Manchester United to offer fans refund if season is not resumed

Manchester, March 27 (IANS): Manchester United told fans that it remains committed to finishing the current season, but it will refund season tickets in case the remaining games are not played or if played behind closed doors.

The English top-level football season has come to a halt due to the coronavirus situation and the suspension looks certain to be extended beyond April. Most Premier League clubs have recently been reported to have asked for the season to be ended with some asking for it to be voided.

“Manchester United has confirmed the financial arrangements which will be put in place for ticket holders if remaining games for this season are played behind closed doors or cancelled as a result of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic,” said the club in its statement.

“The club fully supports the collective intent to complete the Premier League, Emirates FA Cup and the UEFA club competitions. However, if it were decided that games cannot be played, or needed to be played behind closed doors, Manchester United confirms it will offer season ticket holders either a pro-rata rebate against their season tickets for next year or a pro-rata cash refund based on the number of games still to be played.”

The Season Ticket renewal deadline, initially May 1, has been suspended. The club said the date will be continuously reviewed and a new deadline will be put in place once there is confirmation of the start date of the 2020/21 season. The club commits to giving as much notice of the revised renewal deadline as possible given the evolving situation.

The United Group Managing Director Richard Arnold said: “We appreciate the patience and the support we have had from our fans throughout this challenging time and welcome the constructive discussions we have had with MUST (Manchester United Supporters Trust) and fan representatives.

“We know our fans will not want to miss any games played in the coming months and will be disappointed if that is to be the case, but clearly we must all play our part in the efforts to combat coronavirus.

“By pushing the season ticket renewal deadline back and confirming our policy if games were to be cancelled or played behind closed doors, we want to ease any concerns our loyal fans may have in the current circumstances.

“They give Manchester United their support year after year, and at this time, we are committed to supporting them. Our message to them is clear – we are all in this together.

“We will continue to keep fans updated with any developments and, in the meantime, we encourage them to keep following the latest health advice and Government guidelines.

“As Ole and Casey said in their statement this week, stay safe, stay home and we hope to see you soon.”