Manchester United defend season ticket sales figure
Manchester United have defended the number of season tickets they have managed to sell despite failing to meet their target for the season.
Despite having a goal of selling 54,000 season tickets, the English Premier League giants have seen 51,800 snapped up, according to chief executive David Gill, who told reporters that: "We've sold more season tickets than the capacity of most Premier League grounds. Our executive seat sales are on track as compared with last year in a different market."
He added that the sales figure was "pretty good” in the current financial climate.
The missed target follows a campaign by Manchester United Supporters’ Trust, which called for a boycott of season tickets in a bid to urge the Glazer family to sell the club.
£700m debt
MUST has been a vocal opponent of the Glazers, who had to secure loans against United’s assets to purchase the club. United’s debts now total £700m following a £500m bond scheme, while they owe £202m on payment-in-kind loans. The club must also pay around £45m per year in interest payments.
The protest group’s chief executive, Duncan Drasdo, said that the Red Devil’s failure to sell all of their season tickets was a "tipping point" in the Glazers’ ownership of the club. He told reporters that: "Up until this season they increased ticket prices aggressively every year and could get away with it because the loyal fans they forced out were replaced by others still prepared to pay the increased price. The failure to sell out season tickets is very significant as the Glazers depend on an excess of demand over supply to exert control over supporters."
Drasdo added that the United’s season ticket target was missed due to fan discontent at how the Glazers were running the club as well as a lack of investment towards improving the squad.
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