Manchester United part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe could sell the naming rights for Old Trafford or a new stadium as he looks to raise money for the development project, according to The Athletic.
The project could reportedly be worth billions and the club have held talks with Bank of America in an attempt to acquire funds. United fans may also see their ticket prices go up “substantially”.
The Red Devils have never before sold their stadium rights and the decision to do so could be a divisive one, although both Arsenal and Manchester City — with Emirates and Etihad respectively — have made big money from naming rights contracts.
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If United are to build a new stadium in the coming years, they could reportedly look to sell the naming rights entirely. If Old Trafford is refurbished, though, an alternative could be to simpy partner with a brand and keep the original name.
The Athletic claim that Ratcliffe’s INEOS are likely to take on debt in order to raise the required funds, and the finances behind any stadium changes could well be a concern for United fans, who will be particularly wary of big ticket price hikes.
“What we can see so far is a really good case to refurbish Old Trafford, probably about £1billion in cost,” Ratcliffe said in February. “You finish up with a great stadium, it’s probably an 80,000-90,000-seater.
“Manchester United needs a stadium befitting one of the biggest clubs in the world and, at the moment, it’s not there. Old Trafford maybe was 20 years ago but it’s certainly not today. There’s this wider conversation with the community as to whether you could use a more ambitious project on-site as a catalyst to regenerate that Old Trafford area."
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