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New York, New York: global aspirations for the Man City brand

By Patrick Baglee

June 21, 2013 | 7 min read

Following Manchester City’s acquisition of Major League Soccer’s 20th franchise in partnership with the New York Yankees, ex Navyblue, ehs4d and EHS Brann creative Patrick Baglee explores what this means for the City brand. If they can make it in New York, can they make it anywhere?

On 21 May, Manchester City Football Club announced its acquisition of Major League Soccer’s 20th franchise, in partnership with the New York Yankees. Aptly named the New York City Football Club, it will post its first team sheet in 2015, under the leadership of director of football Claudio Reyna. The deal had been in the works for almost a year, and work has already begun in earnest to be ready for kick-off in two years’ time.The deal is good news for New York’s mayor Michael Bloomberg. At the launch he described New Yorkers as the greatest sports fans in the world and New York as “the world’s biggest stage”. His administration’s support is crucial, and Manchester City’s links with the Yankees ought to provide links to powerful civic figures that may prove important in the development of a new stadium. The relationship is far from brand new; the Yankees had already worked with Manchester City through Legends Hospitality, providing expertise in the areas of entertainment, hospitality and marketing.One man who might appreciate the considerable challenge faced by Reyna and Randy Levine, the Yankees president briefed to launch and establish the team, is Paul Barber. Currently CEO of Brighton & Hove Albion, Barber left his role as executive director of Tottenham Hotspur in 2010 to become CEO of the Vancouver Whitecaps, one of the oldest, most traditional and biggest football clubs in North America.A major part of Barber’s role was readying the Whitecaps for entry to the MLS in 2011, a process that involved two moves of stadium and the rapid agreement of new sponsorship and marketing deals. He enjoyed great success in contemporising the club. The Whitecaps became the first MLS club to have all of its first season’s matches broadcast live on TV, radio, online and on mobile. This extended platform helped secure significant sponsorship revenues from major brands in Canada and North America, including telecoms provider Bell, Budweiser, EA Sports and Adidas.Yet despite an aggressive commercial strategy, Barber remained focused on the local community and the fans. At Tottenham Hotspur and previously at the FA, Barber established robust loyalty programs to keep fans informed and reward their commitment. Yet even with a loyalty scheme, NYC FC can’t assume that fans will flock to see them play. A new franchise in the city has to be conscious of place. A brand, especially a sporting one, must accept that its role here is to entertain and make a contribution to the wellbeing of the city. No team, star, street or store is greater than the brand of New York itself. Reputations, rivalries and respect must be earned on and off the field.When it comes to criteria for success of a new franchise, opinions differ. But there are certainly four areas that will need attention. There’s the stadium, which must offer the best match day experience and allow for multiple revenue streams. The Yankees commissioned Populous to re-design their new stadium, and it’s hard to see NYC FC failing to embrace their learnings.Then there’s the audience. Local fans will be crucial but the more important audience comes from TV. A strong broadcast partner will bring in more fans and attract sponsors. NYC FC might well attract expatriate Mancunians, including those that form a sea of blue during Premier League broadcasts at the Mad Hatter Saloon on 3rd Avenue. But they’ll need more than the New York chapter of the Manchester City supporters club to make a profit.Long-term investment is essential. The initial outlay of around $100m gives NYC FC permission to play, but millions more will be needed to establish and sustain the club. The investment plan must be aligned to the steady but modest growth of football in the USA. Though crowds have grown, NYC FC’s anticipated derby-day rivals – the Red Bulls – still only attract an average of 18,000 spectators.Finally, there is the need to attract sponsors and partners who can bring the brand to life outside the stadium, through TV, engagement campaigns and tie-ins. This is what will give NYC FC wider legitimacy, engage with fans and bring supporters to the stadium.Deeper than these tactics, there are fundamentals on which NYC FC as a business and a brand must be clear. Top of the list is that New York will not accept second best. Any whiff that the team is a refuge for the injured, disaffected or unproven and NYC FC will be dismissed as a Mancunian outlier. If the plan is to build a footballing colossus, Manchester City cannot afford to echo the words of Lazarus’s famous sonnet by sending its tired to New York. This must be a team made for the city.Gordon Lott, managing director at HSE Ignition UK, is clear on the key challenge of NYC FC’s first year. “A new franchise has to establish an identity and positioning that is inclusive yet partisan, and identify the right commercial partners that can help achieve this and carry the message for the club to new fans.” Communications will be key to this, and Lott has no doubt on their role. “A new franchise will have to strike an emotional connection to build a loyal and enduring base, whether through the community, the stadium, players or historical connections.”These connections are never more important than when fortunes wane. Lott continues: “When the team doesn’t win, ongoing communications will strike an emotional chord that will keep fans returning to matches.”Ultimately though, it’s about how NYC FC stakes its claim. Karl Hudson, founder of The Forest, makes an important observation: “It’s really important that NYC FC remembers that it’s a club – not a team. A club involves everyone – from the line painters before game day to the centre forward on the pitch”. Further, Hudson, whose studio has worked with several US sporting enterprises including the NBA, acknowledges the importance of managing every touch point. “The community programme NYC FC has established is a good start,” he says, “but they need stamina to truly establish their credentials off the field of play.” Gestures simply won’t wash; the New York sports fan has high expectations of a club both on and off the pitch.Lott agrees. “NYC FC must find the right partners who can help deliver the long-term brand vision. They need partners who can create commercial frameworks that will support the vision while being sufficient flexible to adapt to the commercial landscape as the club’s base grows.” And he also supports the importance of consistent behaviours. “I think the brand is ultimately about ‘what it means’ to people” he says. “It’s a collective of functional aspects like ticket prices and facilities, aspirational qualities such as rivalries with other clubs and brands, the behaviours and views of the teams players and the genuine role of the brand in the community beyond game day.”Given the demand for entertainment, NYC FC is, in truth, a destination brand as much as a sporting one. The club will need to demonstrate a competitive spirit, evidence its commitment to making a difference and a genuine local connection, and make good on the expectation that fans will have the very best game day experience possible. In the end though, NYC FC has got to win because winning will breed trust, trust will grow the fan base and the fan base will reassure the sponsors and the advertisers.The good news for Sheikh Mansour and the global aspirations of his club is that if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. In the case of Manchester City, Ol’ Blue Eyes never sang a truer word.

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Manchester City Football Club are a football club in Manchester, England. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's (West Gorton), they became Ardwick Association Football...

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