The majority of Manchester United season ticket holders, members and executive club members would prefer the club to build a new stadium or renovate Old Trafford, according to a survey conducted by the club.
The survey was conducted amid INEOS' ongoing plans surrounding the future of the club and the wider area around Old Trafford.
Earlier this year, an email was sent to season ticket holders, members and executive club members which, among other things, asked them to vote on whether they would prefer a brand-new stadium built on the site of Old Trafford or a major renovation to the existing stadium.
Today, those results were published, and they revealed that 52% of fans voted for a new stadium, 31% voted for a renovated Old Trafford, and 17% said they were undecided.
The results are likely to be music to Sir Jim Ratcliffe's ears, as he reportedly wants to build a new stadium that could become the ‘Wembley of the North‘.
More than 50,000 responded to the survey, making it the largest fan research study ever conducted by the club.
How do you feel about the Old Trafford stadium project? 👀🏟️
The initial findings from the first phase of fan consultation on the future of our home have been revealed 👇#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 5, 2024
Final decision on Old Trafford renovation to be delayed
The club released the survey results after reports surfaced that a final decision on the stadium had been delayed. Originally, they were set to decide on whether to renovate Old Trafford or build a new stadium by the end of the year but that decision will now come next summer.
The Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force was established in March of this year, and it has been studying both options in great detail. The group, which is headed up by Lord Sebastian Coe and features Gary Neville and Andy Burnham, is still scheduled to report its conclusions by the end of the year.
The delay in the final decision is due to a couple of reasons. Firstly, INEOS wants to monitor what the Government's Autumn budget means for Greater Manchester in terms of investment.
Secondly, they want to explore further the possibility of relocating the huge rail freight terminal that sits adjacent to Old Trafford.
If the terminal can be moved elsewhere, this would free up around 100 acres of land and make the possibility of a brand new stadium much more likely.