The Japan Times - Man Utd defy fan groups with five percent season ticket rise

There will be no rise in the cost of tickets for under-16s, but the club are introducing a new game categorisation for non season-ticket holders, to allow for different pricing structures for higher-profile fixtures.

United fans have routinely protested at Old Trafford in recent months after the decision in November to scrap concessions to children and over-65s with all remaining tickets for this season priced at £66 ($85).

A fan advisory board (FAB), which met with the club, had pushed for a freeze on ticket prices.

Season tickets at Old Trafford have also increased by five percent in each of the past two seasons after an 11-year price freeze.

United chief executive Omar Berrada said in a statement: "We understand the importance of their backing for the team and have worked hard to come up with a pricing package that is fair and reasonable."

The club's co-owner Jim Ratcliffe claimed in a series of interviews last week that the English giants would have run out of money at the end of last year but for a series of cost-cutting measures and the hike in ticket prices he has overseen.

United have made cumulative losses of £410 million in the last seven years after a series of expensive mistakes in the transfer market and in managerial hires.

They currently sit 13th in the Premier League and are reliant on winning the Europa League to lift a trophy this season.

"We listened carefully to the strong arguments put forward by the FAB in favour of a freeze. However, the club has decided that it would not be right to keep prices unchanged while costs rise and the club continues to face financial issues," added Berrada.

"We have kept the increase to the lowest possible level and protected our youngest season-ticket holders from any rises, while ensuring the club remains financially strong enough to invest in improving the team."

Among a series of changes to ticketing, United also plan to turn some general admission tickets close to the dugouts into hospitality seats that can be sold at a premium price.

Premier League leaders Liverpool announced last month that they would freeze ticket prices for next season.

“For several months we have argued long and hard that the club need to look at the big picture and freeze ticket prices for next season," said the Manchester United Supporters' Trust.

"Other clubs have done that already and at United it would have sent a powerful message about the need for everyone to pull together to get the club out of the very difficult position it finds itself in.

“We do note that the scale of the headline increase is less than many feared and we believe the enormous amounts of dialogue that fans groups have had with the club, alongside the public pressure exerted through the media and various protests, helped restrain the increase."

United announced plans last week to leave Old Trafford for a new 100,000-seater stadium at a reported cost of £2 billion.

T.Shimizu--JT