We are sure have all seen the news today.
We will always be open and transparent with ourselves and everyone else. We will not hide behind any sense of entitlement. Our values, transparency and integrity will always be paramount to us and what guides us to protect generational fans and terrace culture.
This is the letter we sent into the club in a formal capacity and also their reply.
Rick McGagh,
Director of Fan Engagement,
Manchester United Football Club,
Sir Matt Busby Way,
Manchester,
M16 0RA.
January 17, 2025
Dear Rick,
Re: Ticket Price Increases and the Future of the Manchester United Community
Football has long been the heartbeat of local communities, offering a sense of identity, pride, and belonging. However, the sharp rise in ticket prices threatens to sever this vital connection, turning the sport into a luxury product rather than a shared cultural experience. Football was built on the backs of working-class communities, and pricing them out of stadiums undermines the very fabric of the game.
High ticket prices create an atmosphere where loyal, lifelong fans are replaced by those who can afford the cost, stripping the sport of its authentic passion. Clubs owe their existence to the support of local communities, and yet these communities are being excluded and cast aside.
Football must remain accessible to all, not just the privileged few. By making tickets unaffordable, clubs risk alienating the people who have supported them through thick and thin, eroding the soul of the game for short-term financial gain. It’s time to prioritise fans, not profits.
We write regarding the forthcoming discussions about ticket pricing at Manchester United Football Club. As representatives of the match-going community and many more supporters worldwide, we feel it is vital to emphasise the importance of preserving the identity, accessibility, and cultural significance of Manchester United for all its fans, at home and abroad.
The club’s success has been built on, and continues to be fuelled by, a unique relationship between the supporters and the team, a relationship that has cultivated the iconic atmosphere of Old Trafford; inspired generations of fans, and contributed significantly to the global appeal of Manchester United, not to mention countless landmark victories at Old Trafford and beyond.
That culture is not accidental; it is the result of deliberate choices made by generational fans and club leadership over decades to preserve it and nurture it.
Now, the club faces another choice: whether to prioritise short-term financial gains, money we believe is largely inconsequential to the sustainability and success of our club, or to invest in the long-term preservation of the community and culture that defines Manchester United. This unique identity sets the club apart from so many others worldwide and remains its greatest strength.
The Impact of Ticket Price Increases
We understand that football is a business and some clubs make a choice to target the richest people interested in attending stadiums without consideration of the consequences for culture and atmosphere.
However, football is also a community. Manchester United is in Trafford, a Premier League match should not be off limits to a supporter growing up in the same postcode as the club.
We know the club will argue that every penny generated is reinvested, but the revenue from ticket price increases for general admission and season ticket holders represents a fraction of the club’s overall income. With the club now having the largest capacity in the country, a strong corporate offer, more matches in the extended European Leagues format (and greater income from these competitions), plus the prospect of a greater share from the new £12.25bn TV rights deal, this further lessens the impact of year-on-year price rises. The impact of which on loyal supporters, many of whom are already stretched and can least afford it, would be profound.
From supporters’ perspectives, we would argue the following, and are keen to hear club executives’ views:
1. Ticket price increases are a choice, not a necessity. Manchester United’s revenues have grown exponentially in recent years. The value of the club has increased significantly, and its commercial strength is unrivalled. It is a myth that ticket price rises are required to remain competitive.
2. The community is the club’s greatest asset. The unique culture and identity of Manchester United the “golden goose” of the Premier League are what differentiates it from other clubs and drive commercial success. Pricing out supporters’ risks undermining the very foundation of what makes our club special. The Stretford End, the culture of it, and the people in it, should be valued and protected.
3. There is a better way. Clubs in Germany, Brentford here in the Premier League, and others elsewhere have shown that success on and off the pitch does not require exploiting supporters at every turn, every year. Instead, they have chosen to keep ticket prices affordable and invest in creating accessible, inclusive environments. Supporters are feeling the squeeze from all angles right now – from tickets, to travel, to food and drink on concourses, the prices of kits for children, not to mention everyday life. Football costs take up much more of supporters’ disposable income than they once did with prices outstripping inflation by huge amounts for decades.
Our Asks
As the custodians of Manchester United, we urge you to consider the long-term implications of ticket price increases. Specifically, we ask for:
1. Prices for general admission tickets and season tickets to be reduced for the upcoming season. The Football Supporters’ Association has called for a freeze across the Premier League, but we believe prices are already too high and should be reduced.
2. A stronger commitment to meaningful engagement with supporters. This year other clubs have agreed to review its engagement with the Supporters’ Board, particularly on ticket pricing, some of these clubs already committing to price freezes. We are eager to see how this commitment takes shape in the coming weeks. We would like the club to continue to commit to meaningful engagement with supporter groups in decision-making, ensuring transparency and long-term consultation on matters affecting fans. Our aim is to work collaboratively with the club to develop solutions that address the needs of all stakeholders. We also believe there are opportunities for revenue growth that align more closely with the interests of all parties, fostering goodwill, loyalty, and global opportunities.
3. Recognition of supporters as the cornerstone of Manchester United culture and heritage. That the club acknowledges and protects the essential role of supporters in sustaining the culture and legacy of Manchester United. We do not want prices to kill The Stretford End or deter passionate, generational supporters from attending matches at Old Trafford.
We believe that by working together, we can safeguard the future of Manchester United as we know and love it, and as it is known worldwide, ensuring it remains accessible to all, continues to inspire generations of fans and continues to demonstrate the celebrated storied bond between players, manager and supporters.
Next Steps
We would like to make our thoughts known on these issues. We would like you to acknowledge this fact. We will be campaigning strongly on behalf of all generational United fans and for football in general to protect fan culture and its working-class roots.
Additionally, we are prepared to share further evidence and insights from the wider football community to support our position regarding the threat to Manchester United’s football culture.
The choices made now will define the future of our club. We hope the club will choose to stand with its supporters and uphold the values that have made it a beacon in world football.
We hope you would pay us the courtesy of a reply and open up further dialogue
We look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
The 1958
Fan Coalition 58
