The Glazer family, Manchester United’s majority owners, has been described as “horrified” by claims co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe made about the United Kingdom being “colonised by immigrants.”
Although applauded by disillusioned sections of the British electorate, Ratcliffe was widely slammed by senior politicians—including U.K. prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, media figures and fans. He also made erroneous claims about U.K. population growth.
A public apology, specifically for any offence taken to the language used, was later issued but the petrochemicals billionaire overall continued to stand by what he said.
United then issued a broad statement, which is highly unlikely to be a coincidence, underlining the club’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Ratcliffe was also reported over the weekend to have apologised to the Glazers, of which there are six siblings among Manchester United plc directors—including executive co-chairmen Joel and Avram.
While the Glazer family has been close to silent on the subject of Manchester United for 21 years since the controversial 2005 takeover, the outspoken figure of Ratcliffe has become the public face of the club’s ownership, despite his stake falling just under 30%. He has control of sporting decisions—and seemingly much more given the widespread cuts of non-football jobs over the past 18 months.
A BBC Sport report cites a source close to the Glazers claiming that they feel Ratcliffe’s immigration comments show a “disregard for their ownership,” particularly as descendants of immigrants themselves. Malcolm Glazer’s parents were Jewish-Lithuanian immigrants to the United States.
Concerns Over Ratcliffe’s Impact on Man Utd’s Commercial Potential
The other major issue is concern about what Ratcliffe, under investigation by the FA to determine whether he brought English football into disrepute, is the potential impact on the club’s pocket.
The aforementioned source is also quoted as saying: “Big multi-nationals want to associate with youth, positivity and forward-thinking. United is currently struggling for sponsors ... and this exacerbates that. [Potential partners could] run a mile.”
Manchester United currently lack a commercial training kit partner, no longer have a contract with leading hotels brand Marriott International, and will shortly need to consider sleeve sponsor options.
Commercial revenue for last season—the most recently available full campaign—was still an objectively healthy £333 million ($450.3 million) and was up 10% on 2023–24. But they are no longer the same dominant force, with years of sporting underachievement both making an impact across the board and driving the need for more robust commercial streams of income to fuel spending.
Man Utd Commercial Revenue Compared to Rivals—Last 5 Years
| Club | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Man Utd | £232.2 million | £257.8 million | £302.9 million | £302.9 million | £333.3 million |
| Man City | £271.7 million | £309.4 million | £341.4 million | £344.7 million | £340.4 million |
| Liverpool | £217.6 million | £247 million | £272.5 milllion | £308 million | - |
| Chelsea | £153.6 million | £177.1 million | £210.1 million | £225.3 million | - |
| Arsenal | £136.4 million | £141.7 million | £169.3 million | £218.3 million | - |
*Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal yet to publish 2024–25 financial results
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How the Glazer Family Reacted to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Immigrant Claims—Report.
