59% United fans WONT Renew

The Football Fans' Inflation Index shows 15% of Manchester United fans will giving up going to games entirely nextseason while another 44% will only buy tickets when it suits them.

United, currently facing supporters-led green-and-gold protests against the Glazer family, who own the club, could see up to 59% of fans cancelling season tickets with Wolves the next most at risk in the Premier League with 54% of supporters considering giving up for next season.

The backlash against season tickets comes despite Virgin's index showing that the cost of attending games has fallen by 6.8% in the past year. Lower ticket prices and reduced costs for replica kit means the match-day cost has fallen to £89.09 compared with £95.60 in January 2009.

That is still 14.29% higher than the match-day cost when the index was launched in January 2006 but is substantially lower than the all-time high of £106.21 in October 2008. Average match tickets across all leagues peaked at £27.38 in July 2009 but have now fallen to an average of £22.59.

The research among more than 3,896 fans representing all 92 clubs in the Football League shows fans of Liverpool and Stoke City are the least likely to give up their season tickets next year with just 9% of supporters considering cutbacks.

"The drop in costs is welcome but season tickets are still priced astronomically compared with other major European leagues such as Spain, Italy and Germany," said Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters' Federation.

"Shamefully, Manchester United was the only Premier League club that put up their prices for the current season. Every other club froze or reduced them. Huge numbers of United fans are in open revolt against the Glazer family's huge cash drain on the club.

"They're paying the price for the leveraged buyout in 2005 that has loaded a massive £700m debt on to United's books. The Glazer regime has put up ticket prices by half in less than five years. No wonder almost six out of 10 Old Trafford season ticket holders are thinking of not renewing."

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/10/season-tickets-survey-man...