by There are many at Manchester United who wonder if the team would be in quite the mess if the Glazers took the same forensic approach to squad-building as they do the commercial arm of the business.
The “regionalization” of what many would consider global territories, for example, was one of the secrets behind United’s commercial expansion under its American owners.
As a senior executive once said: “We use a scalpel, not a spade, to carve out our rights”, hence why it was not uncommon to have three coin partners alone across India, the Middle East, Thailand, in Indonesia. , Russia and Taiwan except one.
And yet it could be argued that the biggest commercial opportunity of the lot in Asia or Africa or the United States was just on United’s doorstep, staring at the Glazers every hour, only to go unrealized for twenty years since they came into the hostile hands of the M16.
Indeed, it is remarkable to think that United have reached 2024 and so far, since it seems that a minority shareholder is trying to shake the club from its slumber into the fog, whose rich possibilities for a new stadium are being discussed more widely.
United are in the privileged position of owning large swathes of land around Old Trafford but have done precious little with it.
The fact that it was a group of ex-players led by Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs and a Singaporean businessman, Peter Lim, who managed to build a hotel in the shadow of Old Trafford and not the club itself, is an indication of how the Glazers have. be asleep on the job, at least when it comes to opportunities in and around the stadium footprint.
In contrast, the idea of a spectacular new stadium – the so-called “Wembley of the North” – at the heart of a village with entertainment, sport and leisure, retail, commercial and community facilities is the kind of exciting vision that better owners. he would have tried to act long before.
The feeling, at least in the early days of the Glazers’ “strategic review”, was that the Qatari offer led by the mysterious figure of Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and his promise to invest heavily in infrastructure and the community was greater. in scope and potential than the one being presented by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
However, it is clear that Ratcliffe himself has big ambitions for United, both on and off the pitch, and seems in a hurry to get the ball rolling after years of watching from afar. and see the club stagnant.
His presence at Old Trafford on Tuesday for a service to mark the 66th anniversary of the Munich air disaster was testament to a man who understands what is important to fans.
Ratcliffe has already met with staff, supporters and local civic and community leaders, including Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. No doubt motivated in part by the Glazers’ willingness to give him a significant sphere of influence, the Ineos founder is already aiming high.
Of course, it would come to something if United were receiving government funding as part of any plan to reimagine Old Trafford and the surrounding area. With the largest support base in the country and a dearth of local leaders willing to redress the balance of wealth between north and south, a persuasive argument could certainly be made for public money towards revitalization projects that would create jobs and boost the economy local. , attract tourism and improve national infrastructure.
But United should not be dismissed lightly even if the funding ultimately falls on the club and Ratcliffe’s shoulders. As we know Old Trafford is in decline but a new state could usher in a new era of rapid growth, pride and hope.
United make just over £4 million per game selling out 73,000 a week at the moment. A new 90,000 capacity arena with the best hospitality would see a huge increase in revenue, there would be no risk of any fans being able to watch their team for a few seasons – a threat if the club goes down a redeveloped way – and the rituals of the day. would remain unchanged.
The rise of Manchester City and Paris St-Germain have challenged the established elites, while rivals – such as Arsenal and Spurs – have relocated to new lands and elsewhere, such as Liverpool and Real Madrid. , they renovated the existing houses to keep up, United are in danger of losing more and more ground.
The only realistic way to close the gap and regain supremacy is to speculate to accumulate, a model that Spurs have demonstrated successfully over the past decade.
By the start of 2020, the final build of their new stadium had cost the club £1.2 billion but, four years later, Tottenham have increased their status as the second highest earning club, behind United, with NFL, rugby union and concerts music. by acts as big as Beyonce, Pink, Lady Gaga and Guns N’Roses.
In Deloitte’s latest money league table, trophy-winning club Chelsea leapfrogged as London’s highest-earning team, with an annual income of £549.2 million. Sam Boor, director of Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said: “A major reason for Tottenham’s growth is the club’s ability to fully leverage and value the stadium, both in terms of day-to-day revenue and commercial activities.”
Imagine, then, the possibilities for a United-linked club. The Glazers missed a trick. Ratcliffe seems determined to put that right.
