The latest from the BBC about the imminent take over of Manchester United by Malcolm Glazer...so what does this mean for the Old Trafford faithful and club? As an Arsenal fan I wish I could say this spells doom and gloom for the United faithful, but alas my commons sense tells me otherwise. When one looks at what he did with the PUTRID Tampa Bay Bucs of the NFL, one cannot but imagine what he has in mind for one of the most marketable teams in professional sports.
For more on what his track record was with the Bucs: http://www.glazerfamilyfoundation.com/AboutUs.aspx?b=1
While the Old Trafford faithful scream to keep him at bay here are some reasons why Malcolm will be good for Man United
- He understands the customer. With the Bucs he created a state of the art football stadium, catered to fans, increased the marketability of the team by giving them color skeems that would appeal to buyers, not the violently bright orange they previously wore.
- He understands the business of sports. He will maximize revenue streems while ensuring he controls cost. Will that mean he cuts the money for transfers? I doubt it. Glazer understands that the product on the field is what drives revenue. If you look at what he did with the Bucs, he was not scared to spend on free agents and trade for top players (Keyshawn Johnson, etc).
- Finally because he is not emotionally attached to the club but rather to the business of sports he will leave Manchester United in as good if not better shape when he decides to move on. Unlike other foreign owners (from Russia), I believe that rather than using his own wealth to save the team he will ensure that the revenues the team generates will permit the team to sustain its operations. When a certain Russian sells Chelsea (and he will one day) I fear that the team will be left in a difficult situation with regards to the business side, now if they have filled many trophy cases I am not sure Chelsea fans will care too much.
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