A couple of days ago, Manchester United revealed a new 100,000-capacity stadium concept to replace Old Trafford. It is planned to be part of a UK regeneration project and is to be ready before the 2030/31 football season, with a cost of about 2 billion British pounds (around $2.6 billion USD). The stadium is being built to replace Old Trafford, which has seen aging infrastructure, mice infestations, and literal waterfalls from the roof.
Manchester United fans are overjoyed by the news. Most are disappointed with the current state of Old Trafford and want a new, modern stadium like their neighbor Manchester City. While there have been criticisms of leaving Old Trafford, where United have spent most of their history playing, most think it is time to leave.
But what do BSGE students, especially football fans and those interested in architecture think about the new stadium? A freshman Liverpool fan believed that “Old Trafford is a joke of a stadium. The United ownership has done something good for the club. Although I don’t know if this new stadium will help their disaster of a squad.”
A 9th grade Real Madrid fan argued that “when you look at the options, leaving Old Trafford is really the only choice. They can’t really renovate the stadium like we (Real Madrid) did to the Santiago Bernabeu. Hopefully, the new stadium will be good.”
A freshman interested in architecture said “Just look at the stadium. Wow. It’s an ambitious concept. If it actually goes through it could very well become one of the best stadiums in the world.”
Manchester United has also recently begun to raise ticket prices, citing inflation, costs, and the new stadium, which has led to anger from fans.
Overall, the stadium concept is very ambitious and interesting. If completed, it could easily become one of the best stadiums in the world. However, INEOS (United’s partial owners, and the ones who seem to have created the plan) needs to deal with the backlash from United fans, especially when combined with the fact that the team is doing horribly in the Premier League, currently sitting at 13th. INEOS and the Glazers (the Glazers are majority owners of United) must also stay true to their plan, as it will be a great long-term investment for United. At long last, the future is bright for United.