somewhere around 13,000 - not as far as some speculation has suggested - leading to an overall reduction of around £400,000 in revenue.
Asked about the anticipated drop in season ticket sales on Saturday’s Life’s a Pitch on Radio Suffolk, Blues MD Ian Milne said: "That’s a pity, we’re still up there. I understand what people say about it not being attractive football, but you can play attractive football and be in the relegation zone.
"We’re not in the relegation zone, we’re currently eighth and hopefully we’ll get higher. I don’t think anything’s changed in many ways. Yes, we’d love to be in the top six, but we’re still a great football club with a great following.”
He added that manager Mick McCarthy and owner Marcus Evans will meet in the summer to talk about their plans for the season ahead.
"The budget’s gone up [during 2015/16] and there’s going to be a discussion between Mick and Marcus in the summer about players and we need to wait for that,” the Blues MD continued.
"But I have no reason to think that he’s not going to continue to invest at or above the level he’s investing at the moment. There could be more money available, as there has been this season.”
As is the case every year, season ticket sales are currently suspended until Town’s divisional status for next year has been finally confirmed.