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Town Announce Season Ticket Refund Options
Wednesday, 8th Jul 2020 11:00

Owner Marcus Evans has announced a variety of reimbursement options for season ticket holders for the home matches which failed to take place at the end of the 2019/20 season, including full refunds staged over the course of the new campaign, credits for future tickets and vouchers.

The Blues still had five Portman Road fixtures left to play when the campaign was suspended on March 13th before ultimately being brought to a premature end.

Town are keen for fans to leave their cash in the club with the Blues facing a multi-million loss of revenue since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Owner Evans has written to season ticket holders outlining the situation the club finds itself in and the refund options.

Dear supporter

"As you will be aware our 2019/20 season ended eight games early, with five of those games to have been played at Portman Road.
"The club has been working on a make-good plan for all those who had season tickets, or had bought match tickets for those games missed.

"We have recently released details of what is available to those who purchased individual match tickets and below you will find what we hope you will see as an extensive range of compensation options for season ticket holders. Whichever option you decide, I’d like to thank you for your support over the past season.

"Relegation from the Championship was hard to take and the 2019/20 season ended in disappointment after starting so brightly but there is no doubt that the year ahead presents the biggest challenge of my time as owner at this fantastic football club.

"Covid-19 has affected each and every one of us. The health and safety of all will always be the primary focus but we are also just beginning to see the economic fallout from the pandemic and football will certainly not be immune from that.

Wigan have just gone into administration and I fear there will be more clubs to follow. We have been hit harder than most in League One but I will continue to provide the financial stability to maintain the club’s competitiveness as much as possible, though as always much will depend on the continuing support of our great fanbase.
"
Many of you will have seen the figures in the local media of the ‘£10 million black hole’ that we face if next season is played behind closed doors.

It’s a worst case scenario - and the indications are that fans will be phased back into stadiums at some stage - but that worst case scenario is what we have to be prepared for.

"We are in unprecedented times and no one really knows a timescale for getting back to normality so that makes it so difficult to plan but it’s my job as owner to make sure Ipswich Town can go forward on a stable footing.

We will need to add to what is already a very competitive squad to give us the best chance of achieving promotion; we need to continue to invest in the future and we have done that recently with new long-term contracts for Luke Woolfenden and Armando Dobra; we need to continue to fund the academy so that conveyor belt of homegrown players functions. That funding will have to increase if the grants from the Premier League are cut or reduced.

"It’s a balancing act though because aside from the season ticket renewal income we’ve had through direct debits and one-off payments, we have had no significant income coming into the club since our season was put on hold in March.

"With that in mind and the uncertainty ahead, we are hoping that many of you will take up one of the attractive non-cash refund plans available in the list of compensation options.


Where you decide to take a cash refund we have set the refund payments over a length of time to ‘spread the load’ and I hope supporters can understand the reasoning behind that.

"To the many of you who have renewed your season ticket for next year, I’d like to say thank you. To those who would prefer to wait until football and perhaps life becomes a little clearer, thank you too for your support.

"I hope we will see you all back at Portman Road sometime soon. These are challenging times for everyone. Stay safe.

Compensation Options

The options available to 2019/20 season ticket holders and how compensation can be claimed are listed below.

For season ticket holders who have renewed for 2020/21 using the direct debit scheme, please choose from the following options.

"a) Donate the money to the club for use in the academy or ITFC Community Trust. As a thank-you to those taking up this option, the club will issue you with ‘cash’ vouchers for use at the stadium to the value of 50 per cent of your donation value. So if for example your donation value is £100, we will issue you with £50 in vouchers.

b) A pro rata credit to the value of six league matches (rather than five) will be added to your online account to be used towards match tickets, memberships and events for 2020/21.

c) ‘Cash’ vouchers for use at the Planet Blue store, at the stadium for food and beverages, for tickets at the matchday ticket office and for matchday hospitality. The club will add 25 per cent on top of the refund value of the five missed games so for anyone entitled to - for example a £100 refund - will instead be issued with £125 in vouchers.

d) A refund for the cancelled five games repayable across your remaining direct debit payments for 2020/21 in equal instalments.

e) A 50/50 option. Donate 50 per cent of the refund to the club for use in the academy or ITFC Community Trust. You will also receive a 50 per cent cash refund repayable across your remaining direct debit payments for 2020/21 in equal instalments. As a thank-you to those taking up this option, the club will issue you with ‘cash’ vouchers for use at the stadium to the value of 25 per cent of your donation value. So if for example your donation value is £100, we will issue you with £25 in vouchers.

For season ticket holders who have already paid in full for a 2020/21 season ticket, please choose from the following options.

Donate the money to the club for use in the academy or ITFC Community Trust. As a thank-you to those taking up this option, the club will issue you with ‘cash’ vouchers for use at the stadium to the value of 50 per cent of your donation value. So if for example your donation value is £100, we will issue you with £50 in vouchers.

b) A pro rata credit to the value of six league matches (rather than five) will be added to your online account to be used towards match tickets, memberships and events for 2020/21.

c) ‘Cash’ vouchers for use at the Planet Blue store, at the stadium for food and beverages, for tickets at the matchday ticket office and for matchday hospitality. The Club will add 25 per cent on top of the refund value of the five missed games so for anyone entitled to - for example a £100 refund - will instead be issued with £125 in vouchers.

d) A refund for the cancelled five games repayable in equal instalments on 1st September 2020, 1st January 2021 and 1st May 2021.

e) A 50/50 option. Donate 50 per cent of the refund to the club for use in the academy or ITFC Community Trust. You will also receive a 50 per cent cash refund repayable in equal instalments on 1st September 2020, 1st January 2021 and 1st May 2021. As a thank-you to those taking up this option, the club will issue you with ‘cash’ vouchers for use at the stadium to the value of 25 per cent of your donation value. So if for example your donation value is £100, we will issue you with £25 in vouchers.

For season ticket holders who have not renewed for 2020/21 so far, please choose from one of the following options.

Donate the money to the club for use in the academy or ITFC Community Trust. As a thank-you to those taking up this option, the club will issue you with ‘cash’ vouchers for use at the stadium to the value of 50 per cent of your donation value. So if for example your donation value is £100, we will issue you with £50 in vouchers.

b) A pro rata credit to the value of six league matches (rather than five) will be added to your online account to be used towards match tickets, memberships and events or towards a season ticket for 2020/21 should you wish to proceed with a purchase when our campaign commences.

c) ‘Cash’ vouchers for use at the Planet Blue store, at the stadium for food and beverages, for tickets at the matchday ticket office and for matchday hospitality. The club will add 25 per cent on top of the refund value of the five missed games so for anyone entitled to - for example a £100 refund - will instead be issued with £125 in vouchers.

d) A refund for the cancelled five games repayable in equal instalments on 1st September 2020, 1st January 2021 and 1st May 2021.

e) A 50/50 option. Donate 50 per cent of the refund to the club for use in the academy or ITFC Community Trust. You will also receive a 50 per cent cash refund repayable in equal instalments on 1st September 2020, 1st January 2021 and 1st May 2021. As a thank-you to those taking up this option, the club will issue you with ‘cash’ vouchers for use at the stadium to the value of 25 per cent of your donation value. So if for example your donation value is £100, we will issue you with £25 in vouchers.

Fans are asked to notify the club of their chosen compensation option by 5pm on Wednesday 22nd July. If the club has not received notification by then, option A will apply. ""Please note that ‘cash’ vouchers can only be used in person at Planet Blue and the stadium and will be valid for the duration of the 2020/21 season.

All seasonal commercial clients will be contacted directly by the club in due course outlining the compensation options available. ""The club will be emailing all 2019/20 season ticket holders that are on the database, which is more than 90 per cent.

How to Claim Your Compensation

"The club now has a new ticketing partner, SeatGeek, who are a global ticketing platform.

"The new ticketing website can be found at https://tickets.itfc.co.uk and has been set up - while no matches are on sale - to only show the compensation options available to those 2019/20 season ticket holders who missed out on the last five home games of the campaign.

"Before selecting your preferred compensation option, you must create a new password to be able to login. Your old password will not be valid on the new system.""The following is a step by step guide to changing your password and login before selecting your compensation option

Click on https://tickets.itfc.co.uk"* Click 'SIGN IN'
* Enter your SUPPORTER ID (also referred to as customer number)
* Click 'RESET PASSWORD'
* An email will be sent to your registered email address. Click 'CREATE/RESET PASSWORD' within the email
* Enter and verify your new password
* Sign into the site using Supporter ID and newly created password

Please note that you will need to complete this reset password process for each season ticket holder.

Once you are signed in you will be able to view the compensation offers that are available to you, select your preferred option and follow the screen prompts to complete the process. Please note that this needs to be completed for each individual season ticket holder separately.

If you are struggling to login and have followed the instructions above it may be that the club holds a different email address on the system for you. Please email the ticket office at mainticketoffice@itfc.co.uk or phone 03330 050503 and the ticket office staff can update the email address for you.


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Wallingford_Boy added 11:12 - Jul 8
Seems very reasonable. Lets just hope ST holders do their bit now to support the club financially.
3

Bergholt_Blue added 11:24 - Jul 8
Can't moan at this well done Itfc
Option B is great for me. You can have the money back that way
4

Wickets added 11:28 - Jul 8
Personally i think its time for everyone who calls themselves a fan and can afford too, supports the club and not just the season ticket holders .
8

Blue_75 added 11:34 - Jul 8
Well done Marcus Evans and ITFC!
Presumably there's no restriction on voucher use in Planet Blue e.g. could we use the vouchers to purchase the new Shirt?
0

trncbluearmy added 11:54 - Jul 8
Money back to club for me
Time to stand up and be counted, like the share issues, and give some thanks back to a club that has given me and numerous others so many good times over the years.

COYB
1

CraigEdwards added 12:27 - Jul 8
It's got to be the academy for me
Well done Marcus
2

TexacoCup added 12:39 - Jul 8
I renewed my DD which entitles me to some bonus for 20/21 but I can't remember what!?
I'm going for the six match tickets - I get to bring a friend, they spend money at the club, it's win, win.
Has the Bury game been forgotten?
3

BluJu added 12:39 - Jul 8
Good options, and plenty of them.

But please do not discredit fans belief in the club if they wish to get their money back (I'm not saying that is what I will do, btw) - many fans will find themselves in far more dire financial straights than when they signed up for a season ticket, due to losing their job, or being furloughed etc.

Sweeping statements only make people feel guilty about doing what could be the right thing for them and their family.
7

almostblue added 12:44 - Jul 8
Good that we have some options, and I'm sure many will be persuaded to avoid the full refund option. OUTRAGEOUS that the full refund option is being spread over such a timescale. Season ticket holders start paying for their season tickets 3 months before the start of a season. The final refund amount will be over 12 months from the first missed match. Not all season ticket holders are cash rich. Many are on low incomes and watching football is one of few treats. Also, the option of attending games to many who may be more at risk through age or respiratory illness, is not an option for them until they are vaccinated. They are now being asked to give credit to help the cash-flow of a club which has a multi-millionaire at its helm, and pays some employees a monthly income what others would love to have in a year. Sorry Marcus Evans, your patronage has been welcome since you arrived but this particular option appears mean. I urge you and your finance officer to reconsider the terms.
1

slade1 added 13:22 - Jul 8
almostblue, I totally agree with everything you have said.
Yes I am a season ticket holder and have been for 30+ years but I'm not in a great financial situation where I can afford to say to the club "keep my money"
I for one will be asking for a refund into my bank account asap. Money in my account comes first!!
I would have though the vast majority will ask for a refund tbh.
Spreading the repayments over a period of time stinks and is an insult.
For example, you don't buy a ticket for say a west end theatre only for the show to be called off then the theatre says "we will refund you but well spread it out over x amount of months. No, you get your money paid back in full in one lump sum.
3

ozzy_itfc added 13:22 - Jul 8
I have gone for the cash voucher as I think everyone is a winner that way.

However when I received the confirmation email it says Cash voucher + 50% , I thought it was cash voucher + 25%? anyone else got this?
0

Kickingblock added 13:51 - Jul 8
More choices than I can shake a stick at.
Hmmmmm.
0

Kickingblock added 13:51 - Jul 8
Option B for me - seeing as I'd written the money off for "entertainment".
Would there be an issue if supporters can't attend matches as it's only valid for a season?
1

SouperJim added 14:26 - Jul 8
Unless I'm missing something, nowhere does it tell me how much my "refund" is worth. While I accept this is a huge logistical undertaking for the club, I'd be better placed to make an informed choice if I knew how much money we're talking about. I think they may get more people opting for a refund due to not knowing what the figures are. If it's a relatively small amount then I'd speculate people are more likely to opt for a voucher or tickets.

I also agree that spreading the refund over such a long period of time is taking the mick and I doubt it would stand up if challenged.
4

blues1 added 15:45 - Jul 8
Almostblue that is rubbish. The club simply cannot afford to pay the whole amount in one go. Where have you been tbe past few months. The club has had no income other than the direct debits for next seasons, season tickets, but have still had to pay the players plus 20% of the staffs wages while they on furlough. On top of that, Evan's has already put in an extra £3m to cover the loss up to may. And they're now paying us back more than weve actually paid to them in the 1st place. You clearly making the same mistake many seem to do by thinking Evan's simply has multimillionaire of pounds in cash in his bank. He doesnt. The vast majority of that is tied up in his other businesses. On top of which, hes had no income in his business neither, as theres been no corporate hospitality during the virus. So theyve gone q ove and beyond what they needed to do, and still our fans moan. While fans of other clubs are putting money into their clubs to help them, ours moaning bcse they not getting theirs all back immediately.
0

carlisleaway added 15:58 - Jul 8
I believe if Marcus Evans had thrown in a new car many on this board would have still found something to moan about. If you are financially sound, then back the club. Sounds like some on this board have been living in a time warp over the past 3 months.
4

muhrensleftfoot added 16:17 - Jul 8
I'm a lifelong town fan in my 60s now, but I will go for the refund against my season ticket. I understand that Evans is keeping the club afloat, but I also keep in mind that he bought the club's debt of (approx figures) £40m for £8m thinking that putting in around £10m investment would give us a quick return to the Premier League and lots of dosh for the Evans group. He's not a fan, he's a businessman that made a poor decision. It didn't work out the way he envisaged, and everything he's done for the club has failed in terms of managers, success on the field etc. His tenureship has been a disaster for us loyal fans. I remain a loyal fan and will continue to support the club and pay for my season ticket, but there is no way I will help Evans out of his predicament. Poor chap is probably down to his last £500 million.
2

runningout added 16:21 - Jul 8
I love ITFC more than I could wish for, and it won't stop even though we are in a deep lot of sh*t :-)
1

sally added 17:19 - Jul 8
Evans purchased the club for one reason to achieve the holy grail of promotion to the premiership. If he had achieved this he would not have passed on any of the new funds to the supporters.
He is in a risk and reward environment and whilst I admire those blind faith supporters above I for one want my money returned now.
I'm not sure what he is proposing is entirely legal especially with the time frames.
0

alfromcol added 17:20 - Jul 8
The really bad news is if we hear that the Marcus Evans company is in trouble. As a company it has presumably had no revenue since March and is unlikely to be generating very much for the forseeable future. The ME fortune is likely to be worth only a fraction of its value in March. If the ME company runs into trouble then there is no doubt that ITFC is in the smelly stuff.
2

blues1 added 17:26 - Jul 8
Sally. What total tosh. Of course its legal. It's how business works. They cannot pay out what they dont have. They are also giving us more back than we have paid them in the 1st place. Are refunding for 6 games. Whereas we pay a monthly amount which covers however many games are played each month. So anyone who decides they want a refund, will be getting more than they're officially entitled to. Yet some still complain. We really do have some of the worst supporters in the country. While fans are putting money into their clubs, ours moan, even when offered extra money back.
-1

LWNR2013 added 18:08 - Jul 8
👍
0

hammo56 added 18:16 - Jul 8
Gone for the refund option.
Will look at renewing season ticket for 21/22 season as will then be eligible for concessionary rate which I was already entitled too until Mr Evans decided to up the age limit from 60 to 65.
0

jas0999 added 18:26 - Jul 8
Have to agree this is very reasonable - well done Town. However, it's also important that fans don't judge others decision. There are many variables to this for many people - COVID-19 hasn't just hit the club hard but individuals also - with job loses etc. Not everyone can afford to donate or not accept a refund in these challenging times.
1

almostblue added 19:18 - Jul 8
To clarify my point above, the question regarding those who will opt for a refund of five games (not six), is who should most appropriately be lending the club money? Ticket holders on low incomes, or the comparatively wealthy club associates? I appreciate that cash-flow is tight for many businesses, which is why the government have contributed to wages, and offered business loans at very reasonable rates. I suspect that the ME empire has been financially astute enough to take advantage of these. I'm not complaining about the choices, JUST the long-term retention of a refund. Apart from looking mean, this is legally questionable under the Consumer Rights Act, because it's not being repaid in a 'reasonable' amount of time. The supplier of the services being strapped for cash, is beside the point.
-1


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