Manchester United deny drop in merchandising revenue
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester United insist their merchandising sales are rising despite reports emerging claiming they have suffered a 10% drop in revenue.
The report, conducted by respected sports business analysts Sport+Markt, has been received with incredulity at Old Trafford.
United argue the sales come from figures only relating to United's massive Megastore within their stadium complex, and from a season when they only played 29 home games, compared to 32 during the previous campaign.
"To achieve that result using figures based only around stadium sales is remarkable," stated commercial director Richard Arnold.
"When sales from the rest of Manchester, the UK and Europe are added to those figures, it is a clear demonstration of the unique strength the club has.
"In addition, the report represents an area of the world which contains only one in 14 of our 333 million global fans.
"The remaining 93%, because they are largely based in an area of rapid commercial growth, such as China, the USA, India and Indonesia, have meant that 2010 was a record year for our partnership with Nike.
"Merchandising is just one part of our very successful commercial strategy, which has seen those revenues increase from £42.5million in 2005 to £81.4million in 2010."
The actual figures will pale into insignificance though alongside any Glazer utterances about their future intentions for the club when second quarter results to December 31, 2010 are released later today.
Rumours have continued about a massive buyout by the Qatari Royal Family, that could cost £1.8billion despite repeated denials from both the club and sources close to the family.
"A statement was made about this last week and absolutely nothing has changed since then," said the source, referring to an equally unequivocal statement.
"Qatar Holding is not and has never been in discussions to buy Manchester United football club. There is no truth to the rumours."
As United have also repeatedly stressed the offers would not be welcome because the club is not for sale, it is odd the rumours refuse to go away, although the secretive manner with which the Glazers conduct their business dealings, and the mystery surrounding how they managed to pay off £220million in payment-in-kind notes that had been attracted such huge interest, only heightens the intrigue.
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