At the end of November 2024, Man United changed its ticket pricing policy, causing a lot of controversy. From increasing prices for members to removing discounts for children, the wave of protests was clearly felt on the "Red Devils" fan forums.
However, after only nearly 2 months, that rule will be completely abolished from round 21 of the Premier League, when Man United will host Southampton at home. The ticket price for adults is currently 48 pounds and for children under 16 years old is 25 pounds. This decision was not announced publicly, it happened "quietly" when fans accessed the ticket purchase website. Even now, about 50% of tickets are still unsold.
Recently, Man United have started to have some good results, especially the draw with Liverpool in the Premier League right at Anfield. Then, still having to play away, The Red Devils defeated Arsenal with a man down. These remarkable results bring hope for a revival from now until the end of the season for Ruben Amorim's team. Meanwhile, at Old Trafford, "Red Devils" fans are also waiting for the same thing.
The most obvious mistakes of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his associates, especially his "right-hand man" Sir Dave Brailsford, all came in the summer of 2024. First was the extension of Erik ten Hag until 2027, then the 5-year contract of Dan Ashworth. Both important figures in the Old Trafford team's operating system are no longer working. Ten Hag was fired after a series of bad matches and Ashworth left for unknown reasons.
INEOS has also been criticised for cutting annual fees, particularly Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassadorial contract. In addition, many annual expenses equivalent to a week’s salary for stars, such as Christmas expenses, have also been cut. Before last season’s FA Cup final, travel and accommodation expenses for team staff were also stopped. When Bruno Fernandes offered to cover all of these costs, the club refused.
How much money will all these cuts make Man United? The increase in ticket prices from £48 to £66 will only net the club £1.5m a year. That’s the same as Casemiro’s monthly salary!
All the mistakes in transfers and high player salaries did not come from Sir Jim's time, it was a huge mess left by the Glazer family. Previously, Joel and Avram Glazer did not participate in much management, everything was left to CEO like Ed Woodward to handle. Now, Sir Jim and his associates are busy every day taking care of the club's affairs. They are trying very hard to change everything.
Current CEO Omar Berrada’s target of winning the title by 2028 is in serious doubt. To do that, Ruben Amorim or someone else must turn United back into a powerhouse in terms of skill. Meanwhile, INEOS’s job is to keep Old Trafford out of debt year after year.
When the team's expertise is weak and the financial situation is in a precarious state, Man United will not be able to do anything. 3 years for the goal of winning the English championship is a very short time but also a very long time to be able to change everything. Sir Jim has received painful blows in terms of personnel, finance and the way of operating the ruins at Old Trafford in 2024. The obvious lesson is that he cannot repeat this year.
