Glazers: We Won’t Quit TV Cartel
Manchester United joint chairman Joel Glazer has ruled out a breakaway from the rest of the Premier League over the way clubs negotiate their television rights.
With United’s global fan base estimated to be in the region of 140 million, many of the smaller Premier League sides have long feared that Old Trafford could try and split from the collective deal.
But with clubs enjoying the benefits of the League’s new £2.7 billion three-year deal from the start of this season, Glazer said yesterday that he was fully supportive of the way the current system worked.
“I think the collective TV rights model is working very well,” he said. “It’s a major reason why the Premier League is the most popular league in the world. All games are competitive and it, of course, attracts the world’s top players.
“We’re very supportive of the current model. It’s something we’ve said from the outset.”
Although United’s owners have come under attack for increasing ticket prices, Glazer insisted they had no plans to change the way fans watched their football at Old Trafford.
He said: “Old Trafford is an icon for football around the world. What we have done with our new stadium in Tampa does not necessarily translate over here.”
