Soccer-phobic US investors flock to cheerleading events for Man Utd IPO

An unusual sight greeted guests at New York’s posh St Regis’s hotel this week: Dozens of investors trickled out carrying Manchester United hats and footballs after a marketing event for the club’s upcoming initial public offering.

Soccer is not a particularly popular sport in the US. The US chapter of Manchester United’s official fan club has only 5,000 paid members and even the presence of David Beckham at LA Galaxy has failed to ignite widespread interest.

But US investors may turn out to be the ones who help the club and its owners, the Glazer family, raise up to $333m (€264m) in the offering.