(Credit: Imago / Getty Images)
Sun 17 August 2025 9:00, UK
Man United’s controversial seat licence idea could cause a similar ripple in the way the Super League plans did in 2021.
That is the view of football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider that other clubs will also explore the idea of selling a seat licence to their fans.
Man United are considering the idea of a personal seat licence, which will entail paying £4,000 for the right to buy a season ticket at their new stadium.
Jim Ratcliffe is planning a bold regeneration project that will not only include a new stadium, but also the development of the surrounding area.
Jim Ratcliffe wants Man United to build a new stadium. (Credit: Getty Images)
The Red Devils are seeking government funding for their plans, but need to raise money for the new ground themselves.
The idea for a personal seat licence is not guaranteed to be implemented as yet and is one of several ideas that United are exploring.
The idea stems from sports in the US. Plumley told Football Insider previously that Man United’s licence idea can often cost North American sports fans “in the hundreds of thousands”.
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Premier League owners backing fans into a corner
This article contains exclusive comment from Dan Plumley, a football finance expert and senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
The concern for fans across the Premier League will be that their owners may look to mimic United in adopting a seat licence.
Speaking to Football Insider exclusively, Plumley compared the situation to the response to plans of a European Super League in 2021, when backlash effectively shut down the idea.
The finance expert expects Man United fans to protest as a response to the idea, and suggested the same would happen if it were used across the league.
Plumley said: “As the game’s evolving, it is an option that clubs could look for. There’s no doubt there is an option there.
“The test of the water will be, what’s the fan response? And we saw this with other things; we can talk about the Super League as the ultimate example.
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“You don’t know how far you’ve got to push fans until they really kick off and backlash, and then you’ve got a decision to make about how you kind of maybe backtrack on that.
“The ultimate answer at the minute is, we don’t know, but it is a viable strategy to raise funds, and it would be on the table.
“I think it will be club-specific. If it does come in, it will be targeted at high-net-worth corporate seats in the first instance.
“I don’t see it being a wholesale thing that’s going to kick in. I don’t see every club trying to do it, but there are options and levers that clubs will look to use in the future on tickets.
“It’s still a conversation that’s going to dominate, especially with secondary ticket sales and resale seats and the price of tickets in general.
“It’s going to be something that clubs might look to use.”
Man United want to continue summer spending
Whilst there will inevitably be backlash from the plans to charge fans even more for the right to watch a game, that has not stopped the club from spending lavishly this summer.
Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha have all joined for sizeable fees, and Man United are looking to add Carlos Baleba.
(Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media)
Brighton want at least £100million for their star midfielder, the Red Devils’ former chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider exclusively.
That figure may become a stumbling block in United’s pursuit of Baleba, having already spent over £200m [transfermarkt] on new signings this summer.
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