Gill hails Glazer impact

United chief announces new business deal

Last updated: 12th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Gill hails Glazer impact

Gill: Glazers bring business acumen

Related links

Teams

Also see

Chief executive David Gill has hailed the business influence of the much-criticised Glazer family on Manchester United.

United supporters have made their feelings known in recent weeks with the highly-visible green and gold campaign against the American owners.

Sources close to the Glazers insist the family will not sell the club to the Red Knights consortium, despite debts of over £700 million.

Rebuffing the protests, Gill reinforced the Glazers' position as he announced a new five-year deal with Telekom Malaysia to become the 'Intergrated Telecommunications Partner' of the Old Trafford outfit.

"There are protests," said Gill. "Everyone has the right to protest and there was certainly a lot of green and gold there on Wednesday night, you cannot deny that.

"But this partnership demonstrates the strength of the club. It is a long-term partnership for five years.

"We will be around for the length of this five-year deal and many more in addition to that.

"We have a sound business model and Telekom Malaysia is partnering one of the best teams in world football. That will always be the case."

Agreement

The sponsorship agreement is part of a new commercial strategy implemented by the owners.

Instead of taking a global approach, United adopt a territorial stance, doing exclusive deals in specific areas to maximise income and make the most of an estimated 333 million supporters worldwide.

It was one of the facts the Glazers took into account when they launched their own takeover, which at the time even Gill felt involved too much debt.

Now though, he feels the evidence points to a streamlined business model that, in the day-to-day running of the club, delivers huge profits.

"The owners thought we were doing very well on the commercial front but that there were other opportunities out there," he said.

"This is the insight they have brought in.

"It doesn't get much media coverage but the very fact they have come in and are able to do these deals benefits us. We can reinvest that money back in the club."

Comments (4)

  • Page 1 of 1
  • 1

Martin Parker (Manchester United fan) says...

There are no excuses for the Glazer family. David Gill shouldn't defend them as they have to go. we need help. the crisis is getting worst. the Glazers are NOT WELCOME. Please Red Knights you know Manchester United can be worth 2billion. LOVE UNITED HATE GLAZER till i die

Posted 00:59 12th March 2010

Wayne Bracken (Manchester United fan) says...

love united ,hate glazers

Posted 19:19 11th March 2010

James Collins (Manchester United fan) says...

Gill is just as bad as the Glazers! he says he doesn't agree with the debt...but keeps working for the Glazers and promotes what they are doing. Why don't they come out and talk to the fans themselves and tell us all of the 'good things' they're doing for us?. I like how Gill says they can re-invest this money from the new sponsorship back into the club....if we didn't have these loans then then we would have around £45 million just in interest payments alone that could be re-invested into the club. LUHG!

Posted 18:19 11th March 2010

Jonathan Tivy-jones (Manchester United fan) says...

You cant hide from the £700 million debt they have lumped on us. If this is to help offset this large debt they have brought us by making more money FROM THE FANS im not interested and dont care if its a 'great opportunity'. We shouldnt be in the position with this debt in the first place!! Gill is repeatedly standing up for the Glazers and in the process is mudding his reputation amongst the fans, i used to have a lot of respect for him but now im starting to think otherwise. Again, any odd deal the Glazers bring to the club is only a way to use the good name and global fan base of united to make money FOR THEMSELVES, Gill you can dress it up any way you like but at the end of the day they think of their pockets first and the club second, defending them is going to make you VERY unpopular.

Posted 18:10 11th March 2010
  • Page 1 of 1
  • 1

Add Comment*

Send us your views

Are you a Sky Sports subscriber?

*All fields required, your email address will be kept private