Man United “ New Ground” (with Poll)

Taxpayers aren't paying anything for the stadium or even anything on United's land. For the Stadium to make sense though the area needs regenerated, outside the football and cricket grounds and the Trafford Centre (which is struggling) there is no reason to go into Trafford and its not a place that business want to be in or people want to live. It needs better transit links, much of the old industry buildings need knocked down, they need to bring in shops, entertainment and business into the area. It needs more green space etc etc

There were plans to do this off the back of HS2 and like many places money had been spent on this when HS2 was scrapped and when it was scrapped the places that lost out and had already spent money were promised help to regenerate if they had suitable plans and thats what is happening here. The stadiums the centre piece which is being funded by United with various grants including from the government funding everything around it. Both parts will help each other to be beneficial for everyone.

 

Obviously they won't have the exact funding sorted because there are different ways to get the funding from Bank loans, to a new share issue, to bonds, to partnerships (Including potentially Stadium naming rights but if you look at the renders there is commercial space both on the stadium itself and on United land) etc etc. They will all be on the table and most likely it will be a combination of these and they will be working out what is the best way of splitting it.

And there will also obviously be a factor where both the funding options United have and also what funding central government will release for local gov of both Trafford and Greater Manchester for the rejuvenation of the surrounding area will impact the scope of the stadium and in turn which funding to take.

If Labour give just a million to rejuvenate the area then United are unlikely to spend billions on the stadium because they will need more than just the football to be able to make that make sense. For example concerts and other sporting events are more likely to go to the Etihad right now because the amenities and transport links that had already had a boost as part of the Stadium being built for the commonwealth games have been upgraded even further by local government due to pressure from City which makes it a better option for both those wanting to put on events and for those attending the events. Improving transport links and amenities in the area will make it more appealing for both non-football sporting events and other entertainment events and thus make it easier to recoup the £2bn which makes it a no-brainer

They needed to release these initial plans though so they can lock down exactly what funding is on the table

 

Now lives as a Tax Exile in Monaco (it beats Failsworth).

Apparently is worth around £12.9 Billion (yes Billion not Million).

Expects us Tax Payers to fund a project which his Club plays at.

Completed in 5 years.

Fund it yourself Ratcliffe, with your private wealth, no State Intervention!!

 

The stadium is within easy reach of the M602 and the M60.

There are two tram stops on different lines within easy walking distance: Old Trafford and Exchange Quay.

There is a railway station which I accept needs to be renovated and reopened.

You can even travel to Old Trafford by boat!

There is the AO arena next to Victoria Station, the Co-Op Live stadium no need for another venue. Big concerts take place at Heaton Park.

No need for new shops, the City Centre is now becoming a franchise eating zone as shopping moves on line. You pointed out that the Trafford centre is ‘struggling’. Shopping has irrevocably changed.

 

To be fair though that's only on tickets that season ticket holders have returned. They haven't demanded season ticket holders pay more and the standard tickets that go on open sale to members haven't gone up. It doesn't really impact the regular and local fans who generally aren't buying last minute tickets. If anything all its doing is encouraging you to either get a season ticket or membership unless you are only going to attend a couple of matches a season (Membership is £70 for premium and £45 for standard. If you attend say 3 games a season you save money on tickets before the other perks kick in such as the discounts for the museum and stadium tours, hospitality and food/drink plus women match tickets for £7.50 and on Premium you get a year of MUTV (worth £30) , a year of the programme in digital form (£4 an issue which is a min of £76) and a year of Inside United magazine in digital form (Worth £50)

And while the ticket prices for season and regular tickets is likely to go up a bit (And to be fair United hardly increased their ticket prices during the Glazers ownership while everyone else had significantly, In the last 15 years United cheapest season ticket has gone up about £50 much of that post pandemic. United's cheapest Adult season ticket this season places them 10th. It's about £100 less than Villa and £150 less than Liverpool. If the cheaper sides only City is what you would consider a top10 club and they have to give away like 10k tickets every match and their owners just cook their books so they can keep them low) its certainly not going to be a jump that works out at £60+ a ticket

 

Where did I say there weren't transport links. What I sad is they need improved, not least with more joined up thinking.

And the Trafford Line Metrolink was one that was implemented as part of the rejuvenation of the area that was being driven by HS2 and which the cancelling of HS2 left most of the plans in tatters having had large amounts of money spent on them already. It's a tram line whose purpose is now much less than it was intended. The stadium is a catalyst so this money is much less wasted by helping drag the area out of the victorian times its largely been stuck in while central and local government have helped rejuvenated other such areas, often built around a big commercial venture (Look across the Canal for example where Salford received regeneration thanks to the BBC relocating there which has now seen not only other Networks relocated parts or all their operations there also but also has seen other media companies move. And that in turn brought in other business to support this which created jobs and wealth for the area.

And you do realise not all shops are struggling right? Yes some absolutely are due to online but there is are sections of the industry that are doing well. And there is a real rise and strength in Artisan shopping areas full of independent retailers selling more specialist or higher end or bespoke items. For example local to me while the high street is largely just charity shops there is a thriving artisan shopping complex that has a range of world eateries (which are shops), a record shop, a comic book shop, a collectable shop (selling mainly trading cards), an art and craft shop, an artwork shop, an independent toy shop and the likes. It's always busy, ha s great environment and is a place that people actually go and hang out. They also hold events for example they held a board game event recently where you could go down and play board games with others, games ranging from connect 4 or jenga, to Monopoly and cluedo, to Trivial pursuit to Settlers of Catan to card games like Pokemon and Magic the gathering to D&D

Rejuvenating areas is important, especially areas that are struggling as they are trapped in industries that have long gone and it's something that needs both commercial and governmental co-operation. United are doing their part by developing the land they own which obviously includes the new stadium and other companies are likely to come on board and help both when it comes to United's own land and the non-united land that will be redeveloped (as the renders suggest there will be a commercial aspects on United land which they are likely to bring in 3rd party to help with, United are unlikely to operate their own hotel or a coffee shop when they can partner with a Hilton or a Starbucks for example). This is likely to generate jobs and wealth which is then a plus for the government. Certainly expecting Radcliffe to fund rejuvenation outside of United's land where others are the ones who benefit without them having taking any financial burden to earn those benefits. It's like do you think Man City despite having the funding from a rich state developed the area around the City of Manchester Stadium? No they didn't, they made their suggestion for what was needed and let local and central government sort anything outside of City owned land (Not to mention they don't even own the stadium, that was tax payers money and they pay what is a tiny amount of rent and tax payers hence pick up a % of any bill to expand it, just as the 10k extra seats they will have next season.

And again the Government promised areas that had already spent money on plans (or even started work on parts) based off the benefits of HS2; money to help do that now HS2 is scrapped so its only what places like Trafford are owed

 

The most affluent areas of Greater Manchester are Bowden, Hale and Hale Barns, Altrincham, all located in one Borough of Greater Manchester. Which one?

 

I forgot to add the Pomona/Wharfside Tram stop, which are close to the stadium and on yet another line, which links with the Trafford centre and its huge car park!
In reality you could travel in both directions and a double tram can hold around 800 people. So 2,400+ with six trams running at a frequency of at least one every six minutes, given the range of destinations, probably far more frequent than that.
I struggle to see how transport links (apart from the railway option) could be radically improved.
To go on the record, I use to work off Chester Road, so know the area.

Meanwhile the club struggle to find money for their CEO!!!

Omar Berrada’s appointment as the new CEO of Manchester United marks a significant shift in the club’s leadership landscape. Having been lured away from arch-rivals Manchester City, Barrada steps into the shoes of Richard Arnold, poised to steer the Red Devils into a new era at Old Trafford. With his staggering salary of £4.2m, Barrada now clinches the coveted title of the Premier League’s highest-paid CEO/director, symbolizing a changing of the guard at one of football’s most iconic institutions. https://sportsjournal.io/premier-league-football-clubs-executive-staff-salary-data-2022-23/