Manchester United showcased plans of new 100,000 seater stadium on 11th March by Foster + Partners, the architecture firm of Sir Norman Foster. Norman's father worked at Metro-Vick in Trafford Park, perhaps the world's first industrial estate. Foster + Partners delivered the new Wembley stadium in 2007. Two local Mancunian's in Jim Ratcliffe and Norman Foster joining hands to regenerate the wider Old Trafford area being Manchester United fans is reassuring.
Jim Ratcliffe said “Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford." Norman Foster added "This has to be one of the most exciting projects in the world today, with incredible regional and national significance. It all starts with the fans’ experience, bringing them closer than ever to the pitch and acoustically cultivating a huge roar. The stadium is contained by a vast umbrella, harvesting energy and rainwater."
This was the obvious next step after Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force's study of two main options to either redevelop 115-year-old marvel built by Archibald Leitch or build a new stadium altogether; delivered its verdict in favour of a new stadium on 17th January. Task Force was headed by Sebastian Coe, who successfully led London's 2012 Olympic bid and was the chairman of London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. With Coe the task force also had Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Manchester and former United player Gary Neville.
United in April, 2022 had appointed a team led by Populous to create masterplan for redevelopment of Old Trafford. This was done by Ed Woodward and before Ratcliffe became co-owner. Populous had delivered the new 62,850 seater Tottenham stadium, considered by many to be the finest stadium in England today. Using Google tried searching for "wembley fan experience fans feedback" and got the following response in AI Overview: Wembley Stadium offers a generally good fan experience for many, particularly for major events, but some fans have reported negative experiences related to atmosphere, food and drinks, bag policies, and facilities.
New stadium at Old Trafford is modelled after the United Trident, a tower that Ratcliffe described as 'Eiffel Tower of the north". A few critics have called the umbrella enveloping the stadium as a 'circus tent'. Every new design has always had critics including the world-renowned Eiffel Tower. United certainly needed to do something about the stadium urgently as no major improvements to Old Trafford were undertaken since 2006 and it is not even on the list of stadiums for the bid of Euro 2028 by football associations of England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Since 1965 installation of cantilever stands on three sides of Old Trafford, United led the introduction of latest and innovative devlopments in stadium improvements. The glass-fronted private boxes the first in English football, executive lounges of the 70's, catering business turning profitable, thought of each area of the stadium to be financially self-sufficient, acquisition of 20-acre area around Old Trafford, second tier on existing three stands that increased capacity to 76,000. Fans have every right to hold the club accountable so that it retains the standards it set. For almost two decades fans have got a raw deal and ticket prices have continued to rise in last two seasons.
Larger worry for fans is that club continues to be in debt of over a billion dollars; debt which was used by the Glazers to do a leveraged buyout which should never have been allowed by Football Association and the Government. Building a new stadium will add to the debt by about 2 billion dollars and the Glazers having never put a penny of their enormous fortune into the club, funds will be starved to develop the squad. Existing players are ill-suited to the system preferred by Ruben Amorim. Club should have had a reset of the playing XI, reduced the average age to 23-25, made net profits from player sales with a strong pipe of U21 and B-team players, and then embarked on working towards a new stadium.
New stadium is expected to be ready for 2031 season, built on the land adjacent to Old Trafford. Existing stadium will sustain the club for 6 more seasons by not significantly impacting the matchday revenue which they would have been dented had they to play their home matches elsewhere. Naming rights to the new stadium might be inevitably sold and how odd it would be to not call it Old Trafford 'theater of dreams'. Housing projects will raise further funds but will it cater to the middle-class? Transport links will have to be ready beforehand to avert a parking nuisance for the locals. Ratcliffe certainly believes there's enough to make this work. In lieu of the boring football being played now, progress on the new stadium is most welcome.
