Man Utd Thread:

[RedHand88]

How long will 100k people turn up to watch a team in mid table? Do you see many young ones wearing united tops these days? I don't.
If united have any sense they will not build the circus tent and will spend the money doing up Old Trafford.

[Milltown Row2]

How long will 100k people turn up to watch a team in mid table? Do you see many young ones wearing united tops these days? I don't.
If united have any sense they will not build the circus tent and will spend the money doing up Old Trafford.

Utd was packed in the 80's Liverpool was packed in the 90's

These clubs fill regardless of position, if this was a WUM attempt it's about a 4 outta 10 

[RedHand88]

How long will 100k people turn up to watch a team in mid table? Do you see many young ones wearing united tops these days? I don't.
If united have any sense they will not build the circus tent and will spend the money doing up Old Trafford.

Utd was packed in the 80's Liverpool was packed in the 90's

These clubs fill regardless of position, if this was a WUM attempt it's about a 4 outta 10 

Liverpool were finishing top 4 most seasons in the 90s, as were United in the 80s. It's not a comparison. No WUM attempt here, this is unchartered territory in the modern game.

[Look-Up!]

They're definitely not as attractive to youngsters now who start following football. Have a mate who's young lad refused to follow them. Said he's not watching that shite. They have been subject of ridicule last few years and had some very bad results so it's natural it will put some new supporters off.

How many it will put off or how much it will effect the club is too early to say but they'd want to get their house in order soon. Shirt sales will effect sponsorship at some stage. To deny it won't is head in the sand stuff.

[tiempo]

The league was once reliant on Utd, Utd are now reliant on the league - there's a Leeds Utd in them there's no doubt about that, they need to start making consistently good decisions in all areas and soon, the Sir Jim/Jason Wilcox nexus is the latest in a long line of lunacy, they're literally being outsmarted by Bournemouth Fulham Villa Palace, and thats before you get to the top table domestically and in Europe

[Milltown Row2]

How long will 100k people turn up to watch a team in mid table? Do you see many young ones wearing united tops these days? I don't.
If united have any sense they will not build the circus tent and will spend the money doing up Old Trafford.

Utd was packed in the 80's Liverpool was packed in the 90's

These clubs fill regardless of position, if this was a WUM attempt it's about a 4 outta 10 

Liverpool were finishing top 4 most seasons in the 90s, as were United in the 80s. It's not a comparison. No WUM attempt here, this is unchartered territory in the modern game.

Liverpool's league positions in the 1990s fluctuated, with a league title win in 1990 followed by a decline in performance. They finished 2nd in 1990-91, then gradually slipped to 6th, 3rd, 6th, 8th, and 4th in subsequent seasons. The 1990s ended with Liverpool finishing 7th in the inaugural Premier League season

[Captain Scarlet]

The mention of the modern game is key. You may well fill a stadium but if United don't get their act together then the little kids around the world won't be buying their jerseys and merch.

You see it in Ireland already with all the City jerseys. But, there is another thing with the modern fans - supporting superstars.
I doubt there are many Miami FC fans but there are plenty of jerseys sold. When Messi went to PSG I literally couldn't buy a home jersey for my nephew that Christmas. Kids follow players and no megastars will go to a ropey United outfit.

Their brand will suffer when the newer generation of parents abroad grew up supporting City and Chelsea and the likes. That's when the real money hit happens.

Locals will flock to games and tourists will want to go to an EPL game. The stadium will get filled.

[From the Bunker]

Many kids who pick a club to follow have the decision already made by their Father. So there is a legacy there that overrides success.

Despite Utd being weak since 2013 - they have remained relevant as regards winning trophies.

FA CUP 2015–16,
League Cup, Europa League 2016–17,
League Cup 2022–23
FA CUP 2023–24

This keeps them in the international syce and Kids seeing them win a trophy of any kind keeps them relevant.

 

[Captain Scarlet]

Ah the kids are all little stat merchants now and there's no use telling them about the League Cup or FA Cup. A lot of dads grew up as Liverpool fans now have kids while Liverpool are back winning, so they will grab a lot of support from these kids.

[Milltown Row2]

So basically only winning teams have support?

Kids support teams for multiple reasons, their dads generally or their favourite player or they follow trends of winning teams.

Or mainly because they live there

Anyone that thinks Utd would struggle to get another 20 thousand at the gates is living in cloud cuckoo land..

Marketing ticket prices season tickets and so on will ensure people will be enticed. It's 18 games? So not a lot

[thewobbler]

So basically only winning teams have support?

Kids support teams for multiple reasons, their dads generally or their favourite player or they follow trends of winning teams.

Or mainly because they live there

Anyone that thinks Utd would struggle to get another 20 thousand at the gates is living in cloud cuckoo land..

Marketing ticket prices season tickets and so on will ensure people will be enticed. It's 18 games? So not a lot

I expect that there has to be a tipping point whereby every club starts to get thin in terms of upwardly mobile locals who have both the disposable income and brand allegiance to justify PL ticket prices.

100k a week might just be around that tipping point for Man Utd. It's hard to know. It'll be an interesting experiment.

[Captain Scarlet]

I literally said they'd have no hassle filling the stadium but in the modern globalised game the money needed to compete they need money from external markets

So basically only winning teams have support? - And yeah. How many parents and kids would support Liverpool or United in Ireland if they were not winning. And, in terms of the support needed to keep a juggernaut going there's a big fanbase as per glory days United and then there is what United are now. Newcastle tick all the boxes for filling stadiums but they can't cash in around the world.

Kids support teams for multiple reasons, their dads generally or their favourite player or they follow trends of winning teams. - Exactly a trend of winning teams. United are nowhere near winning big trophies. They also don't have the global superstars who will bring the fans eg Mbappe. The TikTok generation support players as much as clubs. If they move they go off and buy their new club jersey.

Or mainly because they live there - so much of United's money comes from people who don't live there. Their connection is often based on fond memories of winning or at least competiting.

Anyone that thinks Utd would struggle to get another 20 thousand at the gates is living in cloud cuckoo land - they will still sell out the place but it's the other stuff that they will lose out on if the stuff on the pitch isn't improving.

Marketing ticket prices season tickets and so on will ensure people will be enticed. It's 18 games? So not a lot. - They will sell out no matter as you can see clubs don't want season ticket holders as much when you can pack in day tourists.

All of this will float away if they can't start at least competing. Another season without Champions League football will be a disaster. Then you go again with a new manager and new players and on and on.

[tiempo]

I expect that there has to be a tipping point whereby every club starts to get thin in terms of upwardly mobile locals who have both the disposable income and brand allegiance to justify PL ticket prices.

100k a week might just be around that tipping point for Man Utd. It's hard to know. It'll be an interesting experiment.

The smart (American) money might be to take a leaf from the US playbook and relocate their franchise to London and play out of Wembley, would be handier for the majority of fans

[Milltown Row2]

I literally said they'd have no hassle filling the stadium but in the modern globalised game the money needed to compete they need money from external markets

So basically only winning teams have support? - And yeah. How many parents and kids would support Liverpool or United in Ireland if they were not winning. And, in terms of the support needed to keep a juggernaut going there's a big fanbase as per glory days United and then there is what United are now. Newcastle tick all the boxes for filling stadiums but they can't cash in around the world.

Kids support teams for multiple reasons, their dads generally or their favourite player or they follow trends of winning teams. - Exactly a trend of winning teams. United are nowhere near winning big trophies. They also don't have the global superstars who will bring the fans eg Mbappe. The TikTok generation support players as much as clubs. If they move they go off and buy their new club jersey.

Or mainly because they live there - so much of United's money comes from people who don't live there. Their connection is often based on fond memories of winning or at least competiting.

Anyone that thinks Utd would struggle to get another 20 thousand at the gates is living in cloud cuckoo land - they will still sell out the place but it's the other stuff that they will lose out on if the stuff on the pitch isn't improving.

Marketing ticket prices season tickets and so on will ensure people will be enticed. It's 18 games? So not a lot. - They will sell out no matter as you can see clubs don't want season ticket holders as much when you can pack in day tourists.

All of this will float away if they can't start at least competing. Another season without Champions League football will be a disaster. Then you go again with a new manager and new players and on and on.

Liverpool managed to keep relatively ok during the 90's and noughties so it can be done.. it's cycles always has been, even Utd during the 70's dropped out of the top tier, takes a while but in general the 'big' teams always have a run, it just depends on how long it takes. Some wait 26 years others can be 30 years..

[Captain Scarlet]

I really think that in the last 10 years the money is gone so nuts that the fall-off is more pronounced these days if clubs are not doing it on the field. Poorly run clubs at least...

I am not saying they will go to the wall, or get relegated or the likes, but the wages and other mad overheads means a year or two more stagnation could have massive longer-term impacts.

Like slight doomsday here, but imagine they can't shift Rashford, Garnacho, Antony, Sancho, Malacia, Højlund and Casemiro for good within the next year. Never mind Martinez, Onana and Shaw! They finish 6th...

Then they are stuck with them, or it's a firesale and Bruno could hit the road - then it's another rebuild. But it's hand in hand. Liverpool needed a serious off field shake-up to allow them to build. United fans thought we had that with head the ball, but it's still a mess.