The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (Must) called Sir Jim Ratcliffe to freeze the prices of subscriptions and refrain from selling young talents from the club under penalty of “pure rebellion”.
The cost of viewing games in Old Trafford recently increased without consultation with club supporters, explaining that this decision was necessary to help improve “operational efficiency” and to “stabilize income”.
The subscription price for next season is currently being determined and Must hopes that they will remain at the same levels as for the current campaign.
An open letter to Sir Jim Ratcliffe on the price and ticket policies
Read the complete letter here:https://t.co/esj4krcymt
To follow also in the discussion thread below …#MUFC
– must (@mu_st) January 27, 2025
In an open letter to Ratcliffe, Must wrote: “An increase in prices or significant changes in the ticket office would have very bad consequences with fans at the moment. Negative feelings are accompanied by financial costs, because dissatisfaction degenerates into active protests and disillusionment.
“This dissatisfaction could lead to a pure and simple rebellion, with consequences not only on the income of matches, but also on relations with the sponsors and the global brand of the club.”
Ratcliffe was the subject of vitriol songs in Craven Cottage last night while United won a 1-0 victory on Fulham thanks to the goal of Lisandro Martinez.
The owner of Ineos would have taken note, but it remains likely that economic issues will take precedence over personal popularity.
Nevertheless, Must described what they hope to happen, in particular the maintenance of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, both linked to a move in January.
Their plan in five points was seen as follows:
- Hold fire for this season:
- Be bold: freeze ticket prices for subscription holders and members for next season. This would testify to the club’s commitment to its supporters and create a rallying point allowing everyone to come together to support the team during the last crucial months of the season.
- Gather the fans and the club:
- Use this time to focus on optimizing performance on the field, obtaining European qualification via the Premier League or cutting competitions and strengthening supporters’ support.
- Consider alternative financing options:
- If additional funding is necessary in exceptional circumstances, consider another actions broadcast for existing shareholders or offer supporters (or other investors) the possibility of co-investing in their club on a fair and equal basis with the main shareholders . We know that many fans would appreciate this opportunity.
- Consult fans on long -term changes:
- If you think that the price of tickets and Old Trafford policies require a significant correction, launch an appropriate consultation process with the supporters who will be affected. This will ensure that decisions are informed by the points of view of fans and taken with the best chances of ensuring unity rather than rebellion. You have to take your fans with you, not create an opposition.
- Preserve the club inheritance:
- Resist the temptation to sell off the fruits of the youth academy for short -term solutions, unless this is aligned with a longer -term football strategy that honors the proud tradition of developing Manchester United talent .
Last night’s victory propelled United to 12th place in the ranking, but this was another season of underperformance. Erik Ten Hag was dismissed in October and Ruben Amorim took over. However, Portuguese has not yet had a positive impact, with mixed results in recent weeks.
