Ever since Ineos bought a 27.7% stake in Manchester United and took control of the club's football operations, the group has been quick to implement various measures to raise funds to invest in the playing squad.
While many of these methods have sparked concerns with the club's fanbase, including the cost-cutting measures that saw Sir Alex Ferguson's ambassadorship scrapped and hundreds of staff made redundant, there is plenty of excitement about what a new stadium could mean.
A task force has been set up to explore an Old Trafford redevelopment versus a brand new stadium, and while no final decision has been made, the club are reportedly now considering selling the naming rights to their home, regardless of whether that's the current Old Trafford or brand new ‘Wembley of the North'.
Shirt sponsors have their sights set on a bigger deal
From this season, Man Utd's main shirt sponsors have been Snapdragon, an American tech giant, and the company's chief marketing officer, Don Mcguire, has opened up on how he wants to build on their current deal in the coming years.
Speaking at a recent event at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, McGuire said: “We are always looking out for opportunities to raise brand awareness” when questioned about whether the company were thinking about potentially bidding for naming rights of the new stadium.
However, McGuire conceded that “Old Trafford should always be Old Trafford” but said that a workaround where Snapdragon and Old Trafford both feature in the name could be an option. This wouldn't be anything new for the company as the stadium in San Diego is officially known as ‘The Snapdragon Stadium at Bashor Field'.
Adding to the Old Trafford experience with @Snapdragon ?
? #ShotOnSnapdragon#MUFC || #MUNFUL pic.twitter.com/ClV5dl7jRn
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 16, 2024
Do Man Utd need to sell Old Trafford naming rights?
When the idea of a new Old Trafford was first brought to the table by Ineos, Sir Jim Ratcliffe wasn't shy about the fact that he didn't want to front all of the cost himself.
He spoke at length about how he thought he could get government funding for the project as part of the Levelling Up Scheme, but after talks with Sir Kier Starmer, this is now reportedly a no-go.
A Plan B to cover the project's cost, which will likely cost in excess of £2bn regardless of which route they go down, would be to sell the naming rights to the stadium. This would allow the club to save much-needed funds to a) pay the existing debt and b) invest in the playing squad.
The one big issue with this idea is that it is unlikely to go down well with the club's supporters. Man Utd fans have passionately protested against the club's ownership for nearly 20 years now and discontent towards Ineos is already growing.
They recently protested about proposed ticket price rises before their Premier League clash with Everton, and the idea of renaming Old Trafford will be unthinkable to many, even if the majority of Man Utd fans want a new stadium over a renovation of the existing one.