Manchester United is set to expand its commercial operations by moving to new offices in Mayfair, London.

The football club has agreed a deal to occupy 11,500 sq ft of luxurious new office space in the heart of London’s West End.

The deal will do little to help United’s reputation for attracting more supporters from London than Manchester, and exacerbate frustration from the club’s fans who feel the Glazer family have lost touch with its roots.

However, the deal also highlights the commercial success the Glazer’s, who bought United in 2005, have enjoyed since launching operations in London three years ago.

The club set up a team in a Pall Mall office building designed to secure new sponsorship deals from around the world. It said London was a more practical base for overseas companies travelling to the UK for sponsorship talks.

However, the 45-man operation is understood to have grown too large for the St James’s office, leading to the move to Mayfair.

Under commercial director Richard Arnold, United say the team has increased commercial revenues from £42.5m to £80m through deals with the likes of Aon, the US insurance broker, worth £20m a year.

United will pay rent of almost £80 per sq ft at the Mayfair office, but the club does not want its specific location disclosed.

As Manchester United prepares to move into 11,500 sq ft of luxurious new office space in Mayfair, London, here are some of the other numbers at the heart of the football club.

£278.5m – The amount of revenue generated by Manchester United in 2009. This compares with £257.1m in 2008 – an 8pc increase.
£123.1m – Manchester United’s wage bill in 2009, compared with £121m in 2008. West Bromwich Albion had a total wage bill of £30m in 2009, and Chelsea shelled out a total of £167m.
£82.3m – United’s operating profit before player trading in 2009.
£21.6m – United’s pre-tax profit in 2009. This compares with a loss of £44.8m in 2008.
£566m – Manchester United’s net debt levels at the end of 2009.
£3.3m – The amount Manchester United spent on its stadium facilities in 2009.
£80.3m – The amount revenue from commercial sponsorship has risen to, from £42.5m, in four years.
£80m – Aon’s 4-year shirt sponsorship deal with the club.
£302.9m – Size of the record 13-year Nike sponsorship deal.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

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