The Worldwide Commercial Enterprise Continues - 10 years on

[Mikhail Chigorin]

this probably belongs in here

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3782434/Manchester-City-quest-world-domination-takes-boost-Yankees-link-key-step-global-project.html

Wow. That was a really enlightening read and it just showcases what the plans for CFG are and how far ahead in terms of vision we are against our rivals. Sorriano in his role has done wonders up to now

It's almost frightening....and it will be for other football organisations in so many different ways.

I get the feeling that now this CFG 'business plan', for want of a better way of describing it, has started to develop, it will roll ever faster and become, in effect, unstoppable.

Who knows but, in lifetimes to come, CFG could become bigger and more financially powerful than any Government, any country, any economic unit, any military alliance or any political movement until, 'de facto' it could become the ruler/steward/directorship of this world.......

OK, OK, I'm getting carried away into realms of fantasy now but it's certainly the kind of organisation that, in pure footballing matters, EUFA and FIFA, for starters, would not wish to tangle with.

[mr_nool]

this probably belongs in here

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3782434/Manchester-City-quest-world-domination-takes-boost-Yankees-link-key-step-global-project.html

Wow. That was a really enlightening read and it just showcases what the plans for CFG are and how far ahead in terms of vision we are against our rivals. Sorriano in his role has done wonders up to now

It's almost frightening....and it will be for other football organisations in so many different ways.

I get the feeling that now this CFG 'business plan', for want of a better way of describing it, has started to develop, it will roll ever faster and become, in effect, unstoppable.

Who knows but, in lifetimes to come, CFG could become bigger and more financially powerful than any Government, any country, any economic unit, any military alliance or any political movement until, 'de facto' it could become the ruler/steward/directorship of this world.......

OK, OK, I'm getting carried away into realms of fantasy now but it's certainly the kind of organisation that, in pure footballing matters, EUFA and FIFA, for starters, would not wish to tangle with.

Sounds like the script Roller Ball.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

this probably belongs in here

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3782434/Manchester-City-quest-world-domination-takes-boost-Yankees-link-key-step-global-project.html

Wow. That was a really enlightening read and it just showcases what the plans for CFG are and how far ahead in terms of vision we are against our rivals. Sorriano in his role has done wonders up to now

It's almost frightening....and it will be for other football organisations in so many different ways.

I get the feeling that now this CFG 'business plan', for want of a better way of describing it, has started to develop, it will roll ever faster and become, in effect, unstoppable.

Who knows but, in lifetimes to come, CFG could become bigger and more financially powerful than any Government, any country, any economic unit, any military alliance or any political movement until, 'de facto' it could become the ruler/steward/directorship of this world.......

OK, OK, I'm getting carried away into realms of fantasy now but it's certainly the kind of organisation that, in pure footballing matters, EUFA and FIFA, for starters, would not wish to tangle with.

Sounds like the script Roller Ball.

Thank you my friend.

Having re-read what I posted, I think I ought to stop taking my tablets.

[john@staustell]

Came out in the last couple of days - Robotics for Manchester and China, which is probably significant!

http://www.fcbusiness.co.uk/news/articl ... artnership?

n innovative global partnership with UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP will give Manchester City fans around the world the opportunity to enjoy exclusive content and unique experiences.

In a first for a European football club, the Blues welcome UBTECH as their Official Robot Partner, in a deal which will enhance fan engagement and entertainment.

A world leader in consumer robotics, UBTECH is the first company in China to design and manufacture humanoid robots.

The new partnership, which is a first of its kind, will combine brilliant entertainment and ground-breaking technology to bring fans never before seen content and experiences.

Supporters can expect to see a series of co-branded UBTECH products across the Club’s digital channels and should also keep an eye out for them at home games throughout the season and for the opportunity to take part in exclusive fan competitions.

Commenting on the launch of the partnership, Tom Glick, Group Chief Commercial Officer, City Football Group, said:

“Partnering with UBTECH, who are a world leader in their field and share our passion for innovation and cooperation, is a natural fit for Manchester City. Together, we can reinvent the fan experience both at the Etihad Stadium and online by using pioneering technology and putting fans at the heart of the partnership.

“We are delighted to welcome UBTECH to the family and to have the opportunity to introduce our fans in Manchester, China and beyond to their exciting product range and the never before seen content and experiences this partnership will deliver.”

Manchester City's reputation and commitment to innovation impressed UBTECH Robotics founder, James Zhou, who is looking forward to the outcomes of the partnership.

He added: “The unique partnership between UBTECH Robotics and Manchester City will bring cutting edge robotics technology and sports marketing together. As one of the top football clubs in the world, Manchester City has a positive and healthy brand image.

"The Club constantly seeks to innovate and is dedicated to bringing beautiful football to its fans so they enjoy unforgettable moments. Innovation is also deeply embedded in the DNA of UBTECH Robotics and as a result we are excited to become the official global robot partner of Manchester City.

“UBTECH Robotics focuses on bringing intelligent consumer robots to every home in the world and creating a more intelligent, humanized lifestyle for all. With Manchester City, we look forward to bringing the excitement of intelligent robots and “beautiful football” together for all to enjoy.”

[Nigels Tackle]

hopefully they'll get robots to 'man' the bars inside the ground...

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Came out in the last couple of days - Robotics for Manchester and China, which is probably significant!

http://www.fcbusiness.co.uk/news/articl ... artnership?

n innovative global partnership with UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP will give Manchester City fans around the world the opportunity to enjoy exclusive content and unique experiences.

In a first for a European football club, the Blues welcome UBTECH as their Official Robot Partner, in a deal which will enhance fan engagement and entertainment.

A world leader in consumer robotics, UBTECH is the first company in China to design and manufacture humanoid robots.

The new partnership, which is a first of its kind, will combine brilliant entertainment and ground-breaking technology to bring fans never before seen content and experiences.

Supporters can expect to see a series of co-branded UBTECH products across the Club’s digital channels and should also keep an eye out for them at home games throughout the season and for the opportunity to take part in exclusive fan competitions.

Commenting on the launch of the partnership, Tom Glick, Group Chief Commercial Officer, City Football Group, said:

“Partnering with UBTECH, who are a world leader in their field and share our passion for innovation and cooperation, is a natural fit for Manchester City. Together, we can reinvent the fan experience both at the Etihad Stadium and online by using pioneering technology and putting fans at the heart of the partnership.

“We are delighted to welcome UBTECH to the family and to have the opportunity to introduce our fans in Manchester, China and beyond to their exciting product range and the never before seen content and experiences this partnership will deliver.”

Manchester City's reputation and commitment to innovation impressed UBTECH Robotics founder, James Zhou, who is looking forward to the outcomes of the partnership.

He added: “The unique partnership between UBTECH Robotics and Manchester City will bring cutting edge robotics technology and sports marketing together. As one of the top football clubs in the world, Manchester City has a positive and healthy brand image.

"The Club constantly seeks to innovate and is dedicated to bringing beautiful football to its fans so they enjoy unforgettable moments. Innovation is also deeply embedded in the DNA of UBTECH Robotics and as a result we are excited to become the official global robot partner of Manchester City.

“UBTECH Robotics focuses on bringing intelligent consumer robots to every home in the world and creating a more intelligent, humanized lifestyle for all. With Manchester City, we look forward to bringing the excitement of intelligent robots and “beautiful football” together for all to enjoy.”

Crikey, the march towards global domination continues apace.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Can you programme these robots to boo?

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Can you programme these robots to boo?

Oooohh Yes........and also to sing Guardiola songs and anti-Scum chants.

Cracking idea.

[Dameerto]

Can you programme these robots to boo?

Oooohh Yes........and also to sing Guardiola songs and anti-Scum chants.

Cracking idea.

Maybe we could program them to stay on for five minutes after the final whistle too, to applaud good performances (along with most but not all of our fans).

[littlebig]

Can you programme these robots to boo?

Oooohh Yes........and also to sing Guardiola songs and anti-Scum chants.

Cracking idea.

Maybe we could program them to stay on for five minutes after the final whistle too, to applaud good performances (along with most but not all of our fans).

Supporters

[john@staustell]

Fantasy Sports App in China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore

http://www.mancity.com/news/club-news/2 ... 4532289058?

Manchester City has signed a new deal which will see live fantasy sport app, Ballr, become an official Club partner in China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.

The new regional partnership begins ahead of the October launch of Ballr Football, which is the latest offering from the free gaming platform.

Ballr allows fans to connect, compete and communicate during real-time sporting events and the new football focused app will offer a host of benefits to fans in the region.

Concentrating on the Premier League, the platform will give City supporters the opportunity to compete during live games for the chance to win a host of incredible prizes.

Up for grabs is exclusive Blues merchandise as well as once-in-a-lifetime experiences, such as a trip to the Etihad Stadium to watch Pep Guardiola’s team play and to meet the players after the game.

With the Club’s commitment to improving how it interacts with fans, Damian Willoughby, Senior Vice-President of Partnerships, City Football Group, is looking forward to developing this new partnership.

He said: “Our new partnership with Ballr is an exciting opportunity to engage with Manchester City fans in the digital sphere and to offer them further opportunities to connect with the Club.

“Manchester City is committed to enhancing the fan experience and bringing supporters together. Ballr shares these values with us and we look forward to building this partnership together.”

[john@staustell]

Mundipharma - Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2016 ... ityvr-app/?

September 30 – Manchester City have kept up the pace of new club partnerships and initiatives with the announcement of pharmaceutical company Mundipharma as the ‘Official Healthcare Product Partner of Manchester City Football Club’ in Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The club has also launched a new CityVR app to engage fans via virtual reality.

Mundipharma will use Manchester City branding in some of their marketing and advertising campaigns. The logo of their BETADINE brand will feature on the sleeve of the Club’s medical staff at friendly matches in the sponsored regions.

Mundipharma will offer promotions for fans to travel to Manchester for experiences the City Football Academy including training sessions.

Raman Singh, President, Mundipharma, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, said: “Manchester City are one of the world’s best football teams and are known all over the world. Sports reaches and inspires people around the world. We intend to harness this power to raise awareness on key health issues such as preventing the spread of infectious diseases, which is a major focus for us in emerging markets where there have been a number of recent outbreaks.

CityVR app launched

Man City have followed up on their live VR match trial in May 2015, with the launch of the CityVR app, available from the Oculus Store and developed in collaboration with LiveLike.

The app, which is enabled by a Samsung Gear VR headset, allows fans to view highlights from a selection of Manchester City’s 2015/16 home fixtures in immersive virtual reality. Fans can follow the action in different corners of the pitch by simply looking at a camera icon placed in multiple locations, which instantly takes viewers to the corresponding camera angle.

App users also have access to a virtual dashboard providing player information and match statistics that deliver a deeper insight into the game at hand.

Diego Gigliani, Senior Vice President of Media and Innovation at City Football Group, said: “Our trial with live VR last season was eye-opening, with fans reacting in awe of the immersive nature of the experience. With the launch of CityVR on the Oculus platform, we’re now able to let millions of fans around the world experience that same content also.”

[john@staustell]

As the footbal has depressed me ahead of the dreaded international break, lets look at the commercial wonders. Official online trading partner, whatever that may mean.

https://www.mancity.com/news/club-news/ ... 8596017518?

Manchester City has agreed a new deal which sees iTrader.com become the Club’s Official Online Trading Partner.

Taking on partnership status in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the leading online trading broker has signed a multi-year agreement which will give fans the opportunity to watch Pep Guardiola’s side in action.
iTrader.com successfully provide thousands of satsified European customers with investment options in stocks, commodities, CFDs and currencies and will combine with City on a number of marketing campaigns.
First Team players will feature as iTrader.com enjoy a digital presence on the Club’s social media channels and mancity.com, while the two will also work together to create a co-branded website as part of a multi-national campaign.
In addition, iTrader.com will provider their customers and City fans with the opportunity to get closer to the Club and experience matchdays at the Etihad Stadium.
Commenting on the new deal, Damian Willoughby, senior vice president of partnerships for City Football Group said: “We are delighted to welcome iTrader.com to the City family.
“Our mutual vision of performance and integrity makes them a perfect partner for the Club and we look forward to working together throughout the season and beyond.”
iTrader.com operates under the strictest financial regulations in the EU supervised by Cysec and holds an EEA authorization in the UK.

[carolina-blue]

I wish they would partner up with someone big who advertises in the States . Sick Of seeing Fucking Addidas PogBa kitted out in his United Shite
And G fukinM motors adverts Cunts

[BookJunior]

Another Platini FFP deal, necessary in principle to raise revenue to pay lip service to FFP.

I do like Monaco's approach to FFP, ie to give it the big two fingered salute.

Before the years out we will no doubt have an official bird seed vending supplier in Asia as well.

Is that a Victory V or telling him to go away? Monaco is an independent state.

UEFA needs places like Monaco to store their cash.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Another Platini FFP deal, necessary in principle to raise revenue to pay lip service to FFP.

I do like Monaco's approach to FFP, ie to give it the big two fingered salute.

Before the years out we will no doubt have an official bird seed vending supplier in Asia as well.

Is that a Victory V or telling him to go away? Monaco is an independent state.

UEFA needs places like Monaco to store their cash.

I suppose having no income tax there helps in this respect ??

Going off at a tangent, one thing I find interesting about Monaco is that, although/because they are such a tiny state, in more recent times through a programme of land reclamation, they've increased their geographical area by nearly a third.

[phips]

Ferran Soriano leading Man City to global success following Disney model

On a freezing February night in London in 2006, Samuel Eto'o's late header secured a 2-1 win for Barcelona in their Champions League clash with Chelsea. A 1-1 draw two weeks later at the Camp Nou saw them safely into the quarterfinals and they would go on to win the trophy for just the second time in their history.

It was the beginning of a golden era for the club -- they won the Champions League three more times in the decade since, alongside plenty of other silverware -- and watching in the stands at Stamford Bridge was Ferran Soriano.

The Barcelona native had been elected to the board three years earlier when the club were suffering a four-year trophy drought and were in debt thanks, in large part, to some huge player salaries taking up much of their finances.

As Barcelona vice-president, Soriano helped transform the club's fortunes off the pitch as they followed his plan to grow them into one of football's biggest global brands.

Hours before that win over Chelsea, seven miles away from Stamford Bridge at University of London's Birkbeck College, Soriano had spelled out his vision in a lecture to students, along with journalists from The Times, Financial Times and The Guardian.

Professor Simon Chadwick (now Professor of Sports Enterprise at the University of Salford) organised that lecture and was struck by how different Soriano's ideas were to other more conventional financial models in the football industry.

"For us as the University it was a big thing. It's not often you get the finance director of Barcelona coming to talk to your students. Barca brought an entourage and it was all managed by a global PR consultancy," Prof. Chadwick told ESPN FC. "The way he came across was a very normal, down-to-earth, but nonetheless thoughtful and intelligent, man."

Soriano resigned from the club in 2008 after a disagreement with former president Joan Laporta, and then became CEO of Manchester City in 2012. Today he surrounds himself with much of the same backroom team that transformed the Spanish giants -- not least manager Pep Guardiola, director of football Txiki Begiristain and a host of coaching and other staff.

And Chadwick believes much of Soriano's business philosophy at City is unchanged from 10 years ago.

"At that point, he'd already begun to transplant his business acumen into running a football club," he said. "I'll stop short of saying he was a businessman. The business seems to be about generating revenue but Ferran was more entrepreneurial, more creative. He was taking ideas from business to think of football in a different way.

"He talked about the history of the club being a strategic asset. You don't throw it out of the window, you think about how you can work with that.

"Ten years ago people were beginning to express concern about a headlong dash into commercial opportunities -- he came across as someone who approached it in a different way -- much more strategic, longer-term and creative thinking."

At the time, Barcelona didn't have a shirt sponsor and tried to express the club's values when they signed a deal with international children's charity UNICEF.

"They were trying to position their brand as more cerebral," Chadwick adds. "Ferran was very much at the forefront of that. It was in stark contrast to the Glazers at Manchester United, who are more likely to say: 'This is our club, we do what we do.' But the Barca approach was much more open and engaging. So they were actively seeking to engage with audiences."

Soriano also spoke about building a bond between the club, fans and the local community. The famed La Masia academy and Mini Estadi were already in place in Barcelona before Soriano arrived, but they can be seen as the template for City's investment of over £200 million in their new Etihad Campus, next to the Etihad Stadium. (Their old Carrington training ground having been on the outskirts of the city.)

The local area has benefitted hugely from the investment but it hasn't all gone swimmingly -- there has been a backlash from some supporters over the increase in ticket prices, which have risen steadily as the team has delivered success on the pitch. But Soriano's biggest vision was to make the whole experience more about entertainment than just football and to take the brand truly global.

Chadwick said Soriano had spoken about the franchise model of the Walt Disney Corporation and how customers had a level of expectation whenever they experienced a Disney movie, store or theme park.

The game has grown massively with the rise of social media where football highlights are as accessible as downloading music or any other brand of entertainment. But franchising is a unique concept that has finally becoming a reality 10 years on with the City Football Group, who now have clubs in New York, Melbourne and Yokohama as well as Manchester.

"The most prominent thing that stood out was that he didn't talk about football as such, he talked about entertainment," Chadwick adds. "At that point, his view was that football was part of the entertainment industry. He had the vision that sports and entertainment would be blurred.

"In particular he spoke about Walt Disney. What he particularly seemed to like about Disney was they were global. And in Disney the lines are blurred. Is it about entertainment? Retailing? Is it about theme parks? My sense is this is how he saw football. It's not just a football stadium. Now you have bands playing outside the Etihad for example.

"The other thing was the whole notion of franchising. I think Manchester City, New York City, Yokohama, Melbourne City, this is all part of this. Ten years ago this was an emerging view and what we're seeing now is the crystallisation of all those thoughts coming out in terms of Manchester City's franchise plan. There were football investors around the world 10 years ago but what differentiates from that now is that you have a parent group, which is the City Football Group.

"There's brand consistency because they're all City and they all play in light blue and conceivably one day they're all going to have the same shirt sponsor."

Potentially all these groups could become even closer in their branding and it's important that they are competing at the top of their game, but Soriano's groundwork has already been laid.

"In the three-and-a-half years that I've been here, I've seen lots of great things," he told around 400 supporters in March during the Supporters Club Annual Dinner. "One of the most important is I've seen the birth of a family. We have a club in New York, we have a team in Melbourne, we have another sister team in Yokohama in Japan.

"I was in New York last week for the first game of the season, and there was somebody from Manchester with me that at some point in time said, 'why are we creating a team in New York?' And I can guarantee all of you, if you had been with me, in New York last Sunday, with thousands of people dressed in sky blue rooting for the team, New York City, you would have felt something very special.

"So I said to my colleague who asked me why are we doing this, I said 'okay, think about it, how would you feel if you were walking around a stadium in New York seeing 30,000 people dressed in red supporting New York United?' What we are doing is great and it helps Manchester City, and it takes Manchester City to the 21 Century. It takes us to be global why we are still and always will be local and rooted in Manchester."

It is obvious that City's plans of global domination are being handled by a man who has a clear vision of what he can achieve.

http://www.espnfc.us/club/manchester-city/382/blog/post/2993475/ferran-soriano-leading-man-city-to-global-success-following-disney-model

[Mikhail Chigorin]

An interesting read; I particularly liked the (brief) reference to the Glazers.

Thanks for posting that Phips.

[nottsblue]

An interesting read; I particularly liked the (brief) reference to the Glazers.

Thanks for posting that Phips.

+1

[carl_feedthegoat]

Phips got 2 likes.

Deserves to go to the legends thread.