Jim Ratcliffe comes under fire from Manchester United fans again after 'offensive' decision
Manchester United have binned their discounted tickets for the remainder of the season and club members will now be required to pay £66 with no concessions prices available at Old Trafford
Manchester United Supporters Trust have hit out the club following a decision to make members tickets £66 for the remainder of the season.
The decision will see the club not make a distinction between a price of adult, child or over-65s concessions. The club say that following 'all major ticket releases' and '97 per cent of match tickets for this season already sold with five age-related discounts', no further discounts will be offered.
The Red Devils told the Fans Forum of the move on Tuesday evening with changes to take effect immediately. The decision is the latest controversial incident to take place following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment in the club earlier this year.
Cost-cutting measures have already seen the club embark on a major redundancy programme. United targeted 250 jobs cuts in a bid to make the club more sustainable hoping to make a £40million-£45million saving. The decision has seen the club spend £8.6m on the measures, revealed in the first quarterly fiscal results.
United's matchday revenue for the quarter totalled £26.5m, a decrease of £900,000 from the previous quarter. The club posted a £1.9m profit in the same quarter last year, but ended the period with net losses of £113.2m.
The Supporters' Trust indicated the club's most recent ticket decision is a pre-marker for a 'significant price rise for next season'. While they intend to have more discussions with the club they have set out a firm position and suggest "we will not be silent on this and we need to be prepared to resist any attempts to further drive up ticket prices."
The full statement from MUST read: "Tonight the club informed the Fans Forum of changes to certain ticket policies that will take effect immediately. The Club has indicated that it will post the details of these changes online but the headline is that, with immediate effect, all Members tickets for the remainder of this season will increase to £66 each, and that this price will apply for kids and over-65s as well as adults.
"This means that for an adult member to take their kid to a game in the remainder of this season will cost £132. Well over double the minimum price they could pay to do it today. And this change is happening overnight, immediately.
"The Club claims that 97% of this season's tickets are already sold, so that this will only affect a small number of people, but we believe this stat is misleading, as we will explain below.
"The Club has provided zero consultation on the matter, neither with the Forum nor the Fan Advisory Board nor MUST. We were simply informed of the decision that there will be price rises affecting certain fans that are “urgently needed” to address profitability and sustainability concerns.
"Suffice it to say, that the idea that the fans must pay their “fair share” for the Club’s excesses and/or mismanagement—and above all, the Glazers lack of investment over two decades—is offensive.
"We fans have done everything we have been asked. We have cheered the players on even in the face of substandard performance. We have gone to matches and abided by the new usage rules for tickets. We have taken on a price increase this year. This is in addition to the hundreds, even thousands loyal fans pay to follow United home and away.
"There is a risk that this is only the opening salvo of what will surely be massive pressure to implement a significant price rise for next season. Once they have got used to charging £132 for a parent and child to come to OT, will they really go back to the old pricing levels for next season?
"We are absolutely in favour of running a sustainable business, but football clubs are hardly ordinary consumer businesses. Ours is clearly in “rebuilding mode.” Moreover, it is not like we have options to take our custom elsewhere: we are not going to “choose another provider” like one might pick a telecoms company.
"If the club has a need for short term capital they should issue new shares, as they did when INEOS first arrived, and bring in funding from existing or new shareholders. We have objected to this action in the strongest possible terms, both for the action itself and the complete lack of consultation, which is a step backward based on the process we had agreed with the Club before INEOS’ arrival.
"Over the coming days MUST will be seeking urgent discussions with the Club to get them to listen to fans' concern at this policy. United fans have sucked up a lot. We will not be silent on this and we need to be prepared to resist any attempts to further drive up ticket prices."
United CEO Omar Berrada has said that United's cost reductions are currently on track. Speaking upon the the release of the club's latest financial results ge said: “The season is now well underway for both our men’s and women’s team, and we are keen to ensure both are as competitive as possible.
"We are delighted to have appointed Ruben Amorim as head coach of our men’s team and remain committed to returning Manchester United to the top of domestic and European football. Our cost and headcount reductions remain on track, and we are pleased to have seen further commercial traction, and welcome new partner Heineken, through their Tiger brand.
“Our renovation of the Carrington Training Centre is progressing well, while the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force continues its work. Once it has delivered its recommendations, we will then take some time to digest them and evaluate all our options in the upcoming year.”
United's supporters are not the only group who have been left frustrated by ticketing decisions in recent months. Earlier this year a motion was passed by the Football Supporters' Association that would result in more 'coordinated action'.
Proposed by Liverpool's Spirit of Shankly, United's Supporters Trust were among those who seconded the motion. It stated: “Many clubs are abolishing or reducing concessionary tickets penalising loyal senior fans and pricing out young fans who are the future of the game.”
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