Man United Fans Fly ‘Glazers Out’ Banner Against Owners Over Buccaneers Game

Two of the club’s U.S.-based supporter groups were behind the stunt targeting the Glazer family, which owns both Manchester United and the Bucs.
Man United Fans Fly ‘Glazers Out’ Banner Against Owners Over Buccaneers Game
Man United Fans Fly ‘Glazers Out’ Banner Against Owners Over Buccaneers Game /
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Manchester United fan groups based in Pittsburgh and Tampa are reportedly the culprits behind a banner that flew over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ stadium targeting the Glazer family. 

The Glazers, who own both Manchester United and the Buccaneers, have long drawn the ire of United’s fan base during their stewardship of the club—and it spilled over on their home turf Monday night. Prior to the Bucs’ 25–11 loss to the Eagles, the banner was seen flying over Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, and the video eventually went viral. 

The Glazer family became majority owners of Manchester United in 2005 with a leveraged buyout of £790 million, which effectively loaded significant debt onto the club’s books. The club has not won a Premier League title since 2013, leading to weekly protests among the fans at Old Trafford against the owners over perceived mismanagement. 

In May 2021, the club’s match against Liverpool was postponed after fans broke into Old Trafford before the match and stormed the field in protest against the Glazers’ ownership. 

Last November, the family announced it was “exploring strategic alternatives” that including the option to sell the club. The announcement led to widespread interest, including an offer from Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani reportedly in the range of £6 billion ($7.3 billion).

Man United fans protest the Glazer family.
Man United fans have targeted the Glazer family for years, including a 2021 protest that postponed a match :: IMAGO/Sportimage

However, the family has yet to accept any offers while multiple reports in England have claimed that the Glazers have taken the Premier League club off the market.

Manchester United is the second-most valuable soccer club in the world at $6 billion, just behind Real Madrid, according to Forbes.


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Andrew Gastelum
ANDREW GASTELUM

Andrew Gastelum is a programming editor and writer at Sports Illustrated who specializes in soccer, the Olympics and international sports. He joined the SI staff in March 2021 and previously contributed to Howler Magazine and NBC Sports. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame alum and is currently based in Italy.