The looming spectre of.....The Conference League

[Shane88]

We need the money that the competition would bring. We can’t turn our nose up at anything. Every match we play to win, plus it has a Europa League spot for the following season.

According to Wiki:

Group stage participation in the Europa Conference League is awarded a base fee of €2,940,000.

A victory in the group pays €500,000 and a draw €166,000.

Also, each group winner earns €650,000 and each runner-up €325,000.

Reaching the knock-out stage triggers additional bonuses: €300,000 for the round of 32

€600,000 for the round of 16

€1,000,000 for the quarter-finals

€2,000,000 for the semi-finals

The losing finalists receive €3,000,000 and the champions receive €5,000,000.

So if we're perfect in it, we stand to make about €15/16 million, which would cover Rashford's wages for the year.

Edit: But seriously, that sounds like huge money for the very small clubs getting into Europe. Probably makes a huge difference to them.

 

[NicolaSacco]

If ten Hag is bold and plays youngsters as much as he possibly can, perhaps wot the addition of someone like Jonny Evans as an experienced old head, then it could weirdly turn out to be an advantage.

 

[whitbyviking]

According to Wiki:

Group stage participation in the Europa Conference League is awarded a base fee of €2,940,000.

A victory in the group pays €500,000 and a draw €166,000.

Also, each group winner earns €650,000 and each runner-up €325,000.

Reaching the knock-out stage triggers additional bonuses: €300,000 for the round of 32

€600,000 for the round of 16

€1,000,000 for the quarter-finals

€2,000,000 for the semi-finals

The losing finalists receive €3,000,000 and the champions receive €5,000,000.

So if we're perfect in it, we stand to make about €15/16 million, which would cover Rashford's wages for the year.

Add on profits from the crowds and the associated media/merchandising

 

[NicolaSacco]

According to Wiki:

Group stage participation in the Europa Conference League is awarded a base fee of €2,940,000.

A victory in the group pays €500,000 and a draw €166,000.

Also, each group winner earns €650,000 and each runner-up €325,000.

Reaching the knock-out stage triggers additional bonuses: €300,000 for the round of 32

€600,000 for the round of 16

€1,000,000 for the quarter-finals

€2,000,000 for the semi-finals

The losing finalists receive €3,000,000 and the champions receive €5,000,000.

So if we're perfect in it, we stand to make about €15/16 million, which would cover Rashford's wages for the year.

Plus however many home games (10? 12?) and the date receipts from them. You could probably double that figure.

 

[Sarni]

I think we will secure 6th and will be in Europa League. We are not catching Tottenham or Villa but I similarly don't think anyone is catching us.

 

[Devil81]

If we qualified just go out and win it. It goes toward the trophy count and we need to claw back on Liverpool and keep ourselves well ahead of City.

At the rate City are winning them I suspect it will only take another 10 years.

 

[Red Regista]

I think we will secure 6th and will be in Europa League. We are not catching Tottenham or Villa but I similarly don't think anyone is catching us.

Newcastle are only 4 points behind us. If they get just a tad more consistent then we are they might snatch 6th from us.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

Good chance to boost our coefficient since we'll eventually lose our back-to-back good EL campaigns in the next couple of seasons and wins are hard to come by in the CL nowadays. Also, a good opportunity to hone a new system to bed new players in against opponents who will probably see these games as a highlight of their season. Our players should treat it with respect because they haven't shown on the pitch they deserve something more. If anyone in the club, from players and staff to upper management, think that the competition is, by any means, beneath them, they should keep in mind that they all have a lot of things to prove.

 

[Tom Cato]

Good chance for the next Manchester United manager, Kjetil Knutsen, to showcase ball when Bodø-Glimt wins 3-1 at Old Trafford

 

[Sarni]

Newcastle are only 4 points behind us. If they get just a tad more consistent then we are they might snatch 6th from us.

I don't really see them becoming much more consistent, and we have been OK at grinding out results even while playing poorly. We will probably limp to 62-63 points which I don't see Newcastle or Brighton doing.

 

[Oldyella]

If ten Hag is bold and plays youngsters as much as he possibly can, perhaps wot the addition of someone like Jonny Evans as an experienced old head, then it could weirdly turn out to be an advantage.

You just know he would play first teamers without resting them, and we would be wondering why team is collecting so many injuries later that aeason.

Hopefully it's not a ETH decision to make by then though.

 

[Red the Bear]

We would still need better players otherwise we will probably go out to some mid team too.

West ham got it last season, surely we'd be able to fluke win even in our current state.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

It's safe to say top 4 is more or less gone. There is a sliver of a chance for 5th place and whatever permutations require that to get a CL spot.

So we're currently qualifying for the Europa League. We're all very familiar with it by now.

But apparently if we finish 7th, we're in the Conference League.

Champions League is where everyone wants to be. Europa League is its ugly cousin but you tell yourself that "Europa sounds fancy at least." and you may encounter another one of Europe's big names having a shit season giving you the pretence of a big European night, e.g: Barca last season.

But The Conference League. It just sounds vile. What happens if we qualify for it? Other than it being bantered and memed about for a month. Play the u-18s in it? Actually go for it?

Play the back up 11 and squad players through out to keep them fresh and firing for when the strongest XI needs back up in the league.

 

[Carolina Red]

If we qualify for it, we should play to win it. If you can’t win the thing you really want, win the next best thing. Winning things brings about a winning mentality & that gets compounded the more you do it. Besides that, as a fan, I’d rather see us go after a trophy than be mid table and simply exist.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

Conference, that would be very embarrassing. I remember the first time we drooped in to the Europa League it felt wrong, I felt we didn't belong there, I mean we were Manchester United ffs!
Now look at us..

 

[foolsgold]

According to Wiki:

Group stage participation in the Europa Conference League is awarded a base fee of €2,940,000.

A victory in the group pays €500,000 and a draw €166,000.

Also, each group winner earns €650,000 and each runner-up €325,000.

Reaching the knock-out stage triggers additional bonuses: €300,000 for the round of 32

€600,000 for the round of 16

€1,000,000 for the quarter-finals

€2,000,000 for the semi-finals

The losing finalists receive €3,000,000 and the champions receive €5,000,000.

So if we're perfect in it, we stand to make about €15/16 million, which would cover Rashford's wages for the year.

Edit: But seriously, that sounds like huge money for the very small clubs getting into Europe. Probably makes a huge difference to them.

You’ve missed out a major source of revenue, ticket sales. A game at OT earns the club 3.25m in direct sales.

If we were to go deep, that’s an extra 20m, it’s important for meeting FFP numbers.

 

[fps]

There is nothing more depressing than the conference league.

 

[Wilt]

There is nothing more depressing than the conference league.

Winning it would be worse.

 

[Dan_F]

Good chance to boost our coefficient since we'll eventually lose our back-to-back good EL campaigns in the next couple of seasons and wins are hard to come by in the CL nowadays. Also, a good opportunity to hone a new system to bed new players in against opponents who will probably see these games as a highlight of their season. Our players should treat it with respect because they haven't shown on the pitch they deserve something more. If anyone in the club, from players and staff to upper management, think that the competition is, by any means, beneath them, they should keep in mind that they all have a lot of things to prove.

Came in here to say this. I’m not sure how it works in the new format, but dropping in the traditional pot 3 and 4 would make it a lot harder to turn the club around financially.

 

[ROFLUTION]

As I understand it 5th place this year can give Champions League in the new format - no?

6th = Europe League. We're 6th currently.

Is this just caf doom mongering or why are we talking conference league?

According to this article, England is likely to get one of the two extra champions league spots due to many teams still in the different european leagues

 

[SouthMancRed]

I actually really like the Conference League and I think it’s a fantastic tournament giving a chance for lesser clubs from smaller counties to taste the European glory. Football is a very unequal sport already so I think it’s great to have such competition and I know it already gave some teams and fans their best moments in history.

but for United and clubs of our reputation it’s obviously below our standard. We’d just play very heavily rotated squad in the first matches and maybe give it a bigger go from quarterfinals on.

Would love to think your concept of it is the reason it exists, but we're talking UEFA, so I expect it's only been introduced as a last ditch safety net for their bigger clubs that are having a bad spell to continue playing European football.

 

[golden_blunder]

If we’re in it, use it to give experience to young players but also try to win it. Winning things breeds confidence and a winning mentality

 

[IRN-BRUno]

It's better than nothing. Financially we're not in a position to be giving up millions by missing out on Europe altogether. Squad wise it's important to have these games to give the bench players minutes and involve the youngsters. And midweeks are boring when we don't have a game!

 

[Maticmaker]

If we do finish up in the Conference League... will we win it?
Just think of the stick to be handed out to us if we fail.... Argh... the mind boggles

Just think of the post Conference (failure) 'presser.'.. "Oh yes, not happy with the result, but we decided to play our Carrington staff team, that is the service staff XI... they deserved to go on away on the trips around Europe, it was a gamble of course, but worth taking...we value all our staff!!!"

 

[pocco]

Good chance for the next Manchester United manager, Kjetil Knutsen, to showcase ball when Bodø-Glimt wins 3-1 at Old Trafford

Fess up, you're his agent aren't you?

 

[lex talionis]

What has attendance been like at Conference League matches?

 

[stefan92]

What has attendance been like at Conference League matches?

Depends a lot on the (fans of the) participating clubs. Some enjoy it and sell out their tickets, other feel like the ECL is beneath them (like a lot of people here) and then it's pretty abysmal.

 

[Veni_Vidi_Vidic]

I agree with the people saying we will finish 6th but in the unlikely but possible event of Chelsea, Newcastle or Leicester/Wolves/Coventry winning the FA Cup, then they will go directly into the Europa and the 6th place team will be in the conference league......qualifier.

That is, unless England gets a 5th CL place. Then the 6th placed team goes directly into Europa.

Which means if we finish 6th and don't win the FA Cup, we are relying on......them.

 

[lex talionis]

Depends a lot on the (fans of the) participating clubs. Some enjoy it and sell out their tickets, other feel like the ECL is beneath them (like a lot of people here) and then it's pretty abysmal.

So we could be playing in front of crowds of less than 10,000, maybe even under 5,000?

 

[stefan92]

So we could be playing in front of crowds of less than 10,000, maybe even under 5,000?

Absolutely. The range is absolutely crazy. I don't have an English link at hand, but this should give you an idea: https://www.kicker.de/europa-conference-league/zuschauer/2023-24/8

Frankfurt averaged more than 56,000 during their four home matches, while Luhansk averaged 581 (sic!). Surely that's due to the war, but there are several clubs averaging below 5,000.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Feels pretty irrelevant compared to making the right moves in terms of hiring / signing executives, managers and players to be honest.

 

[lex talionis]

Absolutely. The range is absolutely crazy. I don't have an English link at hand, but this should give you an idea: https://www.kicker.de/europa-conference-league/zuschauer/2023-24/8

Frankfurt averaged more than 56,000 during their four home matches, while Luhansk averaged 581 (sic!). Surely that's due to the war, but there are several clubs averaging below 5,000.

It's pretty to say now that we have fallen far, now facing the prospect of crowd sizes that wouldn't come close to half the capacity of a typical NBA arena.

Nicely done, Avram and other Glazers.

 

[Rood]

So we could be playing in front of crowds of less than 10,000, maybe even under 5,000?

Obviously if Man United are coming to town then any stadium in Europe will be sold out

 

[ManUCanFan]

5th, I expect us to go 7-1-2 in our last 10 games...

 

[stefan92]

Obviously if Man United are coming to town then any stadium in Europe will be sold out

This season there are 9 teams in the ECL which have a stadium with a capacity below 10,000. So both you and @lex talionis can be right at the same time.

 

[Rood]

This season there are 9 teams in the ECL which have a stadium with a capacity below 10,000. So both you and @lex talionis can be right at the same time.

Not much difference from playing Luton Town in the PL!

 

[Wolfbot]

Don't have a problem with it if it happens, it's good to play against different opposition and players, good to offer game time to more players, and winning games/doing well any competition boosts confidence.

No trophy should be beneath any team, certainly not one they qualify for based on their performance the season past.

Yes the club and fanbase would get stick from rivals but that's happening anyway, and would happen at any opportunity even if we were in a title race. It's nearly all irrelevant, and anyone slagging United would do well to remember that their team has probably had long periods of being shite or celebrating winning 'lesser' trophies if they were even good enough to do so.

 

[lex talionis]

I'll be bothered if we can only scrape to the Conference League but if that's our fate it would be a fantastic opportunity to blood in young and fringe players. No, we should not field starting XI's that still haven't had their first shave, but if we have a few promising young players like Amass and fringe players like Amad we can give them a runout in this competition and still presumably be very competitive. It could be a win/win scenario for us in what will be another transition year for us, even if the humiliation of not even making the Europa League will be hard to get over.

 

[Shane88]

The last week's results is making this a very real possibility now.

6th: United: 49
7th: West Ham: 48 (Played a game more)
8th: Newcastle: 47
9th: Chelsea: 44

I was hesitant to include Chelsea but they can make ground with their game in hand.

If England gets 5 CL spots then 6th gets EL and 7th gets the Conference League (I think that's how it works?)

 

[julianfr]

Finally a competition we can maybe...just maybe... realistically have a chance at perhaps potentially winning. Oh no! I've set an expectation. Guess we'll just bottle this one too then