Manchester United have alerted fans that the club is at risk of breaching spending rules, which could lead to an increase in ticket prices.
In a letter to fan groups, United highlighted their financial struggles, urging the need to act to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), which allow clubs to incur losses of up to £105m over three years.
“If we do not act now, we are in danger of failing to comply with PSR/FFP requirements,” the club stated.
“We are currently making a significant loss each year – totalling over £300m in the past three years. This is not sustainable.”
The letter revealed potential “difficult choices” ahead, including workforce reductions and broader budget cuts, while also emphasizing the necessity of reviewing ticketing strategies to address the financial shortfall.
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“We do not expect fans to make up all the current shortfall – but we do need to look at our ticketing strategy to ensure we are charging the right amount and offering the right discounts across our products for our fans,” the club added.
This comes after fan groups, including The 1958 and Fan Coalition 58, wrote to United, urging the club to consider the long-term effects of raising ticket prices.
United reported a net loss of £113.2m for the financial year ending June 30, adding to losses of £28.7m in 2022-23 and £115.5m in 2021-22, totalling over £370m in losses across five years.
The club faced criticism earlier this season for increasing matchday ticket prices to £66 per game without concessions for children or pensioners, which fans labelled as exploitative.
The financial strain also stems from managerial costs, including £10.4m in severance payments for former manager Erik ten Hag and his staff, as well as an £11m release clause to secure current manager Ruben Amorim.
Additionally, United’s redundancy programme, which cost £8.6m, resulted in approximately 250 employees losing their jobs.
United’s situation mirrors recent cases of PSR breaches, with Everton and Nottingham Forest receiving points deductions last season for similar violations.
As financial pressures mount, United must navigate these challenges carefully to avoid further penalties while managing fan expectations.
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