"I just feel really sad about it. I feel helpless and hopeless. The prime seats near the dugout in the Sir Bobby Charlton stand will be reallocated to hospitality from next season."
"For 315 a head, VIPs will be offered some of the best seats in the house and a three-course meal at Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat restaurant in the spot where Riley and his family have sat for nearly 80 years."
"I now have the pleasure of sitting next to them. I don't begrudge them [but] they spend more time taking selfies than anything else. They're not hardcore supporters."
Tony Riley, a Manchester United fan, feels helpless after being evicted from his family's seat held since 1949 to accommodate VIPs. The club's plans, overseen by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, will reallocate prime seats for hospitality, impacting 1,100 supporters. Riley expresses sadness over the loss of tradition and the shift towards corporate fans, noting that the cheapest adult season ticket is significantly higher than the cost of VIP experiences. The changes reflect a broader trend of prioritizing profit over loyal fan engagement.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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