BARCELONA V MANCHESTER UNITED

View from the Gulf
By Phil Ball (25 May 2009)

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=649491&sec=uefachampionsleague&root=uefachampionsleague&cc=4716&cc=4716

It’s amazing how some businesses are so well distributed (international popularity). Take the case of Barcelona and Manchester United. Not only are they both successful businesses, they are also very good on the field. Manchester United and Barcelona have a very long and successful history and their trophy cabinets are a sight to behold.

So what makes them successful off the pitch? Well it definitely was not an overnight venture. It takes time (a long time) and of course success on the pitch plus other x-factors that comes into play. Success in a business or franchise is more or less somewhat similar. You have to be successful within your own country to make it successful regionally. There is no point for a business to go regional if that business is struggling in its own backyard.

The point is to have success at home, and as such, will result in success regionally / internationally. Name me any international business that is regionally and internationally recognized and successful but not at its “home ground”.

Back to these super football clubs, it’s really amazing that Doha - Qatar where 80% of the population is foreign, right now is having some European Championship fever. Name the capitals of Asia and you will notice that people are anticipating the encounter of the two giants of football. From the marketing perspective, T-shirts, scarves, mugs, key-chains and anything with Rooney on it will sell like hotcakes. Park JS seems to have made a double impact; a fantabulous and hardworking player on the pitch, plus a magnitude of followers from Korea following up on his progress. Which translates to more t-shirts, scarves, mugs, magazines, pens, and everything else on which can print a United logo being sold in Korea.

On a lighter note, I do believe Manchester United will continue their dominance and win convincingly. Glory Glory Man United…