Ratcliffe comments, lack of stars and Chelsea comparison - Man United battle amid £24m black hole

The fallout from Sir Jim Ratcliffe's claim that the United Kingdom is being "colonised by immigrants" might have died down now, a couple of weeks after the Manchester United co-owner made the controversial claim in a TV interview that angered club staff, players and fans.

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Its after-effects might be felt for a little longer yet, however. Ratcliffe has been quiet since his half-hearted apology the following day, and United will be hoping the issue blows over, but it could still cause complications, especially at a time when the club's commercial team are trying to raise revenues and attract new partners.

"I’m not sure they will be forgotten, that kind of thing sticks, and that is something that if he's well advised, he will be thinking about," sport marketing expert Tim Crow told the Manchester Evening News.

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"It's not every day that a football club owner makes a comment that the Prime Minister then says you should apologise for and withdraw. That’s not tomorrow’s fish and chips wrapper, that sticks because Google has got a long memory."

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United's latest financial results, released this week, spelt it out in black and white, reporting a 13.5% drop in revenues compared to the same three-month period last year. That is almost all down to the absence of a training kit sponsor this season, with the £24million-a-year Tezos deal expiring at the end of last season.

The partnership with DXC Technology is also set to expire at the end of this season, but United insist they are relaxed about both situations and would rather wait for the right partner at the right time, rather than rush into a deal that doesn't provide value.

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They aren't alone in finding the market more competitive now, and Chelsea haven't had a permanent shirt sponsor for the last three seasons. But at a crucial time for United, having their co-owner voice his opinion on such a controversial topic is unlikely to be helpful.

"Sponsors don't like risk," said Crow. "You can imagine the sponsorship managers of the various companies wake up in the morning and they see that comment. And they're thinking, 'right, okay, I'm gonna have a chat with the CEO now, explain what's going on, they've got to call the club'. It creates a lot of work, a lot of angst, and it's unnecessary."

How much of an impediment it is to attracting new sponsors will only become clear in the months ahead. United still set the standard with many of their deals, signing industry-leading partnerships with Adidas (£90million a year) and Snapdragon (£60million a year) recently, and sources insist there is still plenty of interest from brands in partnering with the club.

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"Whilst the marketing department would have probably listened to that interview with their fingers covering their eyes, I don't think it will make a significant difference, because Manchester United are looking for an international or global brand to partner with," said football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

"For a long-term relationship, they're more concerned about getting value for money. It's not helped, but I genuinely don't think it will have hindered things either.

"If somebody wants to partner with United, they can separate Sir Jim Ratcliffe's role as the golf club bore from the benefits that partnering with a brand as strong as Manchester United."

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Anecdotal evidence certainly suggests United aren't finding it as easy as they once did to attract sponsors. There has been upheaval in the commercial department and the days when Ed Woodward could claim playing performance was irrelevant to the club's commercial success appear to be over.

United fell to their lowest-ever position in the Deloitte Football Money League recently, sliding four places down to eighth, and they are likely to fall further next season, although it will primarily be down to a lack of European football and a season that will include just 20 games at Old Trafford.

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"There are larger issues that have been holding United back, and continue to hold them back, which are what you might call standard commercial issues," explains Crow.

"On the pro side, what they've got is they've a very good reputation for their partners. They handle partners very well and have done for a long time.

"The other is that because of an extraordinary period where the Premier League was growing globally and United was doing so well, they benefited from the growth of each other, and United generated this enormous worldwide fan base.

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"But they are being caught up, and the signs are that when it comes to the contest for new fans, they are not acquiring new fans anywhere near as quickly as they used to be

"That's down to two things: one is success on the field and the other is the type of football United have been playing. Something that a lot of people forget is that the reason United were such a commercial phenomenon was not just about the fact that they were good; it was the type of football they played. United forgot that for a while."

Returning to the Champions League, which United are on course to do, will be a significant boost to their ability to attract new partners. It is transformative in terms of global eyeballs on the club. Something else which could help is if the club's new signings continue their own impressive impact at Old Trafford.

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"What have Manchester United prepared to throw into the deal?" asks Maguire. "Which players are going to be doing the advertising? That's always important. With no disrespect, you don’t want the Under-21s left-back, and Manchester United at the present perhaps don't have, with the exception of Bruno. They don't really have that many faces where you would really like your product aligned with the brand.

"At the end of the season, if Bryan Mbeumo continues to play as well as he is doing, if Cunha is going well, then United might be in a stronger position, especially if they qualify for the Champions League, when they go to the market holding a much stronger hand."

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But one issue they can't escape is the market's competitive nature. Crow tells a story of one of his clients receiving 11 separate commercial proposals from Premier League clubs in the space of a week.

"It's a tough market at the moment. The global economy is very volatile, very patchy, a lot of turbulence and it is not easy to find that kind of money," he said.

"You can see examples all over the place, not just in top football but in top sport everywhere, where people are finding it hard to retain and find new sponsors. It is just a tough marketplace and it's incredibly competitive."

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United have found form under Michael Carrick, edging towards a return to the Champions League, and what Crow referred to as the club's DNA has also been restored recently.

They will be two major advantages as they seek at least two new partners this summer, when they hope Ratcliffe's comments are long forgotten and the positives on the pitch are the biggest selling point.

"Well, the further away it gets from Old Trafford, the less of an issue it is," said Crow. "What effect does it have on United over time from a PR perspective? I think there are a lot of other things in the mix when it comes to sponsorship. This is an unwelcome one, but I suspect it's just a short-term issue, which would not have endeared him to any of United's sponsors."

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