Arise have had the impact Sheffield Wednesday needed - and the fans have responded
With a record-breaking number of season tickets sold, Sheffield Wednesday find themselves in a good place heading into a massive summer.
There is a sense of optimism and excitement being felt around Sheffield Wednesday that has not been experienced for quite some time.
Ever since Arise Capital Partners finalised their takeover of the club on May 1, every Wednesdayite has been looking forward with hope and optimism that a brighter future is right around the corner.
With still just over two months to go until their opening game of the 2026/27 League One campaign, Wednesday have sold almost 21,000 season tickets, marking a new record at Hillsborough.
Owls supporter Joe Whiteley, on Thursday, claimed the 20,908th season ticket to have been snapped for next season, becoming a record breaker in the process. Wednesday now stand on the cusp of reaching the target of 21,000 sales set by chief executive David Bruce last month.
“I think we'd like to break a record, which I think is around 21,000,” said Bruce. “If we can get that and more than that in League One next year, I think we're going to stand a really good chance.
“We'd love to make this a cauldron. We know it's going to be hard, and we know we're going to have to win people over again, but we're determined to do that. Our actions over the summer, hopefully, will suggest to people that we are going to do things differently, and hopefully fans see that, and they want to invest in our future, and they want to come back to the stadium.”
After a number of Wednesdayites made the ultimate sacrifice last season by boycotting matches in an effort to force former owner Dejphon Chansiri out, the club is now awash with positivity. It is a reflection of the strength of this fan base and the deep love it has for this historic football club.
Wednesday, under Chansiri, suffered for too long. They jumped from one soap opera to the next, with the events of 2025 ultimately proving to be the end of the road for Chansiri and his S6 premiership.
At this very early stage of Arise’s tenure, nobody truly knows what Wednesday’s long-term future will look like, but there is no doubt that chairman David Storch and his team have quickly got fans on side by delivering the right messages.
Following Wednesday’s decline under Chansiri, all supporters want is for the club to be managed properly and sustainably. The appointment of Bruce, who is overseeing matters on the ground as CEO, is a decision that has banked endless credit.
With a record number of season tickets sold, infrastructure improvements being made at Hillsborough and Middlewood Road, additions being made off the pitch and transfer activity expected to ramp up once the window opens next week, Wednesday, albeit with a very long road ahead of them, find themselves in a good place right now.
This scale of positivity has not been seen in this part of the world for quite some time, and Wednesdayites are rightfully embracing it. It is a far cry from the emotions everyone was experiencing 12 months ago.
Sure, there is a lot of work to be done in the coming weeks to get the squad ready for the forthcoming campaign, but all any of us can do is trust the process and wait and see what this summer’s transfer window produces. In a relatively short space of time, though, Arise have already completed several tasks.
Most importantly, though, Arise, courtesy of almost 21,000 season tickets being sold, have quickly discovered the power and potential of this club with its fan base right behind it.
These are exciting times for anyone of a blue and white persuasion.