, a central section of Ipswich it would like to see development in. There are two boundaries – one inside the other – that stand to positively impact existing businesses and residents if developed. The government website encourages applications for \u201cprojects\u201d within the area, and has a corresponding fund.<\/span><\/p>\nCllr. Kreidewolf says this is the perfect time for development, noting that while promotion will bring visibility and more spending to the city, it can also pique the interest of businesses, especially those looking to move the relatively short distance from London. New businesses in Ipswich can create more jobs and higher paying ones, which Cllr. Kriedewolf says are needed in the town.<\/span><\/p>\nWith an identified area and fund, the town is prepared for upcoming development.<\/span><\/p>\nKriedewolf described the local government as \u201cstrapped for cash\u201d and in need of private investment for these developments. He says positive association with the newly promoted side may prove beneficial to the town.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cBrands and businesses will want to be associated with a really successful football club, so there’s that chance for investment through that kind of positive association,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nAlongside projects like the regeneration area and fund, the councillor said he and the council are working with owners, U.S. private equity fund Bright Path Sports Partners, on various matters regarding the upcoming season. He added that, while nothing has been agreed upon, the relatively new owners are dedicated to investing in the surrounding community, not just the club.<\/span><\/p>\nInfrastructural and economic developments are largely in their early stages, and it may be some time before they become visible, but Kriedewolf, Lankester, alongside local journalists Phil Ham and Stuart Watson brought up various \u201cintangible\u201d changes that can be felt in the town.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Intangible<\/b><\/h2>\n\u201cYou can certainly feel this kind of – it\u2019s intangible – but you can feel this kind of feel-good factor in the air.\u201d – <\/span><\/i>Stuart Watson, head of football at the East Anglia Daily Times<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\nWhat can\u2019t be seen through numbers is a feeling that is flowing through the town. On their historic run in the Championship, morale was high in Ipswich. During the season, Portman Road\u2019s 30,000 seats were regularly filled, over 65,000 jerseys were sold, and when promotion was finally achieved, 55,000 descended upon the town centre to celebrate.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Ipswich Town FC merchandise shop inside Portman Road. Almost all home and away jerseys are sold out. Photo taken by Nkele Martin on May 21, 2024.<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cThe fact that there were 55,000 people at the parade, to celebrate promotion from the Championship to the Premier League illustrates [its importance] really, when the town population is only one-hundred-and-something thousand itself,\u201d said Ham, editor of Those Were The Days, an ITFC dedicated news website.<\/span><\/p>\nCammell described the feeling leading up to and after the promotion as an overwhelming positivity. \u201cThere\u2019s not an awful lot that brings a town together like that,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\nPride and positivity within the community is an invisible factor that has grown with the success of the football club, said many interviewees.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cPeople are a bit happier, the mood is a bit better,\u201d said Ham. \u201cIt means a bit more, I think, when you’re a town like Ipswich.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nA club that seemingly peaked in the mid-to-late 20th century under Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson, many in the town have displayed steadfast loyalty through painful times, however, some chose to look to greener pastures.<\/span><\/p>\nCllr. Lankester – whose favourite moments in 22 years of fandom come from this season – said he remembers a time when the number of ITFC jerseys dwindled in the streets of the town.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cFive, ten, fifteen years ago, you wouldn’t see that [Ipswich jerseys]. You’d see lots of Manchester United shirts, or Arsenal shirts or Chelsea shirts,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cBut now it\u2019s Ipswich everywhere, which is just brilliant. Wearing this shirt is pride, isn’t it? You don’t wear something you’re embarrassed of.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nMurals that wrap around the stadium tell the club’s storied past. Photo taken by Nkele Martin on May 21, 2024.<\/p><\/div>\n
Now on the world’s biggest stage, brushing elbows with the teams that children once swapped their Ipswich jerseys for, the Tractor Boys are helping bring visibility to the town. Broadcasted in over 200 territories, there aren\u2019t many places in the world the club won\u2019t reach next season.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIt will be silly little things\u2026Ipswich will appear on video games more, Portman Road will appear as a stadium on FIFA, they’ll be on Fantasy Premier League when people are picking their teams, they’ll be on Match of the Day week in, week out,\u201d said Watson.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nAs the fortunes of the football club turn upwards and those of the town go with it, naysayers – who the councillors say look at Ipswich with a \u201cglass half empty\u201d view – may fall back in love with the town.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe football can remind people of the positive things we have,\u201d\u00a0 said Cllr. Lankester. \u201cThe great businesses that are still in town, the parks that are great to walk around and the waterfront. It can remind people of the good things the town has to offer.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIt can add some more drink to some people\u2019s cups,\u201d said Kriedewolf.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Proof is in the Pudding<\/b><\/h2>\n
With the team now launched into the limelight, its upward movement has already boosted morale in the town, but many hope the economic impacts of being a Premier League club will help turn Ipswich into a thriving place that is more appealing to visitors and residents alike.<\/span><\/p>\nEstimates are being thrown around and plans are being submitted by the council, but nothing is concrete in terms of development in Ipswich, however, one thing is certain, and that is that the town is going up, and they hope to stay up.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe proof will be in the pudding,\u201d said Cllr. Kriedewolf, joking the only negative aspect of the club’s ascension is the upcoming use of Video Assistant Refereeing, known as VAR.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s how you use the next year as a town, a region and as an economy to leverage everything as best as you can,\u201d said Dr. Plumley.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0\u201cHopefully we’ll continue to grow and build on it, you know. We’re still looking forward, and improving will be really important,\u201d said Cllr. Lankester.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWe don’t want to just go up, spend the year in the Premier League come back down. Even if we were to be relegated, hopefully, there’s lots of positives that can be taken from it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With a victory against Huddersfield Town, Ipswich Town FC achieved its second promotion in as many seasons, securing a spot in the Premier League for the 2024-2025 season. As the team catapults to the greatest heights of English football, the town of Ipswich stands to benefit greatly from its success. Twenty-two years have passed since […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3274,"featured_media":12832,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-acls","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Town\u2019s Going Up: How The Premier League Will Transform Ipswich - International Journalism<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n