Man Utd are planning to build a new state-of-the-art 100,000 capacity Old Trafford for the 2030/31 season.
What the new 100,000 seater Old Trafford could look like.(Image: Manchester United)
View Image
A report analysing stadium rights has calculated that Manchester United could bank around £150million with a 10-year agreement to sell the naming rights to a new Old Trafford.
Last year, United unveiled ambitious plans for a state-of-the-art 100,000-seater stadium at an event in London, and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said the project could be completed by 2030/2031.
Estimated costs for a 100,000-seater designed by Foster + Partners have been put at £2billion. There is an acceptance that United would sell the naming rights to raise revenue, and a new report has calculated the club could bank around £150m with a lucrative 10-year agreement.
The Sponsor have compiled a European stadium naming fair market value report, which outlines United could bank around £15m per season, equating to £150m over 10 years.
The report states if United maintain their current profile and increase their global exposure through regular Champions League qualification, the long-term value could exceed that figure.
It's understood the lofty valuation reflects the scale of the Old Trafford redevelopment, projected capacity, modern infrastructure, United’s global fanbase, and the international reach of the Premier League.
Omar Berrada, CEO, admitted that United could sell naming rights when he spoke at the unveiling of plans for a new stadium. "At this stage, all the options are open," said Berrada. "We're not closing any doors, so we obviously want the stadium to give us additional revenues for us to be able to invest into the team, and I think that's going to help.
"One of the biggest upsides is to give the best experience to our fans, to be able to accommodate more fans into the stadium. But it is true that the additional revenues will help finance the talent that the fans will see on the pitch."
The Old Trafford regeneration mayoral development corporation, responsible for overseeing the regeneration of the surrounding area, met for the first time at the Imperial War Museum North last week, but the design plans for a new Old Trafford have been put on hold for now.
The rail yard surrounding Old Trafford is owned by Freightliner. The land is crucial to plans for a 100,000-seater stadium, and there has been an ongoing standoff regarding its value.
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, previously suggested that compulsory purchase powers could be used to acquire the space if a deal could not be agreed with United. In October, United told the fans' forum they were optimistic of agreeing on a deal for the land.