Skip to main content

Man United exploring friendlies during season

By WTOP Staff

ROB HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

LONDON (AP) — Manchester United is looking at playing lucrative friendlies overseas to fill the midweek void left by the absence of European football this season and the early League Cup exit.

The record 20-time English champions have forecast a 10 percent drop in revenue in 2014-15 after they failed to qualify for the Champions League under David Moyes.

The struggles have left United with just one midweek Premier League match before the end of 2014, and just three in the first three months of 2015. Going overseas — the Middle East would be the most likely destination — would allow United to escape the English winter for a few days, and the addition of Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria have made the club even more likely to attract lucrative contracts for friendlies.

“That’s something we continue to look at, as always making sure that the preparations we do on the pitch come first,” United managing director Richard Arnold told The Associated Press. “For many years of our (pre-season) international tours, there is a plan to ensure we get that team building that goes together with getting the team all together in one place. That’s something that’s being looked at with regards to the future (friendlies) with Louis (Van Gaal).”

Van Gaal said during United’s preseason tour of the United States, shortly after taking over as manager, that the obligations to sponsors and distances the team has to travel was “not very positive for a good preparation” for the Premier League campaign.

But Arnold said there’s no disagreement with Van Gaal over the possibility of taking on more commercial ventures.

“I can only speak positively of my experience with the manager in terms of his understanding of what’s required to get a first-class team onto the pitch and also what’s required for running a club of our magnitude,” Arnold said. “We have a fantastic partnership in terms of our work off the pitch and I’m very appreciative of the support we have had from him.”

Picking up the pieces after Moyes’ disappointing 10 months in charge, Van Gaal has managed just two wins from seven matches in charge but the new-look squad is still a work in progress.

“There has been continued excitement that stems from the day that Louis was appointed and it’s just been a progressive build from that,” Arnold said in a telephone interview from Old Trafford. “Outside of that obviously there will still be areas we still need to build on.”

United, which is owned by the Florida-based Glazer family and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, remains English football’s biggest moneymaker, with revenue up 19 percent to a club record 433 million pounds (around $700 million) in 2013-14.

The latest commercial deal was announced on Monday, with Abengoa announced as the club’s first “sustainable technology partner,” working with United to make the company more environmentally friendly.

Abengoa chief executive Manuel Sanchez Ortega said United was chosen because it is the “most global football team.” Arnold maintained that its sponsorship operation has not been affected by the team’s slump since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 after more than 26 trophy-filled years in charge.

“We find current form does not figure highly in the reasons to partner or not partner,” Arnold said, pointing to club research that shows they have 659 million global followers.

___

Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote