Source: Telegraph
Fans complain as Manchester United buck trend by increasing ticket prices
Although a number of Premier League rivals, including Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City, have announced freezes or cuts in ticket prices next term, United - whose debts were revealed earlier this month to be approaching £700m - are bucking the trend by raising prices.
Sean Bones, vice-chair of Manchester United supporters' trust, said: "It's extremely disappointing, at a time when United supporters are struggling to come to terms with the economic situation, and other football clubs are responding by freezing and even reducing prices, that the Glazers have again decided to hike prices above the rate of inflation.
"It has been said in the past that the owners of the club will squeeze United supporters until the pips squeak, and this is clearly the case.
"Earlier in the year, the government gave a 2.5 per cent reduction on the price of VAT on tickets.
"The Glazers have absorbed this benefit and added more increases on top."
With sell-out crowds at virtually every Premier League game this season, however, United insist that their price increases are merely a case of reflecting the huge demand for tickets at Old Trafford.
A United spokesman said: "We are still, on average, turning away nearly 5,000 people per game, and more for bigger games like Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool, so we believe it represents good value for money."
