Man U and Liverpool are fierce rivals, so the sponsorship of both teams
in 2012 raised plenty of eyebrows. Chevrolet cited the global appeal of
the teams—making the Vauxhall switch notable, seeing as it is a U.K.
brand.
But the principal GM investment is Man U, costing nearly $560 million over seven years. It also is said to cost former global CMO Joel Ewanick his job. Man U claims more than 650 million fans globally.
“Association with a number of elite [football tournaments] can be very
beneficial if you’re trying to reach consumers in China as well as Latin
America and the Middle East,” said Phil Carling, global managing
director, football, at sports marketing agency Octagon.
After a poor season start—by Man U standards—the club is currently
outside qualifying position for next year’s UEFA’s Champions League
games, with half the season already gone.
“The partnership with Manchester United is of a global nature, and we
intend to continue this relationship to help build the Chevrolet brand
around the globe,” said global marketing chief Tim Mahoney, noting that
much of the team’s fan base is in key emerging markets, notably China.
In 2009, China became Chevrolet’s third-largest market, behind the U.S.
and Brazil.
In 2012, Kantar reported that of Manchester United’s fans worldwide,
325 million are in the Asia-Pacific region, including 108 million in
China alone.
“Manchester United has pioneered a truly global sports model and is one
of the U.K.’s greatest exports with incredibly broad appeal,” said
Steve Martin, CEO, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment.
“Up to 200 countries broadcast the Premier League to make sure the
games are in living rooms, restaurants and pubs around the world.”
That helps jersey sales, a huge revenue source to the club and benefit
to sponsors. In the 2012-13 season, Man U earned $241.5 million from
commercial operations, including merchandise, sponsorship and
licensing—more than match-day revenue and broadcast, per Deloitte
Football Money League.
But for the most part, it is high-profile soccer events that underscore
Man U’s visibility. “If that’s the objective, you could make the
argument that Chevrolet overpaid,” said a sports marketing source.
Others disagree.
“All of these large-scale sports deals are worth what people are
willing to pay,” said David Abrutyn, svp, global managing director of
consulting at sports marketing firm IMG. “They obviously do their
analysis, and if it makes financial sense, they do it.”
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