Manchester United’s co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been instructed to engage with fans before proceeding with any plans to sell the naming rights of Old Trafford.
MEN Sport reported this week that Ratcliffe and Ineos are considering selling the stadium’s naming rights to finance either a significant redevelopment or the construction of a new stadium. The United co-owners believe that supporters would be open to a new ground if it is near the current Old Trafford location.
However, they recognize that both rebuilding and redeveloping will be expensive. Redeveloping Old Trafford is estimated to cost around £800 million, while a new stadium could cost between £1.5 and £2 billion. To raise the necessary funds, Ineos might bring in a sponsor but has assured fans that the Old Trafford name would remain. Speaking to bettingexpert.com, former midfielder Mikael Silvestre said he doesn’t oppose the idea but believes fans should be consulted.
“I think nowadays extra funding will be good especially if you go into building a new stadium,” he explained. “It doesn’t change the fact that you can still call it Old Trafford and it will be Old Trafford anyhow.
“Naming is a business decision so it takes nothing away from the Old Trafford name. It’s difficult to resist if it means a lot more revenue for the club.
“When he (Sir Jim Ratcliffe) first took over he said: ‘We will consult the fans’. The fans should be consulted on this.
“It’s a key step towards whether you take the decision to do it or not.” Previous owners have ruled out the prospect of selling the naming rights to Old Trafford and it is unclear how fans would feel about adding a sponsor to the stadium.
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