Manchester united have saved around half a million pounds this summer on their American pre-season tour. According to reports on Tuesday, Man United’s American owners, the Glazer family, instructed the Red Devils to cut costs this summer. Compared to Man United’s US tour twelve months ago, 50 members of staff have been left behind in the UK. Man United’s staff has been reduced from 150 people to 100. Reportedly some only found out they were staying in Manchester days before the trip. And those employees who have been selected for the tour will be staying in a different hotel than before.
Streamlining the travelling party makes sense in certain cases; some staff had trivial jobs last summer, such as chaperoning the players to autograph sessions. The most surprising element of the cuts comes in the online department. Despite launching a new website last month, only one staff writer is in the US to cover the two-and-a-half week tour. United have also saved cash by moving some staff to the four-star Beverly Hills Marriott hotel, rather than the five-star Beverly Wilshire.