Some of the most reflective and in depth football writing today is to be found in the Financial Times. This is particularly the case when Simon Kuper writes one of his in depth pieces as he did in Saturday’s Weekend Magazine that accompanies the Pink ‘Un. He took an in depth look at Paris Saint-Germain.
Some of the most reflective and in depth football writing today is to be found in the Financial Times. This is particularly the case when Simon Kuper writes one of his in depth pieces as he did in Saturday’s Weekend Magazine that accompanies the Pink ‘Un. He took an in depth look at Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG is unique: a club owned by a state. Qatar is the only country to attempt national branding through football. Why did Qatar choose to buy PSG? It’s the only club in a capital of Europe. It’s also much cheaper than buying a Premiership club. If you buy a club in London, you are faced with a highly competitive football market in which there are six clubs in the top flight. Soon PSG could become the richest club in any sport.
Reading Kuper’s article, it struck me that the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ PSG epitomised the contrast between a 20th century and a 21st century club. Of course, PSG was only founded in 1970: some of us are old enough to remember Racing Club de Paris.
Kuper notes that ‘For decades, watching PSG was like watching an English match circa 1984: poor football, scary fans, empty seats.’ For a long time it was a hooligan bastion with fighting between different groups of supporters. Putting an end to that ‘was a rare law-and-order success for President Sarkozy.’ Now ‘The club’s VIP salons and burgeoning luxury suites may boast more celebrities per square foot than any restaurant in Paris.’
Branding is key to the club’s strategy with a ‘brand book’ defining the strategy. The idea is to be as ‘elegant, beautiful and generally excellent as Paris itself.’ David Beckham’s arrival gave the strategy a big boost. Before he came, only 1 per cent of PSG’s merchandise products sold online went outside France. Beckham raised the proportion to 10 per cent and it has stayed there.
The brand is now estimated to be worth €1bn. PSG insists that it is keeping within the financial fair play rules. Its revenues of just under €400m were the fifth highest in European football, although the Qatar Tourism Authority’s sponsorship accounts for half of that. This season PSG expects to finish nearer €500m, not far behind Real Madrid on €521m last year.
For a traditional football fan it may all be a bit anodyne. Polite applause is the typical crowd reaction. The chants ‘Paris est ici’ and ‘Paris est magique’ could have come straight out of the brand book. And, on the way out, a young lady might hand you a sample of face cream. That might be too much even at the Emirates.