Finance guru salutes ‘big’ new Man United deal as £200m outlay on the cards
Man United will look to exploit the sports tourism market to capitalise on their stadium expansion plans.
That is the view of finance expert Doctor Dan Plumley, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the Red Devils’ plans to boost capacity at Old Trafford.
Per the Manchester Evening News in April, United want to add around 15,000 seats at a cost of around £200million.
The club announced last Tuesday (26 July) that they have broadened the scope of their deal with Sportsbreaks to cover the North American market.
The sports tourism specialists claim that the new deal will give “millions” of overseas fans the chance to visit Old Trafford.
Plumley claims that United are smart to zero in on the lucrative North American market ahead of the rebuild at the Theatre of Dreams.
“There are a lot of supporter groups that regularly come and watch games in England,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“That is particularly true for the biggest clubs like United. Realistically, it can be quite an easy trip if you are willing to cover the cost.
“With North America, it’s a fair while away but you can get to New York in five or so hours now. It does open the door to a new market and we know that Premier League clubs are looking to focus there.
“Man United are always going to attract attention from all around the world. With the expansion, there is bigger scope to take advantage of that. It’s a commercial deal that makes sense for all parties.”
In other news, pundit backs Man United to sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka replacement after £33m report.