By most accounts, Manchester United has been a tremendous success off the field over the past few seasons. Commercial wins have driven a 39.3% increase in Club revenues even as on-field losses have caused fan frustration and malaise.
In 2016, it seems as if United supporters have finally had enough. They’ve taken to social media in droves, many times at the expense of the never-ending focus on selling sponsorships, and it’s truly testing the old “all PR is good PR” adage for MUFC’s corporate partners.
At the end of the day, this is sports marketing. Brands need to better recognize the effect poor results have on fans’ hearts and minds, before they go after capturing these hearts and minds with their products / services. In other words, it’s okay to wait it out without hesitation, then re-enter the waters as good times (inevitably) come roaring back in.
Read more conceptual depth here, and check out some examples below:
Categories: Digital Content, EPL, Soccer Marketing, Social Media, Thought Leadership