Manchester United bomb scare: Terror alert puts multi-million pound dent in club revenue

Manchester United are set to lose millions after calling off their last Premier League game on Sunday (May 15) following a bomb scare.

The terror alert, raised after a suspicious package was found inside Old Trafford, led to the evacuation of around 75k people and will cost United around £4m, according to the Daily Star.

In response to the incident, which saw the suspected bomb turn out to be a dummy accidentally left at the stadium by a security company, the club offered refunds and free entry ahead of their final Premier League game yesterday (May 17).

Further, additional security personnel and police was on hand for the match.

Responding in an official statement on the club’s website, executive vice chairman Ed Woodward said: “The safety of the fans is our number one aim at every event we host at Old Trafford. Overall, I’m proud of how our staff responded.

“Once a live situation was identified, the club and police had no option but to treat the matter as a potential terror threat; we could not have assumed it was a training exercise error.”

If the club were to face the same situation in future, they would respond in the same way, Mr Woodward confirmed.

He continued: “[For the] rearranged match against Bournemouth, we are working closely with Greater Manchester Police to ensure that robust security measures continue to be of the highest priority.”

Last week, United reported Q3 revenues of £123m, a year-on-year increase of almost 30%, despite the team’s relatively disappointing performance on the pitch.