Sports Business Issue 2551, welcome to the leading sports industry information channel!
Beijing time on May 30, 5 am, when Portugal's Porto Dragon Stadium bloomed with fireworks, Chelsea after 9 years again won the Big Ears Cup, the Blues players unrestrained celebration lined with a side of Manchester City's regret. Blue Moon first entered the Champions League final, is also the closest to the Champions League title, and waiting for the title to miss the opportunity, after the game Aguero and other players in tears, told the Champions League final night of the Blue Moon's reluctance.
Chelsea wins the title
Abu Dhabi group in the 13th year, Manchester City finally stood on the highest level of European salon tournament finals, but that too many people in the population "only one" honor there is still a long way to go, Mansour mouth "future" there is still a long way to go. Previously, sports business in the "Manchester City parent company to expand the global map" article in detail, the city soccer group how the old Manchester City as the center of the global "expansion".
In Manchester City's journey to broaden the global shopping mall, China's shopping mall has always been an important part. From 2002 Sun Jihai transfer to start the love affair of China, and then in 2015 China's comprehensive media entertainment group Chinese civilization shares in the city soccer group after the full opening of China's shopping malls, Manchester City in recent years in China's action, registering the inter-media account, the establishment of China Office company, visit China, buy Sichuan Jiuniu ......
launch in full
Before the UEFA Champions League final, Sports Big Business conducted an interview with Scott Munn, CEO of City Football Group China, as a way to unveil City's innovation and perseverance in exploring China's shopping malls under the changes in the malls formed by the current epidemic.
Scott Moon, CEO of City Football Group in China
Replacement of rights and benefits with collaborative partners, two new China-funded during the epidemic period
The new crown epidemic produced in 2020 has formed the postponement of the tournament and the empty field, which has formed a huge impact on the soccer salons in Europe in the broadcast, ticket and funding revenue, and it is also true about Manchester City. According to Manchester City's official announcement of the 2019-20 season of the salon's annual financial report shows that by June 30, 2020, Manchester City's total revenue of 478.4 million pounds, a year-on-year decline of 11%, a net loss of 126 million pounds, Manchester City in the financial report straight talk about the impact of the new crown epidemic, including the ball ticket income plummeted, the delay in the arrival of trading income, and so on.
Manchester City football club
For funders, the inability to deliver on entitlements as a result of tournament changes is a barrier to collaboration with salons. Scott Moon bluntly said that in the 2019-20 Premier League season once suspended period, the salon and each partner together to discuss the rights of renewal and replacement. In the difficult situation, Manchester City and all the partners to maintain frequent and frank communication, hoping to work together to find a viable solution and tide over the difficult times.
In between, the force online is a feasible program, so Manchester City joint Jiannanchun in the epidemic period for a month of Manchester City Fan Club e-sports Championship Cup, so as to tandem with the fans, salons and funders, this form of the epidemic in the period of obtaining a good effect.
Manchester City Fan Club e-sports Champions Trophy
Now, Manchester City has a total of six collaborative partners in China: Midea Group, Jiannanchun, Ubiquitous Technology, Transnational Technology, Chau Ming Sports, and Archstone Games. Among them, Midea and Chau Ming Sports are the two new funders signed by Manchester City during the epidemic period.
City's funders, our funders in blue
Manchester City's Chinese funders, science and technology-related enterprises accounted for the majority, which is also the direction of Manchester City in the commercial funding more favorite, Scott Moon said: "From the matrix of partners, more and more science and technology enterprises to participate in our our court, which also creates more possibilities for the future development of the salon, together with the enhancement of our anti-risk ability. "
In January this year, Manchester City reached a collaboration with Chau Ming Sports, and when the Etihad Stadium was renovated, the on-site LED screen solution provider was none other than Chau Ming Sports. In the 2020-21 Premier League home games, the Etihad Stadium's sound, light and electricity systems were successfully upgraded, integrating technology and play, which not only brought better enjoyment to the players and fans, but also increased Manchester City's media marketing value.
Premier League finale Etihad Stadium courtside LED screen thanks our fans
Complete China team to help Manchester City localization, Manchester City to open up China's shopping mall has three advantages
In the process of Manchester City landing in China to open up the shopping mall, "localization" is an important three words, as Scott Moon said: "Although Manchester City is an international brand, but also focus on the development of localization strategy."
Based on localization, Manchester City set up a company in China a few years ago and established offices in Shanghai and Chengdu respectively. According to Scott Moon's introduction, Manchester City has a complete team in China, including sales, shopping malls, public relations, legal and other areas, so as to deeply understand China's civilization, the fan base, and expect to supply and activate the service for the partners in the most localized way.
Manchester City Match Watch Event
Of course, in recent years to open up China's shopping mall of European salons not only Manchester City, including Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and other Premier League salons are very important to China's shopping mall. Speaking of the advantages of Manchester City in China's shopping mall, Scott Moon showed that there are mainly the following three reasons:
First of all, Manchester City has always been committed to "beautiful soccer", so that more people love and participate in the world's No. 1 sport of soccer. Now under the leadership of Pep Guardiola, although there are regrets, but the method of competition is unique. From the point of view of the game performance, Manchester City is still the most stable team in the English Premier League in recent years, which includes the home games in England and the European games.
Manchester City to win the Premier League in 2020-21
It is worth mentioning that Manchester City's "beautiful soccer" is a concept that not only lies in the men's first team, but also includes women's soccer, fans and other aspects. Including recent years, Manchester City proposed "the same beautiful soccer activities", calling for women to participate in soccer, in the communication media has gained a good communication effect.
Secondly, from the brand point of view, Manchester City has always been testing the diversification of soccer, which includes the participation of music, gaming, technology and other new elements in soccer, so as to attract more young people to become Manchester City fans. Now, including China's e-sports players, Manchester City has signed a total of eight professional e-sports players around the world, so as to strengthen the salon's popularity and participation.
In 2018, Manchester City became the first Premier League team to enter esports in the country
Third, Manchester City in China's communication media channels to build a complete communication media matrix, according to incomplete statistics, Manchester City is now in the WeChat public number, microblogging, shaking tone, know the ball emperor, WeChat small program, Alipay small program, central video and other China's hometown of the communication media channels have accounts.
Manchester City has organized a very large number of activities on the above online social media channels as a way to get closer to City fans in China. "The account group with a huge fan base is an invaluable asset for Manchester City to communicate with our fans in depth." Scott Moon said so.
Establishment of a unique membership system for city residents in China, and development of an all-channel communication media.
Undeniably, different countries and regions have fans civilization differences, the same fans individual civilization cognition is not the same, but accurate understanding of local fans civilization is a necessary part of the landing. When we asked Scott Moon about the differences between Chinese fans and English fans in his eyes, he replied from the following aspects:
"From the method of obtaining content, China's fans seem to prefer to go through the cell phone mobile terminal, while the TV big screen is still the favorite of British fans. Another example is that many Chinese fans have more than one home team at home and abroad, while British fans seem to be more dedicated to their team's support. There is also the idea that Chinese fans seem to be more willing to follow a particular influential player rather than a particular team. All in all, this is an open topic with no exact answer, and we welcome more views and discussions."
Paul Dickov with Beijing City fans
In the opinion of Sports Business, Scott Moon's analysis is relatively accurate, and that is precisely why there is very much positive interaction between Manchester City and our fans.
In order to better serve our fans, since 2018, Manchester City has launched a creative project in China - the establishment of a "Manchester City China City Citizen Membership System" handled and operated independently by our country, and in the City Citizen section of the City's Chinese official website, there is a A series of quizzes, lucky draws and other activities. Through this membership system, Manchester City can further understand the preferences of Chinese fans, thus improving the efficiency of the salon in China.
Manchester City 2018 goes live with our region's unique eCityman card
Now, Manchester City has 19 official fan clubs in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xi'an, Hong Kong and Wuhan, etc. The unique and independently operated membership system of China's city dwellers together with the official fan clubs around the country have assisted in the rapid increase of Manchester City's fans in China. The data shows that only in February 2021, the registration number of Manchester City's Chinese city residents added 12,000 people.
Scott Moon said: "Overseas fans are very important to Manchester City. They are as much a part of our 'City' community as our home fans in the UK, and our vision is to promote the game through unique 'beautiful soccer' and invite people from all over the world to join in and enjoy it. "
Manchester City's 19 official fan clubs in China
Along with the steady improvement of the results, Manchester City, along with the expansion of its global influence, has also felt the increase in the demand of fans in China, so Manchester City has conducted very many tests online and offline.
Offline, Manchester City's first team has visited China four times in 2006, 2012, 2016 and 2019, in addition to the trophy global tour has also come to China many times, so that China's fans can further touch Manchester City.
Manchester City Trophy Tour Shanghai Stop
And through the official fan club for offline viewing activities, so that Manchester City fans from time to time can share the enthusiasm of the game. In this Champions League, City's fan clubs in Beijing, Xi'an, Wuhan and many other places conducted offline viewing activities, and City also made an invitation letter for each city resident who participated.
Manchester City Champions League Offline Viewing Event Invitation Letter
Online, City is also carrying out all kinds of innovative activities with collaborative partners. Collaboration with Alipay registered the salon official Alipay small program, trying to open the content, e-commerce and city people membership system barriers, build a one-stop service experience. In addition, before the closing of the Premier League, Manchester City and Tencent Sports together to create the official authorized series of products, in the salon around continue to make efforts.
When we asked Manchester City how to realize commercial cash through fan activities, Scott Moon said, "Manchester City Salon's immediate priority is still to attract more fans through the localization strategy, and continue to strengthen our various channels in China. We believe that building a highly satisfying 'localized experience' for fans is all that is required."
Fans are the permanent heart of the salon, opening up China's shopping mall has three aspects of planning
Now the epidemic is still very big uncertainty, Scott Moon expects to continue to do something for our fans, invite us to celebrate the unforgettable season, of course, during which the peace is the primary, which represents the previous offline trophy parade and so on may be difficult to complete. But he showed that the salon will continue to pay attention to the current situation, and in the conditions of all parties promised to bring more benefits for our fans.
When we mentioned the recent opening of Manchester United's "Manchester United Dream Theater" in Beijing's Qianmen Street, Scott Moon said that Manchester City has also noticed many other European salons in China's new test, and about Manchester City itself, the salon in China has a long-term, sustainable development program, about the future also has a clear idea, "We will always be open to more possibilities, and always remain humble and strive to create a better experience for fans in China to provide better service," he said. "We will always welcome more possibilities with an open mind, and always stick to humility, and strive to create a better experience and provide better service for our fans."
Manchester City offline viewing event
As for the future of Manchester City's detailed program to develop China's shopping malls, Scott Moon indicated the following three aspects:
First of all, the fans are the permanent heart of the salon, Manchester City will continue to produce localized and grounded content for our fans, insisting on in-depth exchanges.
Secondly, we are waiting to further broaden Manchester City's collaborative partner affairs in China, and work hand in hand with more Chinese brands to improve the quality and go overseas to complete a win-win situation.
Thirdly, to participate in the development and construction of soccer in our country, especially in the grassroots and youth category located at the base of the pyramid, waiting to contribute to Manchester City's share.
It is worth mentioning that before the Champions League final, we had asked about the topic about Manchester City's result in the final match, and Scott Moon stated, "The championship is what we all wait for, but no matter what the result is, this is a time for the salon to remember." And he is proud of what the saloon has now achieved in the 2020-21 season.
Aguero and Guardiola
Under the many uncertainties created by the global epidemic, the results obtained by Manchester City are still invaluable, Scott Moon said: "For any soccer salon, the results on the field of play are crucial, and Manchester City is waiting to contribute more good times to the fans with more superb and stable competitive performance."
