Manchester United are reportedly exploring the possibility of offering premium season ticket licenses priced at £4,000 for their proposed new stadium
Back in March, Manchester United unveiled plans to build a new 100,000 capacity home ground that will cost around £2billion to replace the current home ground, Old Trafford.
However, the revamped stadium may come with a contentious twist, changes to the season ticket structure.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail has reported that supporters might face a £4,000 fee just for the privilege of being eligible to buy a season ticket.
Regardless of what could happen in the future, fans have been getting their Manchester United tickets ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first full season in charge.
Pundit questions planned move
In response to the announcement during the talkSPORT Breakfast show, Wales legend Dean Saunders said: “I made a statement about four or five years ago, and I was wrong.
“I said, ‘It won’t be long, because of the television money, that really it’d be a tenner to get in, £20, because they won’t need the gate receipts, because they’re getting £160m.’ But I was totally wrong.
“It’s just gone through the roof. To take your kids to football now, it’s a joke how much you’ve got to pay. And then on top of that, the food, a pint of beer, Diet Coke and some popcorn, hot dog.
“You come home, take your two kids to the football, you come home £400/£500 [down]. Is that just exploiting the fans’ loyalty?” Alan Brazil asked Saunders, who replied: “Yeah, greed.”
Saunders added: “It’s a bit like when your dog’s struggling, and the vet says, ‘What do you want to do, put it down or give it an operation, the operation is ten grand.’ And you find the ten grand.
“So, it’s not fair on the fans, I don’t think. I thought that the TV money that they get would pay for the fans, to keep ticket prices low, but I was wrong.”
“Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey”
On the planned development, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, said: “Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford.
“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport. By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience, only footsteps from our historic home.
“Just as important is the opportunity for a new stadium to be the catalyst for social and economic renewal of the Old Trafford area, creating jobs and investment, not just during the construction phase, but on a lasting basis when the stadium district is complete. The Government has identified infrastructure investment as a strategic priority, particularly in the north of England, and we are proud to be supporting that mission with this project of national, as well as local, significance.”
Omar Berrada, chief executive of Manchester United, said: “Our long-term objective as a club is to have the world’s best football team playing in the world’s best stadium. We are grateful for the feasibility work done by the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force exploring options for the future of Old Trafford.
We have carefully considered its findings, together with the views of thousands of fans and local residents and concluded that a new stadium is the right way forward for Manchester United and our surrounding community. We will now embark on further consultation to ensure that fans and residents continue to be heard as we move towards final decisions.”
The most successful manager in English football history, Sir Alex Ferguson, said: “Manchester United should always strive for the best in everything it does, on and off the pitch, and that includes the stadium we play in. Old Trafford holds so many special memories for me personally, but we must be brave and seize this opportunity to build a new home, fit for the future, where new history can be made.”
Lord Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners, said: “This has to be one of the most exciting projects in the world today, with incredible regional and national significance. It all starts with the fans’ experience, bringing them closer than ever to the pitch and acoustically cultivating a huge roar.
“The stadium is contained by a vast umbrella, harvesting energy and rainwater, and sheltering a new public plaza that is twice the size of Trafalgar Square. The outward-looking stadium will be the beating heart of a new sustainable district, which is completely walkable, served by public transport, and endowed by nature. It is a mixed-use miniature city of the future – driving a new wave of growth and creating a global destination that Mancunians can be proud of.”
Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Our common goal on the Task Force has been to try to unlock the full power of the club for the benefit of its supporters and for Greater Manchester as a whole – creating thousands of new homes and jobs. If we get this right, the regeneration impact could be bigger and better than London 2012. Manchester United could, and indeed should, have the best football stadium in the world.
To me, that means a stadium that is true to the traditions of the club, affordable to all, with nobody priced out, and a stadium that sets new standards in the game globally. I believe this vision can be realised, and if so, the benefits for Greater Manchester, the north west and the country will be huge.”
Manchester United have called Old Trafford home since 1910, with its current capacity of 74,140, the highest in the Premier League. However, plans for a new stadium aim to eclipse Wembley’s 90,000 seats, potentially making it the largest football venue in the United Kingdom.
