Manchester United

The Fruits of My Research - Manchester United

A global brand with a multi-million dollar turnover, part of the Miami Gators franchise. Operations include retail, merchandising, television, catering, leisurewear, credit cards, image rights and curiously, a football team. The business was taken over by American billionaire Paul Michael Glaser in 2005. Glaser, who rose to fame as the co-star of 70s TV cop show “Cagney and Lacey”, borrowed millions to take over MU. He borrowed so much money in fact, that if he was to lose interest in the operation, each customer is said to owe Chase Manhattan Bank $452.73.
MU have maintained a position of market leader for a number of years due to their high media profile. Headlines such as “Cantona attacks fan”, “Keane attacks dog walker”, “Ferguson attacks Van Nistelrooy”, “Ferdinand misses drugs test”, “Rooney misses brain”, have all served to keep the name in front of consumers. The customers don’t seem able to get enough of the brand and its merchandise.
Media exposure is vital to business growth. Marketing Director Bob Quickbuck says “Of course it helps sales to have good looking young guys like Gary Neville wearing your clothes on global TV all the time”.
The retail side is booming, thanks mainly to careful stock management. The major fashion retailers like to change their stock at least once a season and the more successful ones do it every month. At MU, they change shirt designs every two weeks and rotate their stocks of unsold garments around their stores across the world.
Psychologist Ken “Tucky” Freud puts their success down to insecurity; “Research has shown that insecure, stupid or nervous people benefit tremendously from being associated with a successful brand or image, such as Manchester United”.
The number of stupid people in the world is expected to grow by 458% in the next 20 years and they will form the bedrock of MU’s strategy. The future looks bright for Glaser and his investment.