Manchester United new kit 2018: ‘rip off’ price tag of £190 outrages fans
Premier League club reduces prices for 2018-19 home kit on its official online store just one day after launch amid criticism from supporters
The design of Manchester United’s new kit has split opinion among fans, but there has been universal scorn over the price tag for the 2018-19 home strip.
United launched the Adidas-branded kit on Thursday, with the red shirt’s design featuring thin black lines to pay tribute to the railwaymen who founded the club as Newton Heath LYR 140 years ago.
The official Adidas UK store, which has exclusive rights other than the club’s official megastore to sell the full kit until next week, lists the United short-sleeve home shirt at £109.95 (US$144.18), the shorts at £42.95, and the socks at £29.95.
If you add a player name and number on the shirt, the staggering total outlay is £192.95 (US$253.02).
A full kit for children aged 7-16 on the Adidas UK online store is £109.80, and mini-kits for kids up to six years old are £44.95.
Fans can already purchase the items for cheaper on other sports apparel websites – you can get a shirt with certain player names and numbers on, plus the shorts and socks, for a total of £94.97 from Sports Direct, though the shorts and socks are on pre-order and will not be available until July 24.
At launch on Tuesday, United’s official online megastore priced the shirt with a player name and number at £80.10, the shorts at £34, and socks at £15.11.
However just a day later, they have already reduced the price of a shirt with a name and number to £73.29, the shorts to £31.73 and the socks to £13.59, as criticism on social media continues.
“This just shows how top clubs exploit supporters. Unfortunately there will be some supporters stupid enough to buy this,” one user wrote on Twitter.
“£110 for a football shirt?!! Dirty thieving b*******!!” another user tweeted.
Another comment on Twitter read: “Manchester United new kit price is £68 more than a Bayern Munich season ticket. Absolute madness.”
“What a way to repay the fans … by ripping them off,” said another user
