Manchester United is gradually losing its appeal in Asia

MU is gradually losing its appeal in the Asian market. Photo: Anh Tien .

Nigel Lee, 40, president of the official Manchester United Supporters Club in Hong Kong, said: "I used to get teased every Monday morning when I came to work. Before, I was the one who teased them. Things have changed now."

Lee has been a loyal fan of the "Red Devils" since the 1991/92 season, but has never witnessed a season as bad as the current one when the team ranked 15th in the Premier League, the lowest since 1974.

The fact that tickets for the match between MU and Hong Kong could not be sold out shows the declining position of the Manchester team. Compared to the friendly matches with Arsenal, Liverpool or Tottenham here in July, all tickets were quickly sold out, the indifference towards MU is clearly a worrying signal.

Lee said many United fans had lost interest and were forced to sell their tickets at a discount. The biggest reason was the high price of tickets. Lee's ticket cost around £200, four times the price of a 2013 tour when United were Premier League champions.

The 0-1 loss to the ASEAN All-Stars on May 28 further reflected the decline of the once-dominant team. "When the Premier League exploded and MU was very successful, they won the hearts of Hong Kong fans. Over the past three decades, MU has remained the most popular foreign team here," Lee said.

However, the younger generation is now less interested. Fans under 18 have no memory of MU winning the Premier League, causing the club's appeal to decline significantly. Lee commented: "Most of the remaining fans are middle-aged. Now, Man City shirts are starting to become more popular in Hong Kong, and among the under-18 group, MU is only ranked third in popularity, after Liverpool and Man City."

The match between MU and Hong Kong was without spectators. Photo: Reuters .

Jorge Rodrigues, a former Brazilian player who is now an agent and academy coach in Hong Kong, also confirmed this trend: "Twenty years ago, everyone liked MU because of Ronaldo and Rooney. That's not the case anymore. The new generation likes Man City more because of Guardiola and the players. They don't like MU because the team doesn't play well."

United were once at the forefront of developing the Asian market with numerous tours and commercial partnerships since 1995, helping them become the richest club in the world from 1996 to 2004. But now, ticket sales are no longer easy, although tours still bring in around £8m, a significant amount in a tight financial situation.

Expert Simon Chadwick of The Telegraph commented: "For older Asian fans, MU is a brand associated with memories and nostalgia. But for the new generation, if they are not successful on the field, they will not be interested."

Faced with that prospect, Lee concluded: "Everything has to start with on-field performance. In Asia, there is no family or geographical connection passed down from generation to generation, so the team that wins a lot will attract fans. The decline of fans globally is inevitable and Hong Kong is no exception."

Despite correctly predicting that MU would beat Hong Kong by 2 goals, Lee also admitted that he was not too optimistic about the team's near future in Asia. If they want to retain fans and sell tickets effectively, the "Red Devils" must first improve their performance on the field.

Source: https://znews.vn/manchester-united-dang-dan-mat-suc-hut-tai-chau-a-post1557068.html