Former Manchester United and England international Wayne Rooney analyzed the MLS phenomenon and among several aspects, criticized the price of tickets, even pointing out that in the Premier League tickets were much cheaper and that soccer is experienced in a very different way in relation to the United States.
In a recent appearance on The Overlap Fan Debate, Rooney harshly questioned the cost of attending Major League Soccer stadiums, hinting that when he was a player and coach, he experienced a very different reality.
Wayne Rooney denounces high price of MLS tickets
Rooney, who knows both markets from his time at Manchester United and his spell in Washington D.C., shared a personal anecdote that illustrates the economic gap.
According to Rooney, maintaining an exclusive space at DC United’s stadium proved more costly than at one of the world’s footballing temples:
I had a box at Old Trafford when I was a player and a box at Audi Field (DC United’s stadium), and it cost me more at DC United than it did over there
For English fans, this difference responds to a cultural structure where sport in the US is marketed at the level of the NFL or the NBA, with tickets considerably more expensive than in Europe.
Wayne Rooney criticises modern football
The former player not only criticised the prices, but also the transformation of football into a mass entertainment spectacle, moving away from its popular roots.
“I really think football is getting Americanised. I’ve heard they’re going to extend the breaks in the World Cup to put on shows, which is crazy!” Rooney commented.
Football is changing, especially in the United States, and for Rooney this is a negative thing. The former player remains true to his roots and prefers to continue enjoying the sport in his own way.
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