Who Are The Owners Of Manchester United F.C.?
Manchester United Football Club, or Man United, is a professional football team based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. Known as the Red Devils, the club was founded in 1878 as Newton Heath and renamed in 1902.
They compete in the Premier League and have won a record 20 league titles, 13 FA Cups, and three Champions League trophies. United became the first English club to win the European Cup in 1968 and achieved a historic treble in 1999.
With passionate fans worldwide, they remain one of football’s most successful and valuable clubs, with fierce rivalries against Liverpool and Manchester City.
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Manchester United’s Ownership History
Manchester United was initially funded by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company and became a limited company in 1892.
Shares were sold to local supporters for £1 each to raise funds. In 1902, the club faced bankruptcy but was saved by four local businessmen, who invested £500 to take majority ownership.
Among them was John Henry Davies, who became the club’s president. Following Davies’ death in 1927, Manchester United once again faced financial troubles.
In December 1931, James W. Gibson stepped in with a £2,000 investment. Gibson provided much-needed stability and supported the team through difficult times.
His son, Alan Gibson, joined the board in 1948, but James passed away in 1951. The Gibson family retained ownership through James’ wife, Lillian, though the role of chairman went to former player Harold Hardman.
After the Munich air disaster in 1958, Louis Edwards, a close friend of manager Matt Busby, joined the board. Edwards gradually acquired shares, investing approximately £40,000 to secure a 54% stake by 1964, giving him control of the club.
When Lillian Gibson passed away in 1971, her shares went to Alan Gibson, who later sold a portion to Louis Edwards’ son, Martin Edwards.
Martin eventually became chairman in 1980 after Louis’ death. In the 1980s, Manchester United attracted interest from potential buyers.
Media tycoon Robert Maxwell tried to purchase the club in 1984 but failed to meet the asking price.
In 1989, Martin Edwards attempted to sell the club to Michael Knighton for £20 million, but the deal fell through, and Knighton joined the board instead.
Manchester United became a publicly traded company in 1991, raising £6.7 million through a stock market flotation. In 1998, Rupert Murdoch’s British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) made a £623 million takeover bid, which the board initially accepted.
However, the move was blocked by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1999. The attempted takeover led to the formation of the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust, aimed at protecting the club from hostile takeovers.
In the early 2000s, tensions arose between manager Alex Ferguson and major shareholders John Magnier and J.P. McManus over ownership of the racehorse Rock of Gibraltar.
Who Are The Manchester United’s F.C.?
Manchester United Football Club ownership is shared between the Glazer family and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The Glazers first took control of Manchester United in May 2005 when Malcolm Glazer purchased a 28.7% stake held by investors McManus and Magnier. Through his company, Red Football Ltd, he completed a leveraged takeover valuing the club at around £800 million.
Much of the money for the purchase was borrowed and placed as debt on the club, which went from being debt-free to carrying £540 million in loans with interest rates ranging from 7% to 20%. In 2006, Manchester United refinanced its debt to reduce annual interest payments.
However, by 2010, the debt had risen to £716.5 million. To address this, the club issued bonds worth £504 million, which helped pay off some of the debt but left the club with annual interest payments of £45 million.
The growing debt led to fan protests, with supporters rallying under the green and gold colors of Newton Heath, the club’s original identity.
Despite fan opposition and restructuring efforts, the club’s debt peaked at £777 million in 2007. In 2012, the Glazers listed Manchester United on the New York Stock Exchange, selling shares to the public while retaining control through a dual-class share structure.
Public shares, known as Class A, had limited voting power compared to the Glazers’ Class B shares. The IPO valued the club at $2.3 billion, making it the most valuable football club at the time.
Despite this, by 2019, it was reported that Manchester United had paid over £1 billion in interest and fees since the Glazers’ takeover, with the club’s net debt remaining at nearly £400 million.
In 2023, the Glazers began exploring options to sell the club. Several bids were made, including those from Qatari Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
On 24 December 2023, Ratcliffe finalized a deal to purchase 25% of the club for a reported £1.25 billion through his company, Ineos.
This agreement granted Ratcliffe control over football operations, while the Glazers retained their position as majority shareholders.
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How Much Is Manchester United Worth?
Manchester United is valued at about $6.55 billion In 2024, making it one of the most valuable football teams in the world.
While the team has faced challenges in recent seasons, including poor performances and concerns over ownership, its financial strength is impressive.
Manchester United’s financial power is driven by its major sponsorship deals, large merchandise sales, and media revenue. The club is one of the top earners in football, generating about $785 million in 2024.
This commercial success allows the club to stay competitive, even though its on-field results have not been as strong as in previous years.
The club is also publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Though the price of Manchester United shares had dropped to around $16, a 16% decline from earlier in the year.
This drop is linked to concerns about the team’s results, including a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Premier League in the 2023-2024 season.
Also, the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Glazer family’s ownership has affected investor confidence. Despite these challenges, the club’s overall value, including debt and cash reserves, is still high. Manchester United’s enterprise value is estimated at around $5.2 billion.
Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.
