Bend it like Beckham
Perhaps in the past I have been too sceptical about the progress likely to be made by Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. Having lived and worked there, I was well aware how entrenched the major sports were.
Article Taxonomy: Marketing
The transformation of European football?
The book I have edited with Borja Garcia from Spain and Arne Niemann from Germany on the transformation of European football has now been published by Manchester University Press. A 20 per cent discount is available to our readers who contact us through our e-mail address.
Becks considers his options
David Beckham helped Los Angeles Galazy to a 2-1 semi-final win against the New York Red Bulls in the Major League Soccer (MLS) play-offs, putting his team in the Western Conference final. But he is nearing the end of his five-year contract in the States and is considering his options. He doesn’t want to retire and Paris St. Germain as well as unnamed Premiership clubs have come calling. Then there is the Olympics to look forward to where the British team is likely to made up of Becks and ten others.
Yeovil’s big deal
Possibly one of the most surprising pieces of news on the sponsorship front recently has been Yeovil Town’s £1.25m sponsorship deal. Admittedly, the American company concerned, sports construction company Blue Sky International, has already concluded a deal with Port Vale.
Something special for female fans
Women fans make up 20 per cent of football supporters, but only three to five per cent of club merchandise is aimed at them. And when it is, it is often something not very sophisticated, such as pink T-shirts with the club logo.
United set on ‘monetising’ fan base
‘Monetising’ is very much a buzz word these days. In the next phase of their commercial strategy, Manchester United are determined to monetise their fan base ‘and put that into a moneymaking machine’ in the words of their commercial director, Richard Arnold talking to the Financial Times.
League cup seeks new sponsor
It’s not the most glamorous competition in football. Managers often put out reserve sides and only become interested when they realise that there is a prospect of a Wembley appearance and a short cut to a place in Europe. Now the League Cup is looking for a new sponsor with Carling’s £3.5m a year deal which has lasted for 14 years coming to an end when the current competition is completed.
How big a brand are United?
According to the Superbrands Expert Panel, Manchester United are the sixth most recognisable brand in the world, behind only Google, Apple, the BBC, Dyson [shome mishtake shurely – ed] and Facebook. They are ahead of Coca-Cola and Microsoft. In the same survey Chelsea are placed 54th, Arsenal 160th and Liverpool 171st.
United show their marketing savvy
The significance of Manchester United’s £10m a year training kit deal with DHL is undelined by the fact that it represents half the value of the club’s sponsorship contract with insurance company Aon. The DHL deal is worth more to United than the shirt sponsorship deal the club signed a decade ago with Vodafone.
The four year deal is a pioneering form of sponsorship for an English football club. It is borrowed from the US where players wear sponsor-branded training apparel to maximise commercial opportunities for their teams.
United get training kit deal
Manchester United are to become the first club to have a sponsor just for their training kit. This week they will announce a £4m a season agreement wuth logistics company DHL. This means that in effect the space on Wayne Rooney’s training bib is more valauable than that on the first team shirts of twelve top flight rivals.