Manchester United just signed a two-year partnership with Du, the United Arab Emirates leading mobile telecommunications company.
Manchester United, along with clubs like FC Barcelona, have put a lot of time, money, and resources into cracking the Middle Eastern Futbol market. With this partnership, the 56 million Manchester United fans in the UAE will be able to see all the goals scored, exclusive interviews, news, and behind-the-scene access that will bring them closer to the club and the Old Trafford than ever before, if they sign up for Du’s service.
Sir Alex Ferguson commented that “In recent years, the club has grown very close links with the Middle East and we know from our visits there that the fans are as loyal and as passionate about the team as anyone. To be able to address them directly is incredible and the network of deals that we are building up means that more and more fans can feel involved with what happens at United.”
It seems that Du is just as excited as Man United about the partnership commenting that “Manchester United is an icon and our sponsorship of the club will open up a world of exclusive privileges to our customers, allowing them to experience more than has ever been possible."
This partnership has a much larger impact than just this partnership, it is yet another example of the Middle Eastern companies sponsoring and interacting with the biggest clubs in European futbol.
J.B.
Do you think that several years from now we could have a popular Middle Eastern league, or do you think that the people in the Middle East will just continue to follow La Liga, EPL, and other European leagues? If there really is a growing interest in the sport, as it looks like there is based on marketing strategies by Barcelona and Man U I would think that a few years from now a popular Middle Eastern league might be possible.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Middle Eastern countries are taking all the right steps to grow the sport and create awareness amongst the Middle Eastern youth and adults. With the Qatar Foundation's involvement in FC Barcelona and the role they played in getting the 2022 World Cup, the future of the sport in the Middle East looks very promising. If they continue to take these steps and work on developing a youth program, I have no doubts that we will see the emergence of a professional league there within the next 10 years; however, it may take a while for them to become competitive in the Champion's League, unless they spend the capital to purchase some big name players.
ReplyDelete