MANCHESTER UNITED’S new stadium could include 20,000 “prawn sandwich brigade” seats, with the club’s owners planning a huge number of VIP and hospitality areas.
United legend Roy Keane once famously took aim at the club’s match-going home supporters before a Champions League group stage tie against Dynamo Kiev in 2000 – stating they were too busy eating prawn sandwiches rather than creating an atmosphere inside the Theatre of Dreams.
AFPMan United fans could pay up to £4k to reserve a season ticket at the new stadium[/caption]
Foster + Partners20,000 seats are set to be reserved for hospitality[/caption]
Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants the new stadium to be a ‘Wembley of the North’Getty
PARoy Keane once hit out at the ‘prawn sandwich brigade’[/caption]
Owners the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe appear to have ignored the former midfielder’s rant by considering plans to dramatically increase corporate capacity, to help cover the cost of the £2billion build.
Club chiefs have big plans, including hospitality areas on both sides of the halfway line and even pitch side.
United are also considering selling long-term season ticket contracts, which could involve paying around £4,000 to secure a season ticket for 15 years or more – the FA uses a similar idea to enable England fans to secure season tickets for a number of years at a time.
Officials are also considering bringing in a ‘premium season ticket model’ that would involve fans paying an additional sum on top of standard season ticket prices, to receive benefits such as a better chance of securing away tickets and access to concert tickets.
The plans were revealed after United recently invited supporters to take part in discussions about the proposed 100,000-seater super ground they are planning to build near their current home.
Club chiefs are also considering an American-style matchday experience, including 360-degree screen bars, a large number of smaller merchandise outlets instead of a single megastore, plus food and drink stalls.
They are also looking into plans to allow fans freedom to move around the concourse to meet family and pals before matches.
United also told fans that 2031/32 remains the target for the stadium opening.
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The club is expected to launch a large survey next month to hear fans’ views.
A source said the club wanted to gauge reactions from fans on a range of early ideas and themes which included different price points for tickets and other products.
One fan criticised the forum, details of which were leaked online, describing them as a “sad reality of what’s to coming”.
In further Americanisation, the Red Devils are considering the introduction of a “personal seat licence”.
This would be a fee paid to the club that would give the fans the chance to buy their season tickets.
In the US, this controversial model is usually used to gain funding for new build stadiums.
The system is thought to give the buyer the first refusal on a seat for a number of years.
But if they do not take up the option, then they would immediately lose the licence.
NFL franchises such as the San Francisco 49ers use the system with fans paying as much as £60,000 for a licence.
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