Manchester United’s proposal to introduce personal seat licences (PSLs) to help fund the £2bn redevelopment of Old Trafford is under pressure as the government moves to tighten laws on ticket resales.
The club had explored a PSL model that would allow licence holders to resell match or season tickets at a profit. However, new legislation planned for next year will ban the resale of sports and music tickets above their original price, aiming to curb touting. Although football ticket resales are already illegal under the 1994 Criminal Justice Act, government sources say they would oppose any secondary market created through PSLs.
United has been consulting fans through a major survey conducted by CSL International. A PSL would give supporters the right to buy a specific seat at the new stadium, separate from the cost of a season ticket. While PSLs are common in American sports and can be resold for profit, a ban on profitable resale could make them less attractive and force United to adjust pricing.
PSLs would likely apply only to premium seating, guaranteeing buyers the same seat each season. Fans who did not renew their season ticket would lose the licence.
Unlike debentures at Wimbledon or Twickenham, PSLs are not loans and therefore fall more clearly under secondary ticketing rules. Reports suggest United had considered pricing PSLs at £4,000 for 30 years, though this may change if resale value is restricted.
United declined to comment but indicated it will follow any legal requirements.
