Manchester United have no plans to set up their own cricket team following reports suggesting that co-chairman Avram Glazer was considering the idea after a visit to the United Arab Emirates, the Manchester Evening News understands.
Glazer, who has only attended one United fixture since the opening day of the 2019/20 season, met with Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum yesterday [Thursday]. Later, a tweet shared by the latter following the meeting confirmed that they had discussed “UAE T20 Cricket league’s launch in January 2023 featuring Manchester United cricket team and other teams.”
He posted on Twitter: “I met with Avram Glazer, co-chairman of Manchester United, today and discussed ways to work together to further raise Dubai’s profile as a global sporting hub. We also discussed the UAE T20 Cricket league’s launch in January 2023 featuring Manchester United cricket team and other teams.”
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However, MEN Sport understands that United have no plans to set up a cricket team despite Mansoor bin Mohammed, who is the chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, suggesting that it could soon be on the cards. It is understood that the idea was proposed to Glazer but it is not being considered by the club.
The proposition of a cricket franchise being formed had no relation to United, aside from its common ownership. It is, therefore, in the same way that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are owned by the Glazers but have no direct relation to their ownership of United.
Back in December, it was confirmed that Glazer had purchased a UAE T20 side after failing to buy an Indian Premier League [IPL] club. At the time, Glazer admitted he was “excited” to have ventured into the sport.
He said: “I am very excited to be a part of UAE T20 at its formation. UAE T20 promises to be a world-class event that will be transformative to the growth of cricket in the Emirates.”
The name of the the club he had purchased was not revealed at the time, but Mansoor bin Mohammed’s Twitter post has suggested that it will be named in association with United. But, as stated above, it will have no direct link with the Premier League club.
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Glazer has attended just one game this season, the 4-1 win over Newcastle United at Old Trafford in September. That, of course, marked Cristiano Ronaldo’s second debut following his return to the club.
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