With another summer of big change planned at Manchester United the fans will be pleased to hear that one name which won’t be sold is that of Old Trafford itself.
As football has become big business over the last two decades a penchant for selling the naming rights to the stadiums has developed, as big clubs cease the opportunity to squeeze all the money they can out of advertisers, keen on associating themselves with the world’s biggest and most illustrious sporting brands.
But The Telegraph reports on Saturday that Manchester United’s owners, the Glazers, have decided against selling these rights in a move which could have grossed them another £20m per season.
Manchester United rule out selling Old Trafford naming rights
Glazer family decide not to cash in on £20m-a-year deal to rename stadium
While this move is unlikely to afford the Glazers much more kudos with the fans, it does at least suggest that they may be into the club for more than just a quick buck.
But, after years of using club funds – which should have gone into transfers and infrastructure – to pay back bank loans, most Manchester United fans would surely still welcome new owners without too much hesitation.
It’s impossible to know for sure where Manchester United would be had their huge profits been used to strengthen the squad over the last decade. But it’s safe to assume that they wouldn’t have spent a year outside the Champions League elite – David Moyes or no David Moyes.
