Ipswich Town have spent the summer preparing for their first season back in the Premier League after a 22-year absence.

Kieran McKenna has been busy strengthening his squad, turning Omari Hutchinson’s loan spell from Chelsea into a permanent deal worth an initial £20 million ($25.6 million) and also bringing in Liam Delap from Manchester City for £15 million plus £5 million in potential add-ons.

While it is the new signings that get fans excited ahead of a new season, Ipswich have been hard at work behind the scenes preparing for the Premier League in other ways too.

Among the projects they undertook was the repositioning of all television camera stations by building a new gantry crane so that there would be no more camera positions at the top of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

The athlete explains why Ipswich have changed their camera angles for the 2024–25 season…

What was notable about her old camera angle?

As you can see below, the TV camera in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand was positioned at the top of the stand, which resulted in images being captured of the fans’ arms and heads as the cameraman panned the camera out.

This is what it looked like when Ipswich’s Jeremy Sarmiento scored the 97th-minute winner against Southampton in April, as the director cut to the cameraman at the top of the stands…

While it may look unique and capture the emotion of fans when a last-minute winning goal is scored, it’s far from ideal when heads and arms block the view for viewers at home.

Why did they make the change now?

The Premier League gives clubs a number of recommendations when they are promoted from the Championship.

Among other things, they expect clubs to enlarge their TV gantries to meet the additional demand for positions for television cameras.

Although this was part of the league’s policy for Ipswich, club officials were keen to do this and plans for changes were already in place before they were advised to do so. Due to the new position of the television portal, the behind the fans angle will no longer exist.

According to Premier League rules for 2024–25, the TV portal must be at least 19 metres wide and two metres deep.

What other demands does the Premier League make?

This is not the only guidance given to newly promoted teams as they adjust to the Premier League.

These changes can range from creating seating for at least three opposition analysts to introducing goal-line technology and a press lounge where media representatives can work before and after the game.

Section K of the Premier League Handbook sets out what is expected of clubs and the regulations they must adhere to in order to meet the stadium criteria and broadcasters’ requirements.

However, the Premier League acknowledges that it can be difficult for newly promoted teams to get everything in place in time for the new season. Failure to meet all the requirements does not necessarily result in a penalty and is something the Premier League is working with clubs on.

In some cases, clubs can write to the league and ask for special permission if a particular rule cannot be met.

Have Ipswich made any other changes?

In addition to designing a new TV portal above the director’s box, the club has also built a new press stand.

The top English league attracts more spectators than the Championship – and media demand for accreditation for matches is also much greater.

And now that Ipswich is playing in the Premier League, it has to support 60 broadcast crews, around 20 pitchside photographers, as well as radio and television commentators and the print media.