Manchester United owners mull part sale
Manchester United’s owners are preparing a partial flotation of the club on the Singapore stock exchange to exploit the popularity of the Premier League champion’s brand in South East Asia.
The Glazer family, who own the club through parent company Red Football Joint Venture, are said to be ready to relinquish sole ownership in a move that could raise up to $1bn (£600m).
Red Football Joint Venture made a loss of £109m for the year to June 2010, hit by administrative costs related to refinancing, but is considered among the most valuable sports clubs in the world, with Forbes magazine recently valuing the club at £1.1bn.
The club has proven successful in exploiting their global popularity, commercial income increased by 16.5% to £81.4m, as fans rushed to buy from an ever expanding merchandise range. Sponsorship revenue has doubled to £300m during the Glazers’ six-year tenure through deals with brands including Aon, Nike, Turkish Airlines and Telekom Malaysia.
Despite commercial success, Manchester United fan groups are angry about the debt the Glazer family has saddled the club with.