Blues CEO Mark Ashton has revealed that Town’s season ticket total for 2021/22 currently stands at just over 11,000.
After season ticket holders from 2020/21 and the previous season had renewed their seats the figure stood at near to 10,000 with just over 1,000 new season ticket holders purchasing seats when they went on sale on Monday.
"We’re certainly going to bring some energy, a new focus and a new way of working to the club and I think that’s becoming very evident in the positivity that’s been shown in both the shirt sales and the ticket sales,” Ashton told the Mark Murphy show on BBC Radio Suffolk (from 2hrs 37mins 54secs).
"Season tickets are at just over 11,000, which is great. I think we were at circa 9,000 before the start of last season, so it’s going in the right direction. I’d just encourage the fans to make sure they get their season tickets and enjoy the journey.”
Ashton, who officially took on his role at the club on June 1st, says season ticket sales are very important to the club with League One’s Salary Cap Management Protocol (SCMP) meaning that the club can only spend 60 per cent of its turnover on player wages.
"It’s absolutely imperative because we’ve said we’ve got a club which is going to be well-funded going forward but we are governed by the salary protocols in League One,” he said
"And that’s really clear, we can only spend 60 per cent of our overall revenue on players full stop. That’s what we can do.
"So every penny that we bring into the club, whether that’s through the supporters or the commercial activities is absolutely vital to us because it allows us to make sure we spend sensibly and as best we can to bring the best players into this football club.”
Season tickets will remain on sale at the early bird price until 5pm on Friday 6th August.
Ashton says Ed Sheeran's sponsorship has had an impact on selling shirts, not just locally but across the world.
"What a fantastic thing to do. I can’t take the credit for this, this was put together by [director of sales] Rosie Richardson and the commercial team at the football club,” he added.
"They worked with Ed and his management team and I just think it’s absolutely fantastic.
"It opens the club to a global audience and I’m so grateful to him for the way he’s publicised the club, wearing the shirt on TikTok and other social media platforms. It’s fantastic, it really takes the club to a global reach.”
While Sheeran is doing a TikTok gig without an audience two weeks today from Portman Road, Ashton says there is nothing currently in place regarding a concert proper.
"I can’t say that at the moment," he said. "I’m 10 days into the job. The relationship with Ed and his management company is outstanding. Where that will lead, I’m not quite sure.
"We’d love to see him here performing but he is a worldwide superstar and will have commitments all around the globe, I’m sure.
"We’re just so grateful for what he’s done and he knows he’s welcome here to cheer on the the team any time.”