Manchester United
USW partnered with Manchester United to ensure the safe and secure distribution of tickets ahead of their game against Newport County.
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USW worked with Manchester United to safely and securely distribute over 1,100 tickets ahead of their game against Newport County. The successful collaboration has since informed how Manchester United approaches ticket touting operations in new cities.
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The need
Manchester United faces a significant challenge with ticket touting, where tickets are resold at inflated prices, reaching up to £600. To combat this issue, the Operations Team must set up temporary collection offices at each away game, accommodating hundreds of fans. However, for the Newport match, the scale escalated dramatically, with over 1,100 fans in need of tickets.
The team encountered difficulties in finding suitable locations for these temporary offices until they discovered the USW Newport campus during a scouting mission in the city centre. Despite a tight timeframe of less than ten days until the Manchester United vs Newport game, USW’s Events Team quickly mobilised to provide a solution.
THE SOLUTION
The team worked closely with Manchester United to finalise all arrangements in just six days. This included setting up barriers, procuring necessary equipment, ensuring health and safety standards, and arranging staff assistance for the event day. The campus provided an ideal location for the ticket distribution, offering ample space and logistical support. Reflecting on the project, Ryan Wood, Touting and Sanctions Lead, expressed his gratitude, stating, “Combatting ticket touting and establishing a safe and secure environment in new cities can be stressful, but the team at USW made it really simple.”