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.”

Photo: TWTD

TrueBlue1996 added 09:31 - Jun 11 So you mean all the Middle aged men on Twitter who claimed it was like 15/16k was wrong? Wow I am so shocked.....
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Suffolk_n_Proud added 09:36 - Jun 11 Good news the on the Eds sponsorship front and the global reach. Lots of positivity at the moment
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PositivelyPortman added 09:38 - Jun 11 TrueBlue - that's ageism mate. 😂
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FPL_Tractor added 09:55 - Jun 11 When it comes to crunch despite silly rumours of 16k that is an excellent figure and i'm sure there will be others getting on board as transfers are announced and people's own pay days are reached.
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Blue_75 added 09:55 - Jun 11 Ashton feels like a breath of fresh air compared to what we've been used to. He speaks with real authority, knows his stuff and how to deal with the press. The Ed Sheeran connection is massive for us! COYB
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cornishblu added 10:12 - Jun 11 Curious to know how many shirts have been pre ordered ....fans voice against betting sponsorship seems to be growing .....be fantastic if we have sold more shirts now that magical Vegas has been replaced , sends out another positive message of how fans want their club viewed COYB
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blues1 added 10:57 - Jun 11 PositivelyPortman. No it isnt. It's what some1 who works at the club said had been sold.
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atty added 11:18 - Jun 11 All a bit strange re season tickets. We were told 10,000 had renewed in the first group, and then re the second group that there were 8000 phone calls in a morning, plus online applications ( unknown) and that lot only resulted in an extra 2000 season tickets. One podcaster was indeed talking about 16000!, and EADT (who l trust) mentioned the 8000 calls. I'm dissapointed wigh11,000 frankly. Seems the damage done by the Evans era has hit harder than we thought, though we were getting around 19K at some games,ie, and extra 10K non season ticket holders apparently. Only 2000 of the, decided to buy a season ticket?

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BeattiesBackPocket added 11:18 - Jun 11 My brother tried to get a season ticket earlier for the Northstandveteran online and there was only one solitary ticket bottom tier whether that's just the online glitch I have no idea. Remember guys this is only 11000 so far only 4 days into the early bird and a 1000 sold not bad. COYB
4

Marinersnose added 11:22 - Jun 11 I think the hardcore fans have now bought their tickets. I'm excited at the prospect of a new season under a new regime. I'm not a fan who is convinced that we'll go straight up. I think the first two months will be key especially for Cook. I expect 12k season ticket holders by the start of the season which is decent at this level. COYB
2

blues1 added 11:26 - Jun 11 Atty. To suggest for 1 that 11000 season ticket sales is disappointing is rubbish. And to suggest that Evan's reign has anything to do with the season ticket sales for next season, is frankly ridiculous. And taking into account that a number of fans cancelled their season tickets mid season, weve sold somewhere around 3000 in the 1st week of general sale. And wjth the early bird price being available until august this year, theres plenty of time for numbers to increase.

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Marcus added 11:51 - Jun 11 11k is what's been sold and completed. It doesn't include any still being processed or those who made an enquiry and haven't completed. Amazed is isn't all done online these days.
4

afcfee added 12:29 - Jun 11 How many are gong to be allowed in come september if any? Expensive ifollow passes or the chance to go in raffle to see few games. Come winter we will back in full lockdown, already getting built up.
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BurleysGloryDays added 13:33 - Jun 11 ED SHEERRANNN, WOOOAHH ED SHEERANN, WOOOAHH HE LOVES THE IPSWICH TOWN, HE SINGS WHEN UP OR DOWN ED SHEERAN, WOOOAHH. SUUPER, SUPER TED, SUUPER, SUPER TED, SUUPER, SUPER TED, SUPER TEDDY SHEERANN, SUUUUUPER..
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EatonBlue added 14:54 - Jun 11 BurleysGD - You could add HE HATES NAARWIJ to the end of that.
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Linkboy13 added 15:21 - Jun 11 I think a lot of people are waiting to see what players are going to be signed before buying a season ticket. To suggest 11,000 is very disappointing at this early stage is a stupid remark and i think it will be around 15,000 depending of course on the players we bring in.
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grinch added 16:52 - Jun 11 This also counts all the season ticket holders who had reduced rates from last 2 seasons that has to be taken into account the sales then look no better really than last season. Let's not hype this up it is going to take more than a couple of months to get fans back on board we have more players leaving than arriving so until all of this is settled and fans can see there are shoots of recovery rather than just words then sales will stay average.

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itfcasual added 17:24 - Jun 11 To be fair most of those phone calls were from existing season ticket holders querying their Direct Debit payment schedule... I'm sure it'll all be fine ;)
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Edmundo added 18:31 - Jun 11 As a back of an envelope estimate £4.5M gross sales if we get 11k ST holders, £6.25M if we get 15k.That's just over a million pounds more we can spend when you factor in the 60% rule: really hope we can get to 15+ million ST holders - that's a top signing at this level right there in that million pounds.
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atty added 19:00 - Jun 11 Blue1 -nah not having that.The Club said nearly 10000 had RENEWED, so despite the hype aay 1500 at most thereafter. THEN there were 80000 ph9 e calls plus on line. Considering the hype l would have thought new applicants would be rushing to get a season ticket for fear of missing out on their preferred area. So not rubbish at al, in fact measured viiew. I of course hope we get to 15K.

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Northstandveteran added 19:09 - Jun 11 That was very decent of him Beatiesbackpocket. Send your brother my thanks.
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bluesman added 06:34 - Jun 12 I only renewed my ticket because it was such a good deal. I don't like the way Cook has behaved. What has to be done has to be done but there is still a right way to do it.
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