Manchester United are one of the biggest football clubs on the planet, who have attracted some of the best managers and players to ever be involved in the game. Their past is well-decorated, too, having won twenty English league titles amongst a whole host of other significant trophies.
In this article, we explore the several reasons why Man Utd tickets are so expensive. We discuss past and present success, seating capacity, financial fair play and much more. Read on to learn more about this topic.
Why Are Man Utd Tickets So Expensive?
There are several reasons why Man Utd tickets are so expensive, including:
- Sporting success and global appeal
- Past success
- Financial Fair Play
- Elite Level Squad Players
- Player Salaries
Sporting Success and Global Appeal
Manchester United are able to demand higher prices for their tickets because of their sporting success and global appeal. Particularly during the era when Sir Alex Ferguson was manager of the club (1986-2013), Manchester United enjoyed lots of success, dominating the English top flight on 13 different occasions.
They also won 2 Champions Leagues, 5 FA Cups, 4 League Cups and 1 European Cup Winners’ Cup, and this helped the club be a driving force in world football, gaining popularity and fans in all four corners of the planet.
By increasing their popularity so much, there’s much more demand for their tickets, which means they can increase the prices.
Past Success
One of the key reasons as to why Manchester United are one of the most globally recognised football clubs is because of its past success. The club is the most successful in terms of the number of English League titles won, with 20 to their name.
The fact that the club is operating with such a prestigious past, can mean that they are entitled to charge more for their match day tickets. Fans will also be happy to pay a higher price because they are proud to support such a successful club.
Honours
To date, Manchester United have won 67 trophies, and this puts them second behind Liverpool as the one of the most successful English clubs. They have won the following honours over the years:
| Trophy | Number of titles | Seasons won |
| English Community Shield | 21 | 16/17, 13/14, 11/12, 10/11, 08/09, 07/08, 03/04, 97/98, 96/97, 94/95, 93/94, 90/91, 83/84, 77/78, 67/68, 65/66, 57/58, 56/57, 52/53, 1911/12, 1908/09 |
| English League Champion | 20 | 12/13, 10/11, 08/09, 07/08, 06/07, 02/03, 00/01, 99/00, 98/99, 96/97, 95/96, 93/94, 92/93, 66/67, 64/65, 56/57, 55/56, 51/52, 1910/11, 1907/08 |
| FA Cup | 12 | 15/16, 03/04, 98/99, 95/96, 93/94, 89/90, 84/85, 82/83, 76/77, 62/63, 47/48, 1908/09 |
| English League Cup | 6 | 22/23, 16/17, 09/10, 08/09, 05/06, 91/92 |
| Champions League | 2 | 1998/99, 2007/08 |
| Europa League | 1 | 16/17 |
| European Champion Clubs Cup | 1 | 67/68 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 1 | 08/09 |
| UEFA Supercup | 1 | 91/92 |
| Intercontinental Cup Winner | 1 | 99/00 |
| Cup Winners Cup | 1 | 90/91 |
When you look at the trophies they have won, it’s easy to understand why they’re able to charge higher prices for their tickets. A club built on such history, who has experienced this much glory, is well within its rights to charge accordingly.
Financial Fair Play
Financial Fair Play (FFP) is something that all football club need to be aware of, and this is concerned with how much money a club spends and receives on a season to season basis. In order to comply within FFP, football clubs need to try and make as much money as they can, and one of the main revenue streams available to them is ticket sales.
When teams like Manchester United spend lots of money on signing high profile players, they often need to be savvy with the way that they price their tickets and merchandise. This is a key reason as to why Man Utd tickets are so expensive.
Elite Level Squad Players
Another reason why Man Utd tickets are so expensive is because of the elite level players they regularly have in their squads. Because Manchester United are one of, if not, the biggest club on the planet, they’re able to attract the best players in world football to sign for their club.
They’ve had the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, George Best, David Beckham, Eric Cantona and many more play for the club over the years. More recently, players including Casemiro, Raphaël Varane, André Onana and Mason Mount have signed for the club, despite them not winning a league title since the 2012/13 Premier League season.
By signing such talented players, the club can charge more for their match day tickets in return for a more “attractive and entertaining” style of football. Fans will be excited turning up to their home ground, Old Trafford, to watch big names play and will be more willing to part with more of their cash in order to do so.
Player Salaries
The reality of signing a whole host of elite level squad players is a hefty wage bill. With elite level players earning up to £400,000 per week, the money has to come from somewhere in order for club’s to be able to pay player’s eye watering wages.
One of the easiest ways to raise this money is through ticket sales, and increasing the price of match day tickets will help increase the revenue made by each club. Most fans will be happy to part with their money in order to see the best players play for their club each week.
Are Man Utd Tickets Actually Expensive?
If we take a look at the other side of the argument, is the reality that Manchester United tickets are actually reasonably priced for such a big club?
Being a Northern Club
One of the main factors to consider is that out of the “top 6 clubs” in the Premier League, Manchester United are one of the three Northern clubs along with Manchester City and Liverpool. These clubs typically tend to charge less than the other three big clubs who are based in London (Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham).
This is because people typically get paid more money in London because everything is so expensive, and this means that London football clubs can charge higher ticket prices.
When looking at the least expensive season tickets out of the top 6 clubs, Manchester United rank 5th, with their least expensive season ticket price coming in at £551 (see table below).
| Club | Least Expensive Season Ticket (£) |
| Arsenal | 974 |
| Tottenham | 807 |
| Chelsea | 750 |
| Liverpool | 699 |
| Manchester United | 551 |
| Manchester City | 385 |
Considering the elite talent they have in their squad, the size of their stadium and the types of matches and competitions they play in, you could argue that Manchester United tickets aren’t that expensive. This all depends on who you asked, though, as it’s a subjective topic.
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