MUST Update: Success! With Chelsea, Liverpool and City Supporting MPs Getting Involved

Following the complaint launched by MUST in November, the OFT has today confirmed that they will be investigating Manchester United over their rising ticket prices.

A successful meeting in Westminster took place yesterday to explore the arguments of the ‘Fair Deal for Fans’ campaign.

MUST’s chief executive, Duncan Drasdo, was understandably very pleased with the result.

“We’re delighted that the OFT have chosen to launch an Investigation into this matter,” he said. “We’re confident that the level of political support we’re gathering will ensure that the Fair Deal for Fans campaign now goes beyond United and beyond our compulsory Cup ticket scheme. Huge ticket prices and the systematic exploitation of loyal supporters affect many fans at clubs throughout all the Divisions.”

MUST representatives gave a presentation at a meeting of MPs, hosted by Tony Lloyd, MP for Manchester Central and Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party. It was attended by a number of MPs and researchers, including representatives from all three major political parties. Among them was Alan Keen MP, Chair of All-Party Football Group, and Hugh Robertson MP, the shadow Sports Minister. Although the meeting was intended primarily for United-supporting MPs, and those from the surrounding area, there were MPs in attendance of a variety of sporting allegiances – including Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City.

“The Automatic Cup Scheme seems a pretty clear-cut case of unfair practices, and we were glad to learn that the OFT will be looking into it,” said Keen. “But now it’s up to politicians to use the various tools at our disposal to broaden this campaign and get a fair deal for all fans.”

There’s still a long way to go but it appears as though it is going out way at the moment!

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3 Comments

EastStandManc December 12, 2008

I'm paying (near as makes no difference) 7 times what you're paying in Malaysia, Ulrik. Dunno about the rest of the lads in here.

I'm glad we're trying to get the prices lowered. Sadly, what's the most realistic reduction we can expect? £10? If that?

Let's not fool ourselves either, we'll have the cost of match tickets reduced, but everything else will go up to compensate for it. That pie and beer you're used to? Yep, that'll go up (again). The kits you buy your kids for their birthday/Xmas (after incessant mithering)? Yep, they'll go up too (in fact, they'll probably see the biggest price hike).

It's all good if you're like me, who refuses to pay the extortionate food/drink prices and buys shirts very, very rarely, but I'm not sure my mates (especially those who like their half-time refreshments!) would be too happy.

Then again, I don't think the Glazers would care much about the chances of the local fanbase attending being eroded much more than it already is. All it would mean, if anything, is that more wealthy corporates/tourists would take their places ...

SassManUtd December 12, 2008

ok i must say i am for this, of course ticket prices should be lowered, but we need to have a thought that we are in millions of pound in debt, and while the club is doing succesfully on the pitch, it can't be denied that the board would want to get as much money as they can to be rid of this debt as soon as possible. I know it sounds wrong, but we need to look at the overall picture here for our club. If we weren;t in debt we wouldn't have this problem i garrantee you, but we are stuck with it and we need to unite and be rid of it as soon as possible. So I say that we lower the prices but not too much, because we need to aid the club to be rid of this debt that was put on our club by the yanks. But I must also comment if MUST were so good then they why did they oppose murdoch's takeover as well? if they shut their mouth and let him take over we would be in alot better position than we are. At the time were the top team, and if we became the financial power then, we would have overtaken Madrid and Juventus and become the top dog in europe by a long way.

EastStandManc December 13, 2008

Ifs and buts at the end of the day Sass. You cite their opposition to the BSkyB takeover, but fail to mention that it was ultimately SAF's ruckus with McManus and Magnier that did for us. If they'd been onside, the Glazers wouldn't have had a look-in beyond the 29% they'd bought, meaning we'd still be debt-free.

LUHG.

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