Manchester United have released a statement acknowledging that they may have caused genuine fans distress during the course of their crackdown on ticket touting.
Sobering admission
United commenced measures to curb ticket touting last month, though the initiative inadvertently ensnared a considerable number of loyal and genuine supporters, who were left fearing the prospect of their season tickets being revoked without apparent justification.
This mass action led to several United fan groups issuing a joint statement calling on the club to be transparent and consider the plight of fans who had done nothing wrong.
A fan forum meeting was held on 30 July, where these concerns were outlined. United have now admitted that they may have underestimated how many fans shared account details before kicking off their investigation.
The club’s statement partly reads, “Manchester United accepts that the process may have caused distress for some loyal supporters, underestimated how common sharing account usernames and passwords was, and recognises that some fans may have felt they were being treated unfairly.”
“We recognise that many supporters have shared account login details in circumstances they regarded as legitimate, and we did not anticipate the extent to which this was occurring.
Supporters explained that they had shared the information simply to help friends and family complete their applications.
The club note that a “satisfactory explanation” has been provided in a “substantial number of cases” and as such, restrictions have been lifted from those accounts.
No signs of stopping
Additionally, United say that they do not intend to relent on the issue of ticket touting, which they insist deprives genuine supporters of the opportunity to purchase tickets.
“We believe this is something we are all aligned on. One example has uncovered 1,088 accounts accessed on a single device. However, we recognise the way this process was communicated, and the impact it has had on some loyal match- going supporters, has caused genuine upset and distress.”
The statement also highlights, “The review remains ongoing and we will publish further information, including supporting data where appropriate, once it has concluded. We will continue to review every case individually and maintain an appeals process for supporters who believe relevant information has not been considered.”
“Our objective remains simple: to protect fair access to tickets, maintain the safety and integrity of the ticketing system, and ensure that Manchester United tickets remain in the hands of genuine supporters.”
Michael Carrick and his players return to action this weekend when they face Paris Saint-Germain.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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