The pandemic has played havoc with
the sporting calendar, forcing the suspension of English Premier League
fixtures for three months, with fans still unable to attend matches.
Manchester
United said its priority was to allow fans to return to its Old Trafford
stadium safely after the impact of the coronavirus crisis pushed it to an
annual net loss of 23.2 million pounds ($30.3 million).
The pandemic has
played havoc with the sporting calendar, forcing the suspension of English
Premier League fixtures for three months, with fans still unable to attend
matches.
Lost revenues due
to the restrictions amounted to 70 million pounds in the year to the end of
June, the club said, adding that it would recoup 30 million pounds in broadcast
revenue for 2019-20 fixtures that had been played only in July and August.
The latest Covid-19
restrictions across Britain are likely to further delay the return of
supporters, depriving clubs of income from matchday ticket and catering sales.
Executive
vice-chairman Ed Woodward called for a consistent approach from the authorities
on the admission of fans, noting that people could travel on planes or sit in
cinemas.
“Crowds have been
permitted to return to varying degrees in over 20 European countries, albeit
with significant capacity restrictions to allow for social distancing, and we
urge the UK government to follow these positive examples as soon as it is safe
to do so,” he said.
Woodward also
dismissed reports that the club was part of a plot to form a breakaway European
Super League, saying the focus was on talks with UEFA over the future of the
Champions League.
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