Finance expert says promotion to the Premier League would give Ipswich a multi-million pound boost
A point on Saturday will ensure a first return to the Premier League since the Suffolk side were relegated in 2002
A football finance expert says Ipswich will get a multi-million pound boost, if the town's team is promoted to the Premier League
The Blues need just a point in their home match against Huddersfield tomorrow to seal the promotion.
If they succeed, they'll join Leicester in moving up to the top league in English football, for the first time in more than twenty years.
Kieran Maguire, from the University of Liverpool, tells us moving up would make a huge difference to the club: "If they do that, the transformation in their finances will be stratospheric.
"They'll have earnt around £1.5 million from their TV deal being in League One - that will go up to well over £100 million in the Premier League...
"Their shirt sponsorship, which was very lucrative because of the links to Ed Sheeran, but probably only worth a couple of hundred grand in League One will also increase.
"You'll be looking at somewhere in the region of £6-10 million for a front of shirt deal in the Premier League."
Kieran says it's not just the club that would benefit either - he expects the whole town will feel the benefit, particularly from tourism: "There'll be fantastic benefits for the town.
"You'll have fans coming from all over the world wanting to find out where Ipswich is. You'll also have TV crews looking to talk to fans."
Kieran thinks Ipswich could follow in Brighton's footsteps - the Seagulls moved up to the top division in 2017: "Brighton did an economic impact report last year which showed that being in the Premier League brought £600 million worth of benefits directly and indirectly for the increased exposure, tourism, as well as the extra revenues and taxes bought by being a Premier League team."
The game kicks off at Portman Road at 12:30pm tomorrow.