September 2 – Manchester United have failed to reach their target of season ticket sales this summer, after last season was disrupted by the recurring Green and Gold protests against the club’s American owners.
The Red Devils’ chief executive David Gill confirmed the number of season tickets sold was 51,800 compared to their target of 54,000.
United’s season ticket sales have been conducted against a backdrop of a campaign by a fan group urging a boycott in the hope of persuading the American owners, the Glazer family, to sell the club.
Gill said: “We’ve sold 51,800 season tickets, which is pretty good in the current climate.
“I think the bare facts are that the club is in good financial shape.
“The ticket sales have held up.
“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.
“I think the bare facts are that the club is in good financial shape.
“The ticket sales have held up.
“We sold out for Newcastle and West Ham but we are not complacent and we’ve got to keep working to make sure that we fill the ground for every game and we’ll do that by playing great football, attractive football, exciting football that brings fans in.
United’s season ticket sales have been conducted against a backdrop of a campaign by fans’ group the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) urging a boycott in the hope of persuading the American owners, the Glazer family, to sell the club.
The protest against United’s owners surrounds the debts they took on to buy the club.
These now stand at more than £700 million ($1 billion) - including a £500 million ($772 million) bond scheme, and £202 million ($312 million) in payment in kind (PIK) loans.
BBC’s Panorama claimed earlier this year the Glazers’ shopping mall empire in America was facing problems but Gill would not be drawn on that, stating instead the club was very successful financially and were comfortable with the position.
Gill said: “I’m not going to comment on that [Panorama].
“We’ve had another very successful year off the pitch when we announced our results for June 2010 they were excellent, generating cash.
“We have put in place a long-term financial structure for the club with the bond, obviously that’s serviced on a regular basis.
“So no I don’t think it impacts us at all.
“So I think we’ve got to be comfortable.”
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