Manchester United’s Seat Licence Plan Threatened By Ticket Tout Clampdown

Manchester United’s plans to waste individual spot licences to supporters to thief money nan £2bn redevelopment of Old Trafford has been put nether threat by nan government’s clampdown connected summons touts.

The Guardian has learned that nan projected PSL exemplary being considered by United permitted spot licence holders to waste connected their lucifer aliases season-tickets astatine a profit to different fans but that will now beryllium outlawed by nan government successful projected authorities owed to beryllium introduced successful adjacent year’s King’s Speech.

The authorities had primitively projected capping secondary summons income for sport, euphony and arts events astatine 30% supra nan face-value value of a ticket, but person now group nan limit astatine nan original costs successful an effort to combat touts. Officials astatine nan Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) declare nan alteration will make nan costs of each resale summons £37 cheaper connected average, redeeming consumers a mixed full of £112m each year.

United began consulting fans complete introducing spot licences this twelvemonth successful a study conducted by nan commercialized investigation institution CSL International, nan largest portion of marketplace investigation ever undertaken by nan club. The study is understood to person been sent to hundreds of thousands of season-ticket holders and United members, pinch different questions asked of different groups of fans.

Buying a PSL would springiness fans nan correct to bargain a circumstantial spot astatine nan caller crushed for a group period, though they would person to salary separately for their play ticket. Such licences person go commonplace successful American sport, often arsenic a intends of part-funding caller stadium builds. In nan NFL, successful particular, location is simply a beardown secondary marketplace for nan licences themselves, pinch nan resale of PSLs generating important profits.

United sources person disclosed that nan PSL exemplary being explored by CSL included a imaginable resale element, though they added that nan consultation process was still astatine an early stage. While a prohibition connected resale astatine a profit is not needfully a dealbreaker for PSLs, it whitethorn make them little charismatic investments and lead to United lowering prices.

It is envisaged that PSLs would only beryllium sold for nan astir exclusive, premium seats astatine nan caller stadium, pinch different areas being reserved for mean fans. Licence holders would besides person a guarantee of remaining successful nan aforesaid seats each season, arsenic galore semipermanent season-ticket holders person been angered by being relocated by nan nine successful caller years. But should they neglect to bargain a play ticket, they would automatically suffer nan licence.

A PSL differs from nan debentures disposable astatine Wimbledon and Twickenham arsenic they are interest-free loans made to nan All England Club and Rugby Football Union successful return for nan correct to bargain tickets. The nominal worth of Wimbledon debentures is repaid aft a five-year period, while Twickenham debentures are repaid to nan holder aliases their family property aft 75 years, pinch nan second considerably cheaper arsenic a result. Some Twickenham debenture holders person been asked to forgo early repayments successful a “Debenture Donation Campaign” to thief raise costs for nan RFU. As a result, debentures are not expected to beryllium affected by nan caller legislation.

It has been reported that United were readying to complaint £4,000 for a 30-year spot licence, though if location is nary resale worth astatine a profit for lucifer tickets nan nine whitethorn person to change their pricing strategy.

United declined to comment, but sources astatine nan nine made it clear they will comply pinch each legislative requirements.