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Ed Sheeran sponsors Ipswich Town FC

By Andy Malt | Published on Friday 7 May 2021

Ed Sheeran is the new sponsor of Ipswich Town Football Club. Or at least their kit. His face will now be printed right in the middle of all the shirts worn by the team. Not really, but that would be funny, wouldn’t it? Actually, there’ll be a logo that reads ‘+-=÷x Tour’, which is much less fun.

“The football club is a big part of the local community and this is my way of showing my support”, says Sheeran. “I have always enjoyed my trips to Portman Road and I’m looking forward to going back there as soon as supporters are allowed into stadiums again. With the new owners from the US coming in, there are sure to be exciting times ahead for Ipswich fans, including myself. Hopefully we can stop being sloightly on the huh!”

He didn’t have a stroke at the end of that quote there, in case you wondered. “Sloightly on the huh” is apparently a thing people say in Suffolk. It means ‘a bit lopsided’. In this context I think Ed’s making reference to the team’s less than brilliant performance in recent years. I guess “sloightly on the huh” sounds a bit nicer than “so shit”.

Those new American owners took over the club last month, buying up the majority shareholding of Marcus Evans and installing new Chair, Mike O’Leary. American ownership of British football clubs has not been the most popular thing in the world of late, of course, but I’m sure Ed’s right that this is all going to be fine.

Anyway, you’re not here for football trivia, are you? You want to know what that logo on the new football strips is all about. Well, says Sheeran, “All will be revealed in time”. I mean, it’s not that much of a stretch to guess that his fifth album will be called ‘=’ and he’ll be going on tour when it’s released, but let’s wait and see.

Ipswich Town’s Director Of Sales, Rosie Richardson, says: “We are obviously THRILLED that Ed has agreed to become our shirt sponsor next season. I have worked with Ed and his management team on various initiatives over the years and welcomed Ed and his guests to Portman Road for many games. He has shown his support for his hometown in lots of ways and this is another example of that. We look forward to seeing Ed – and every other supporter – back at Portman Road next season”.

Sheeran is not the first musician to sponsor a football team, of course. The Libertines sponsor Margate FC, Mogwai sponsored a primary school team in 2018, The Prodigy sponsored Eastleigh Reds under-thirteens in 2012, and Motorhead sponsored Lincoln’s Greenbank under-tens B team in 2006.