Manchester United recently confirmed they will participate in the Premier League Summer Series in the United States.
This will be the third time in a row the Red Devils have toured the US after setting up camp in San Diego and Los Angeles for the last two summers.
Pre-season tours overseas help the club expand their footprint beyond the shores of England, but there is far more to these ventures than meets the eye.
The early days
Hindsight helps to paint a better picture as to why United and other clubs are obsessed with exploring the globe in their preparations for a new season.
The Red Devils were one of the early trendsetters for overseas tours – a point evidenced by their epic trip to New Zealand in 1967.
It was a chance for United to create a bond and connect with Kiwi fans, many of whom never had the chance to visit the revered Theatre of Dreams.
The tour worked a treat. It planted the seed of fandom in New Zealand, and the red tide grew significantly over the years.
Generations of Kiwi fans have followed the club from afar, cheering on the Red Devils from the other side of the world.
Coming up to the 58th anniversary of United’s trip to New Zealand, many of those fans are still avid followers of the club, especially on betting platforms.
They now wager on United on the best online betting sites in New Zealand, stretching the legacy of the 1967 tour as it brought significant commercial success to the club.
What started as a goodwill mission nearly sixty years ago has matured into a deep-rooted connection, and New Zealand is an example of why these pre-season tours are important to United.
Summer Series in the US
Fast forward to 2025, and United have confirmed their return to the US, where they will participate in the upcoming Premier League Summer Series as part of their pre-season tour.
The tour will take United to New Jersey, Chicago and Atlanta. Many people believe these games are glorified friendlies, but technical director Jason Wilcox claims it means much more for United.
Wilcox said: “The weeks leading up to a new Premier League season is always an exciting time for United players and fans alike, and we enjoy spending that period in the US, taking advantage of world-class training facilities and stadiums, and engaging with fans.
“Playing other teams from the Premier League provides the players with an opportunity to gain valuable playing time against top opposition, and for our passionate fans to see the action live at three of the most iconic stadiums in North America.”
The US is one of the biggest sports markets in the world, making it a battleground for European football clubs.
The country’s appetite for football has skyrocketed over the past few years, and it could grow even further with the 2026 World Cup coming to North America.
Some people argue that money is not a primary motivation, but there’s a decent windfall of over £15 million up for grabs, so it wouldn’t hurt to explore the opportunity, especially with United’s current financial situation.
Keeping the engines running
United’s status in the game has been in freefall over the past few years courtesy of gross mismanagement by the Glazer family, who have refused to loosen their grip on the club.
Minority co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe did not sugarcoat the situation when he said that the club was on course to run out of cash by the end of 2025 if drastic measures aren’t taken.
However, his methods have not gone down well across all quarters, with United fans and former players laying into the British billionaire.
Ratcliffe and his INEOS group have invested hundreds of millions of pounds into the club, but United are still nowhere near competing in the upper echelons of the Premier League and world football.
Past mistakes have come back to haunt them, although Ratcliffe has given the fans something to look forward to amid plans to build a new £2billion stadium.
United have to find fresh revenue streams if they’re to remain competitive while managing costs, and that’s where these overseas tours come in.
United have a few stops to make before jetting off to the US.
They’re expected to head off to Asia immediately after the final game of the season.
They will touch down in Hong Kong and Malaysia in a move that is purely for commercial purposes, with United expected to earn north of £10m for that trip.
The reward might seem like a drop in the ocean, but it could also be the difference between meeting or breaching the Premier League’s strict Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Feature image credit: Free to use from Pixabay
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