Sheffield Wednesday decision impacting 24,000+ fans explained | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday's new season cards are blank...and here's why

Sheffield Wednesday have deliberately made their season ticket cards blank this year, as the club looks to move further towards a more 'modern' digitally-focused method of stadium entry.

The Owls begin their League One campaign this Saturday with a trip to Leyton Orient, with their first league game at Hillsborough a hotly anticipated Yorkshire derby against Bradford City on Thursday, 20 August.

Optimism surrounding the new season is higher than it has been for a long time at Sheffield Wednesday, with this being the first year under the Arise ownership, and thus far, David Storch and co have hit all the right notes with their off-field decisions.

That's been reflected by the season ticket sales numbers, with over 24,000 Wednesday fans purchasing them ahead of the new campaign.

Why Sheffield Wednesday's season ticket cards are blank

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But those 24,000+ Wednesday fans were in for quite a surprise when their season ticket cards arrived in the post this week, with the tickets completely blank.

There was speculation that the quick turnaround and volume of ticket sales meant that the cards couldn't be customised, a feature that has been a part of recent season tickets, which prompted Wednesday fans to retain them following the end of the campaign as a souvenir almost.

The Sheffield Star has revealed, though, that this decision is completely intentional, as Sheffield Wednesday continue to catch up with the modernisation of football clubs, after they concerningly fell behind in the final few years of the Dejphon Chansiri reign.

Wednesday fans are now encouraged to hold their season tickets on their phones moving forward, akin to how most clubs operate now, as that allows for swifter, more efficient entry into grounds. Indeed, there were issues with delays entering the stadium last weekend in the EFL Cup matchup with Bolton Wanderers.

Encouraging digital usage helps prevent misuse and contributes to environmental help

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There'll be some grumbles about how the card has changed ahead of the new season, but ultimately, the various pros outweigh the cons in this case.

Not only does it help Sheffield Wednesday make up ground in their bid to improve the modernisation of the club, but it provides positives from a logistical and environmental standpoint, too, as the cards won't need to be replaced if lost, as they are on a phone.

Additionally, the Star states that the push towards more digitalised season tickets will help cut down on the misuse or false admittance that can often happen with a physical card, an issue that has been raised in the past.

That being said, there will always be the option for a physical card, as some fans require them for stadium access, but the scaling down of the amount of colour and uniqueness on the card will continue to help push those who can use digital season tickets to do so.

Sheffield Wednesday will look to make home advantage count in League One this season

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A high percentage of League One clubs can't even bring in 24,000 fans each game, so to have that many season ticket sales at Sheffield Wednesday should give Henrik Pedersen's side a massive boost heading into the new campaign.

The Owls have won both of their games at Hillsborough since the Arise takeover was announced, and that arguably just scratches the surface of the impact that a united, full Hillsborough will have in the coming nine months.

Wednesday fans have to wait a little longer before they play their first home game in League One this season. Right now, the focus is on picking up all three points at Leyton Orient to continue this good feeling ahead of that big game against Bradford.