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Manchester United co-owner Avram Glazer claims ‘club does not need success on pitch to make money’
Manchester United co-owner Avram Glazer said the club’s commercial value does not depend on success on the pitch, arguing that its global brand can remain strong through poor results. His remarks, made at a London sports investment conference in September and reported later, are likely to anger supporters as United struggle near the bottom of the Premier League.
United’s commercial income rose from £152 million in 2012/13 to £317 million in 2025/26, despite not winning the league since Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season. Forbes ranked the club third among the world’s most valuable football teams this May, down from first place in 2018; its debt reached £689 million in June, up £52 million year on year. The article says relegation, though considered unlikely, could have serious financial consequences.
In short
- Glazer says United’s global brand can make money without on-pitch success.
- Commercial income reached £317 million in 2025/26.
- The club’s debt stood at £689 million in June.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Glazer’s argument is that Manchester United’s worldwide following, commercial partnerships and history give the club enduring value beyond its latest league position. The reported rise in commercial income despite a long wait for a league title suggests that poor results need not immediately undermine its ability to earn money.
The case against
Supporters can argue that sustained success on the pitch is central to United’s identity and long-term commercial strength, and that recent earnings do not prove the brand is immune to decline. The club’s fall in Forbes’ ranking, rising debt and the potential financial impact of relegation underline the risks of treating sporting performance as unimportant.