Blues CEO Mark Ashton says he’s up for a debate on whether the EFL should scrap UEFA Article 48, which prevents the broadcast of matches kicking off at 3pm on a Saturday.

Article 48 of the UEFA Statutes, which dates from the 1960s, allows countries to block out periods of two-and-a-half hours during which time games cannot be screened live, in England’s case 2.45pm to 5.15pm on a Saturday.

The rule was relaxed during Covid with fans unable to get to games and it’s been reported that the EFL is considering dropping it completely as part of their next TV deal.

Ashton says he’s currently undecided on the matter but would be in favour of the issue being discussed.

“I would be fully behind the debate, and it is a debate,” he considered. “It’s a really interesting question. I think part of it is that I get torn. I’ve been in this game a long time and I am a traditionalist but I also see the need to adapt and change, and we want new revenue streams and we want to broaden the audience.

“I love three o’clock on a Saturday, for me I’m all about that, I love that. But I think there’s a commercial debate.

“There were a lot of negatives in Covid but there were positives in Covid. I think the nervousness pre-Covid was the concern that if we stream games, fans weren’t going to turn up.

“I think coming out of Covid when we continued to stream games, if you look at Ipswich Town, if you market your club correctly and you build your club correctly, we have grown tickets and we’ve grown iFollow subscriptions at the same time, so I’m less worried about fans falling away when we stream games than I was then.

“I think the other thing we have to look at is, and I don’t see this, people tell me this all the time, but if you really want to find Ipswich Town’s game on a Saturday at three o’clock there are enough moody feeds around the world that you can go and chase down and find it somewhere, which is frustrating, using a VPN etc.

“So I think we’re at the point where we need the debate. We mustn’t lose the magic that is our game, I really believe that. We have something special in England, in Britain about our game of football.

“The family of football, the pyramid of football, three o’clock on a Saturday is magical and I wouldn’t want us to lose that.”

Meanwhile, the Blues are in the final year of their iFollow contract with the club set to introduce its new Town TV service in the summer, Ashton having previously set-up Robins TV during his time at Bristol City.

“I think it’s interesting because when I’m in the States I get to watch iFollow, it’s the only time I’m not at the games, so I don’t get to see it,” Ashton said.

“Town TV’s really important to a club like this because we do have a large overseas following and that’s their view to the club.

“This also means that we have the ability to put our own app in, we’re taking control of the website, we’re taking control of Town TV and, be under no illusion, I’m sure there will be glitches on the way through as we build this, but I want us to build it internally.

“We’re looking at the camera feeds, he’s looking at how it’s going to be presented, we’ve got a meeting tomorrow morning [last Friday] to go through all the IT and integration, it’s a big investment for us. But I do think it’s important.

“I’m fairly comfortable that one, there will be a show that leads into it, and two, we can improve the camera positions at Portman Road.

“I think if you’re in the Championship, those camera positions if you’re going away to Middlesbrough etc, you know they’re going to be good, probably most of them are on four-camera feeds from IMG already, so it’s going to be good.

“If we’re in this division, we’re somewhat still governed at an away game by their feed, but we’ve got to go on this journey.

“[Director of media & communications] Marcus [Nash] is leading on it, the tech team’s in tomorrow, we’ve got a preferred technology partner to come in and work with us and we’ve got to be up and running because we’ll be out of iFollow by the start of the season.”

The Mark Ashton Interview

• Ashton Open to Debate on UEFA Article 48
• Championship a Natural Fit For the Tractor Girls
• New Pitch is On Track
• Work to Continue on Playford Road Pitches and Building
• We're Working on Development Master Plan With Local Authority
• We'll Forge an Informal Link With Rhode Island
• Kit Sales a Sign of How Big This Club Could Become
• McKenna's Contract Will Take Care of Itself at the Right Time
• Contract Conversations in the Summer
• First Summer Recruitment Meeting With McKenna Took Place This Week
• We Knew Our Top Targets and Got Them Across the Line
• Away Fans to Remain in Cobbold Stand Next Season But Discussions Ongoing
• I Wanted to Be Respectful to Fans on Season Ticket Prices
• No Explanation From Jamaica on Leigh
• We Will Be Relentless in Taking This Club Forward

Photo: Photo: James Ager

itsonlyme added 15:20 - Mar 29 Wow! Will be lovely to watch Town TV! I'm all for showing games live on Saturday pm! Will be interesting to see how gates are affected! I will still be at Portman Road each home game - nothing beats being there! But watching all towns games on tv - great!
5

brazil1982 added 15:33 - Mar 29 I can't agree with this unless the viewing price is the same / more than the ground admission price. Would you watch it on a screen for £10 or at the ground for £27? I do think this would hurt clubs further down the pyramid more than us. Before too long, Sky would be broadcasting PL matches at 3pm.
1

Bazza8564 added 15:45 - Mar 29 An interesting one, and MA is right, VPN and moody feeds means we can see anything we want and have been able to for ages. But that wont stop me wanting to go to games, I spent over £1200 monday renewing my season tickets because I want to be there, and I'm off to Derby Saturday for exactly the same reason. We all want to be part of it. TV has revolutionized the game, but our club is bouncing and gates are going through the roof despite the VPN availability of all games. Its a side issue for me, nothing can stop me wanting to be there....

6

dirtyboy added 15:58 - Mar 29 Having the covid season watching on iFollow made me realise just how much more entertaining the game is at the ground. I get some can't get there, but if you can, save your pennies and go.
1

Furrow added 16:05 - Mar 29 Don't get me wrong love being at PR. But being on a pension and 140 miles away, the chances of me driving, seeing match and booking a hotel these days is minimal. I would happily pay to watch from my armchair, for something I have followed as an ardent fan for 63 years and not affect the gate numbers.
9

VanDusen added 16:26 - Mar 29 As Ashton says - VPN means iFollow is there if you want it anyway. Hasn't stopped me buying a season ticket but have also bought an iFollow season pass this year too (partly as I knew I was abroad for some of the season).
3

muhrensleftfoot added 16:38 - Mar 29 I've also never understood why you can't get BBC Suffolk commentary on Sounds over internet. It makes no sense that you can listen on FM or DAB but if you're away from the area you can't.
6

IpswichT62OldBoy added 16:43 - Mar 29 People go to the game for the whole experience, it is not necessarily comparable to watching on TV.
3

Essen_blue added 16:53 - Mar 29 I think it will hurt the smallest teams most, I have an ifollow account and the choice between watching a local team I do not care about or a game on ifollow, I tend to watch Ifollow.
2

terryf added 17:06 - Mar 29 Some people are missing the point. I've supported Town since 1961 and most of those years as a season ticket holder and I've happily renewed again for next season. Sure you can't beat the live atmosphere, but there are occasions when I've physically been able to attend matches for health reasons and I'm sure there are plenty of others who have differing reason such as work clashes. OK I have to pay a tenner but am happy to do so. Watching on ifollow a couple of days later is not quite the same experience, especially where there is no Town connection on the commentary.. In this day and age we should have the option. I doubt attendances at matches are too badly affected by showing games on Sky ..

2

SurreyBlueGirl added 17:15 - Mar 29 I live 130 miles away these days and have an elderly mother for whom I am a carer so trips to games are complicated. To be able to see it on days when I can't make it (or can't get a ticket for away games) would be wonderful. To see it in the flesh is always going to be best but for when I can't video is always better than audio
4

gosblue added 17:23 - Mar 29 I think it should be up to individual clubs. It would suit Ipswich as an additional revenue stream without dramatically reducing attendances. We have a huge fanbase outside of Suffolk. I'm not sure the likes of Shrewsbury could say the same. Already low gates and season ticket sales could be adversely affected.
3

LegendofthePhoenix added 17:30 - Mar 29 My old Dad went to his first Town home game in 1946. He is now housebound and can't get to the games, but the one thing in life he looks forwards to most is watching on iFollow. Using a vpn and logging in to iFollow is hard for someone who is approaching 90. The simpler e can make this, the better, it wont affect attendances for ITFC.
7

LythamBlue added 19:42 - Mar 29 Living nearly 300 miles away from Portman Road, and having been a fan for nearly 50 years, I would gladly pay for a 'digital' season ticket rather than the VPN option. Surely something could be introduced based on postcode.
1

BangaloreBlues added 21:41 - Mar 29 I wonder if I'll be able to watch from Bangalore? Thankfully Town games never clash with the home games at Bengaluru F.C., which cost me about £6.00 entrance per match!
3

Blueknight85 added 07:03 - Mar 30 I think they also need to consider that alot of the "overseas follwing" subscribed to ifollow arent actually overseas. He mentioned VPN's but didnt mention those using a VPN are likely to be paying customers of Ifollow and not all using "moody streams" that arent providing revenue to the club, I myself play my own sport on a saturady and usually get home 20 mins after kick off iv had an Ifollow season ticket for 2 years "Purchased while using a VPN and auto renews) I've only been blocked from watching one game so it took me an extra 10 mins to start watching as it still worked from my phone app instead of my laptop on the giant projector and then worked from laptop again when i changed location. If Town TV doesnt work through VPN i would be lost revenue. If i wont need a VPN on a saturday iband many other like me will happily be paying more for legit service but those thinking the ticket price shoukd be the same as the stadium are off their rockers.

0

Orraman added 11:36 - Mar 30 As a season ticket holder I only watch ifollow for midweek away matches - at my age things like VPN and other digital technicalities are beyond me. My only hope is that the replacement for ifollow next season employs a commentator who actually knows what they are talking about because the current commentator and co commentator, apart from Matt Holland, are unbearable
0

gosblue added 12:34 - Mar 30 I believe the current common tater came from TV and as a radio commentator is a bit of a turnip. Although much improved, he often forgets to describe the action, for example talking about a goal mouth incident for several seconds before eventually getting around to describing what happened. Do it the other way around please. ‘A header just wide' would do before making us wait to find out if we've scored or not. I would have been at Derby tomorrow but I can't for a couple of reasons, so I'll be listening. I would gladly pay £10 - £15 to watch the action. Maybe grade matches. Derby v Ipswich grade A or B. Pizza Cup v Northampton grade F.

0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls