Roy MacGregor has revealed Ross County are on course to sell a record number of season tickets for the new campaign.
The Staggies launched their new season ticket packages last month, fresh from the Dingwall men clinching their first top-six place in six years.
Although sales dropped last term, in Scottish football’s first steps out of closed doors matches, County have already surpassed last season’s total figure within less than a month.
Chairman MacGregor has been thrilled by the uptake, which has been driven by a combination of new and returning season ticket holders.
MacGregor said: “We started selling our season tickets earlier this year, and we have now sold more than we did in the whole of last season.
“Given we have only been selling for about two-and-half weeks, we will pass our biggest season ticket uptake now. We don’t even have the fixtures out yet.
“The amazing thing is 30% of them are new season ticket holders – either brand new or returners.
“These people did not buy season tickets during the Covid period.
“We have looked two or three years back and people have come back in their droves.
“It’s a good news story not only for us but for football.”
Return to the terraces is taking hold following Covid period
MacGregor has sensed a renewed desire from fans to return to football matches, following initial reservations due to Covid.
Crowds were initially permitted in limited numbers at the start of last term, with almost the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign being played behind closed doors.
MacGregor feels attending matches has become an attractive proposition again, adding: “In my work it was a bit of an industrial revolution, with Brexit and Covid.
“In the football world it seems to have been the same. People turned off, they got used to digitalisation and watching football on the television.
“This looks like a bit of a return to the terraces. That’s what we have found, which is really heartening for us.
“I’m sure a bit of it will be related to the performances last season as well. People will be looking forward with anticipation.
“It’s an encouragement to sport in general that there is a hunger again.”
Televised streams have served purpose
The club’s RCFCTV channel has streamed live broadcasts of matches for the last two years, however that will not be the case next season.
MacGregor feels the pay-per-view facility has been a success during the period it has been required.
He added: “There is not going to be television next season, but we feel live football has come back.
“I think that helped the club no end in getting pictures out to the community.
“I think we were the second biggest take up in TV revenue. In no small part I think that was down to the fact we went to a first class team, with people like Rory Hamilton, Stephen Craigan and Michael Stewart.
“We actually pushed the boat out to take that outside Dingwall communities.
“Maybe there’s a bit of benefit to season tickets on that, I’m not sure.”