Tickets for the July 30 friendly between Manchester United and FC Barcelona at FedEx Field, the most anticipated match involving European clubs touring the United States this summer, will go on sale to the general public April 21 at 9 a.m. via Ticketmaster.
Prices will range from $40 to $175, according to Tony Wyllie, senior vice president for the Washington Redskins. The NFL team purchased the rights to the game and set the fees. Those prices do not include service charges, but do include parking at no additional cost.
Initally, sources told the Insider, the Redskins were planning to charge $65 for the cheapest seat in the upper deck and between $105 and $230 in the lower sections. However, those rates apparently were adjusted. The specific pricing manifest for the match at the 91,704-seat venue in Landover, Md., hasn’t been completed, Wyllie said.
Although the match is not being held at RFK Stadium, D.C. United’s season ticket holders will have access with their Special Game C ticket. The club will contact those fans to provide seat location and new tickets. Redskins suite and premium season ticket holders have the right of first refusal to their seats.
VIP packages, expected to cost hundreds of dollars per ticket, will be unveiled next week. Wyllie wouldn’t specify at this time, but perks are expected to include access to training the day before the match and autograph/photo sessions with players from both clubs. Group discounts are planned for general admission seats.
United season ticket holders received the best deal. When they purchased seats at the beginning of the year, the package included three unspecified non-MLS matches. Arranged at a later date, those could’ve been anything from a U.S. Open Cup match to an international friendly. In the end, they were for United friendlies against Dutch power Ajax and English Premier League club Everton at RFK as well as the Man U-Barcelona match. United continues to offer season ticket packages.
Because the Redskins are hosting the July 30 game and have given priority to their season ticket holders, United supporters shouldn’t expect to enjoy the same sightlines as they do at RFK. But they are paying a standard United price for a ticket that will cost considerably more for the average fan. (United is taking a financial hit, but gaining goodwill, by purchasing tickets from the Redskins at full price and passing them along to their fans.)
TV coverage for the 7 p.m. match hasn’t been finalized yet.
Barcelona is tentatively scheduled to play two other matches on this tour: vs. AC Milan Aug. 3 in Miami and Club America Aug. 6 in Dallas. Contracts have not been finalized.
Newcastle has set its U.S. summer schedule: Sporting Kansas City on July 20, Orlando City (third division) July 23 and the Columbus Crew on July 26. Ajax will face D.C. United on May 22 and the Portland Timbers on May 25. Everton will visit Washington on July 23 and plans to schedule other matches. We’re awaiting word on a Manchester City tour.
Additional dates for AC Milan, Inter Milan, Chelsea and Club America are being finalized.
Besides the Barcelona showdown, Manchester United will play the New England Revolution on July 13 at Gillette Stadium, the Seattle Sounders on July 20 at Qwest Field, the Chicago Fire on July 23 at Soldier Field and the MLS all-stars on July 27 at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.
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If you are going and want to plan a meet-up join here: http://community.livejournal.com/clfmeetup/1746.html
And since I'm here if you're planning on going to USA/Spain the meet-up post is here: http://community.livejournal.com/clfmeetup/2388.html
Just request to join, it's locked because it's a meet-up comm and well, you don't want people lurking on that kind of stuff.
