NO TICKET PRICE FREEZE AT OLD TRAFFORD

Last updated : 02 March 2007 By Ed

From the Times

Manchester United's owners, the Glazer family, are on another collision course with the club's supporters as their multimillionaire players, rather than the fans, are set to enjoy the benefits of the FA Premier League's lucrative new television contract.

Several Barclays Premiership clubs, most recently Blackburn Rovers, have announced ticket-price reductions for next season, citing the increased revenue of a new domestic television contract worth £1.7 billion over the next three years. The reality, though, is that with demand continuing to outstrip supply at Old Trafford, United are more likely to increase ticket prices than to reduce them. Rather than subsidise the supporters, almost half the new television money will go directly into the pockets of the players.

Documents seen by The Times indicate that the Glazers have budgeted for 40 per cent of the increased television revenue to flow "directly to increased player salaries". The most recent business plan, last summer, budgeted for the players' wage bill to increase from £55.9 million this season to £62.4 million next season (an increase of 11.6 per cent), and to £68.8 million by the 2009-10 campaign.

A paragraph of the business plan reads: "A large step up of £6.5 million in player salaries in 2008 assumes that 40 per cent of the club's anticipated revenue gain in 2008 from new domestic media deals flows directly to increased player salaries. Thereafter, growth is assumed at 5 per cent per annum. Player and coaching bonuses are performance-related, although relatively stable in the model reflecting the conservative on-field playing performance."

An 11 per cent rise across the squad would benefit those players due to be offered new contracts in the near future, such as Rio Ferdinand, who already earns £100,000 a week, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Supporters might be slightly more placated if they were able to equate an extra £6.5 million on the wage bill to a single new player, such as Fernando Torres, the Atlético Madrid forward.

United face a crucial match away to Liverpool tomorrow as they bid to move a step closer to the Premiership title. As for the fans, they will be told that the price of a ticket at the newly expanded 76,000capacity Old Trafford will rise again. The Glazers suggested last summer that "in the context of the quality of the Old Trafford experience, tickets have been and are undervalued".

The exact ticket-pricing strategy for next season has still to be finalised, but figures forecast in the business plan suggested that, after a controversial 12.5 per cent rise on general-access seats this season, prices for the next campaign should increase by 2.5 per cent (70p per ticket for a £28 Premiership ticket this season). Prices are planned to rise by 5 per cent per season until summer 2012, when a "one-time increase of 9.5 per cent is assumed for all categories of seats".

Blackburn, by contrast, slashed the price of season tickets by 25 per cent yesterday in a giveaway that will cost £1 million. The result is that some seat prices are now pitched at 2001 levels, with the cheapest adult season ticket costing £249 and the most expensive £399.