Manchester United reportedly spent £20m (€21.5m/$24.1m) on upgrades to Old Trafford during the off-season as part of plans to improve the match-day experience.
A club spokesman told the Off the Pitch website that the money has been outlaid on various “continuous improvements” such as a previously-announced ‘atmosphere section’ in the Stretford End. The section seats 1,200 fans and has been launched on the back of successful fan-led trials over the past two seasons.
Off the Pitch reports that other improvements have been made to food and beverage kiosks, as well as hospitality and VIP suites. It is hoped these upgrades will help increase United’s match-day income.
Old Trafford has also been fitted with a new match-day production suite to accommodate VAR technology, which is being introduced to the Premier League for the first time this season. As demonstrated during yesterday’s (Sunday’s) 4-0 opening-day victory over Chelsea, Old Trafford’s scoreboard and PA system will relay VAR decisions to the crowd.
A significant amount has also been spent to improve disabled access at Old Trafford, with Off the Pitch reporting that 118 wheelchair positions have been created, as well as 158 new amenity seats. It comes after United was last year one of the clubs criticised by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) for a lack of disabled access.
United’s chief operating officer Colette Roche told Off the Pitch: “We continue to invest in improvements across multiple areas at Old Trafford to enhance the experience for our fans, including security improvements and significant improvements for our disabled fans.”
Image: Pixabay
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