Manchester United has acknowledged that its recent crackdown on ticket touting has caused "distress" to supporters, some of whom feel they have been "treated harshly." The club initiated action last month, informing thousands of season ticket holders, including a six-year-old, that their accounts were flagged for suspicious activity and their tickets could be revoked.
The club admitted it "underestimated" the number of fans who share account details, leading to the broad investigation. Groups such as The '58, Manchester United Supporters' Trust, and The Red Army issued a joint statement criticizing the club for making fans feel like "suspects" and calling for more leniency.
Manchester United stated that an external agency employed automated monitoring to detect touting, a method criticized for casting too wide a net. The club noted that while a "substantial number of cases" received satisfactory explanations, the process did "uncover significant and organised touting." In one instance, 1,088 accounts were accessed from a single device.
"We know that this issue has caused significant concern and distress for some supporters," the club said in a statement. "There is no doubt at all that this process has uncovered significant and organised touting which will enable us to remove tickets from touts and place them back in the hands of genuine fans."
The club also recognized that the communication and impact of the process on loyal, match-going supporters caused "genuine upset and distress." They acknowledged that some fans who did not profit financially from ticket sharing may have felt unfairly treated. Manchester United intends to reserve severe sanctions for cases involving organized touting, systematic misuse, or activity for financial gain. Season tickets will not be canceled where these factors are not indicated. Any canceled season tickets will be offered to supporters on the waiting list.