The invisible man

Nicolas Murray

October 05, 2004

SO what should Manchester United fans expect if and when the takeover by Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer takes place?

In fact, the difference that a new owner may bring might not be noticeable at all.

Despite what has been said and rumoured about Malcolm Glazer, he is not simply a profiteer that is looking to make as much money as possible and then cut and run.

He understands that in order for the team to be successful in the business world, it has to be successful on the playing field.

Since his purchase of the Buccaneers in for $192 million, Glazer and his three sons, Joel, Bryan and Ed, have turned the franchise from a laughing stock into a team that it is a surprise when it isn't in contention for a title.

An NFL doormat since its inception in 1976, the Buccaneers had only reached the NFL playoffs three times in its 19 year history until Glazer purchased the club in 1995 from a trust following the death of original Buccaneers owner Hugh Culverhouse in 1994.

Since then, the team has reached the playoffs five times in eight years, winning Superbowl XXXVII in January of 2003. In a league where there is a rigid salary cap, and all teams share revenues equally, while only competing for one trophy every season, making the playoffs is considered a successful campaign.

Glazer himself is a very hands- off type of owner on the football operations side of the franchise, unlike Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys or Daniel Snyder of the Washington Redskins, leaving the on-the-field and player personnel decisions to his football staff.

If he were to take over, it would be very doubtful that anything about the playing or coaching staff would change at Old Trafford.

He is also a very private man, and very rarely seen in public. The only memorable time that he was seen in Tampa was at the Buccaneers Superbowl celebration, and he rarely, if ever speaks to the media.

Relations

In general Glazer's son Joel, who, along with his two brothers, holds the title with the Buccaneers of Executive vice-president, handles media relations.

The elder Glazer prefers to work on the merchandising and marketing of the Buccaneers, but again in a very undercover manner.

The difference that Glazer will find between Manchester United and the Buccaneers will be the situation the club he has purchased is in.

Florida as a state is very passionate about its American football, as Lancashire is about football, with high school and college football fans being as devoted, if not more so, to their college and high school teams as they are to the professional game.

The state is home to three pro teams, the Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Colleges of Florida, Florida State and Miami are perennial contenders for the college football national championship.

In Florida in the autumn, Fridays are for high school, Saturdays for College and Sundays and Mondays are for Pro football.

High school football games are regularly viewed by over 1,000 paying customers, and the University of Florida drew over 90,000 to its home game against the University of Arkansas on Saturday.

Fanaticism

Because of this fanaticism, Buccaneers fans were desperate for someone to take over the team who would give it credibility.

While there was very loud condemnation for Glazer's move to have the team's new stadium publicly funded, which was passed, the noise subsided once the Buccaneers began to win on the field.

In Tampa, winning cures all ills. Despite increases in ticket prices since he took over the Buccaneers, he has put a winning product on the field, resulting in a season-ticket waiting list that exceeds Raymond James stadiums current capacity, and team is currently valued at $779 million, ninth on Forbes list of most valuable NFL franchises and eleventh most valuable franchise in the world.

Manchester United tops that same global list, and that is what makes them such an attractive opportunity for ownership.

United, on the other hand, is a team that has always had success, and the prospect of a new owner will always concern fans who wish the club to remain as successful as it has always been.

However, United fans shouldn't be concerned that Glazer will strip the team of its assets for his own personal profit.

Glazer will always try to maintain a winning product on the field, and will spend if necessary to do so.

The reason that the Buccaneers are suffering this season is partly because of the salary cap burden they still maintain from two season's ago for their run at the Superbowl that didn't allow them the chance to keep the team of two seasons ago together.

With no salary cap in the Premiership, Glazer will defer judgment on his players to the coaching staff and Sir Alex Ferguson, and if they maintain that players need to be brought in or retained, it is highly doubtful that he would say no.

Glazer will keep the team competitive on the field to make sure that the team maintains its popularity in the global market. Thus he will ensure that the teams merchandising profits can be further increased to his and the team's benefit.

Nicolas Murray grew up in Cambridge, England and is a correspondent for the Tampa Tribune

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Derrick, Bournemouth (05/10/2004 at 15:57)

Nope, whatever this guy says we want our team owned by fans and accountable to fans.

Joe, Florida (05/10/2004 at 16:50)

While reading this article I thought to myself that this was the most sensible take yet on the possible Glazer takeover. Then I saw that it was written by someone in Tampa. You guys are being a bit paranoid. Glazer is about the most respected owner in all of American sports and his marketing is 2nd to none. It used to be that nobody in Tampa gave a damn about the Bucs but now they are the most popular team in Florida and one of the most popular in the country...and it's a big country! Everyone is always talking about tapping into the American market and this is United's big chance. Don't screw it up with your paranoid antics!

S. Robbins, California (05/10/2004 at 18:49)

Manchester Fans fight against Malcom Glazer. There can be no good from this take over. Either he will raise prices to offset the purchase price or he will sell off our star players. Malcom is a Profiteer, he is not a fan of soccer. Whatever it takes, please don't let him own the World's Best Club.

M.Ellis, Florida (05/10/2004 at 19:37)

Listen people, football is a business, bigger than most. What makes it bigger is the instant cash flow each week. This makes it more attractive to any prospective buyer. The days when football clubs were owned by families deeply involved in the development and continuation of long and short term business plans are gone. The ideal situation may be somebody who has been a life long United fan with a big fat wallet. Unfortunitely that does not appear to be in the offing. What will help United is to take the club out of the public sector and make it a totally private entity. A new owner can appoint his own board, he may even include a permanent seat for the the official supporters club representative. Today the supporters have loud voices and pay at the turnstyles, but no influence whatsoever, a new owner may change that. My question is for you United supporters, what do you want a succesfull team? or a board you think you can manipulate?
You pay for entertainment, do you get get it? and how do you think a new owner can change that? With the millions of reported supporters why dont you band together and buy the club that would solve the problem?

george, rhyl (05/10/2004 at 20:52)

I understand United for United lovers.Chelsea for Russia.Arsenal for Arabia.When Chelsea brought in the billionaire,I feared that that would spell the end for football as we know it.I see it becoming a rich man's plaything;if it hasn't already.Question is if United don't become owned by a billionaire will they slide behind all the sides that do allow themselves to be bought by billionaires? And if we do hold to United for United LOVERS would our decline make us glad of a billionaire stepping in?
I am pure UNITED but for clubs to remain in the hands of their supporters a law would have to be passed......if Bobby Charlton or Besty could afford it.......it might be more palatable.If Glazer doesn't buy United he could buy City,whoever he buys would become a power;I think perhaps it's best to have him inside the tent wee-ing out,but to be honest I just don't know.Do any other fans feel the same way.Either way the moronic violence against Maurice Watkins isn't what we want.

colin, canada (06/10/2004 at 00:14)

It's hard to argue with what Glazer has done for the Bucs. He bought it for 192 million dollars and it now worth in excess of 700 million dollars. It's also hard to argue with what Abramovitch has done for Chelsea. Second to a team playing world class football and I think 7 clean sheets already this season.
We on the other hand, right now, are struggling. We should be ok once the back four is settled and we have a healthy squad but right now we never see the same 11 players on the field for 2 games in a row and we drew with a club that had a 3 goal lead on Arsenal and lost.
Something is missing and my gut tells me that McLaren is a better manager than Fergie and would restore us as the best team in Europe very quickly.
You may or may have not noticed by the way that all this hype is putting a lot of money in three peoples pockets. Two Irish and one American. Are we fans or pawns?

Pro-rata, Huddersfield (06/10/2004 at 11:53)

An interesting article which does allay some of the lurid fears we have about this man. But it does make me wonder what this man can do that the plc can't - if he's so hands off on the playing side would he have prevented Phil Neville's contract being offered, would he have changed our dealings in the transfer market, would he take less money proportionally than is currently paid out in dividends, in short would he have "saved" our club from the "horrendous mess" that many of the fans hailing him as a great white hope think the plc have put us in? And could the plc not raise ticket prices, change ticketing systems, hike merchandise, in short accrue more money for player transfers and wages (and profits) - and all this without using Old Trafford as security on a loan. And much as some may morally object to the setup, the plc to my mind does have the kudos of being a major part of our success over the last 10 years - you cannot IMHO take an overall view and just attribute it totally to SAF. To me it's no coincidence that the people who would sack SAF tomorrow are those most in favour of throwing the plc out of the window as well.

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