MUST reacts angrily to United ticket price increases

Thu 5th May 2011 | Money & Finance

Manchester United have further incited fan fury with its latest announcement that it is to increase ticket prices by £1 per game from next season (2011/12)

MUST, the fans’ supporter group has reacted angrily to the announcement which will now see a top-price season ticket at Old Trafford cost £950 for a 19-match Premier League home programme, with Champions League and FA Cup ties on top.

Like Arsenal, United have blamed the increases on the rise in VAT to 20%, having absorbed the initial increase when it was implemented in January this year.

But MUST, chief executive, Duncan Drasdo released a statement yesterday saying, "The Glazers have received more than 28,000 emails from United fans in the last two weeks asking for price reductions but obviously they aren't interested in listening to Manchester United supporters."

The latest increase will now mean that the average price rise during the Glazer family's controversial six-year ownership stands at 5.8%, marginally below the figure from the last six seasons when the club was a PLC.

"Fans have seen prices rise 55% in the seasons since the Glazers took over and at a time when the club has been enjoying continued commercial success - something they seem more than happy to crow about - along with more than £100 million cash sitting in the bank unspent - they want to take yet more from ordinary supporters many of whom are struggling in difficult economic conditions," said MUST chief executive Duncan Drasdo.

"They recently slashed prices by as much as 30% for many fans of Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and claimed they were listening to supporters.

MUST also cast doubt on United's assessment of those rises during the Glazers' tenure, arguing the 10.6% increase during the first few months after their controversial, whilst agreed by the PLC board, came as a direct result of the Americans' hostile takeover plans, and could have been reversed.

"Their claim that average prices have increased less under the Glazers than the equivalent period under the PLC is laughable," said Drasdo.

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