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The Perfect Scenario for Manchester United
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Source: the wwm pod
This transfer market has been literally been ridiculous. I mean, Messi going to PSG, Sergio Ramos, Donnarumma, Grealish, Lukaku, and so many more of the biggest names in the game have made transfers to other clubs, some even becoming record-breaking fees. But right now, all we care about is the disputed GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo resigned to his former team Manchester United, the team that signed him back in 2003, nearly two decades ago.
But at wwm, we like to focus on what happens behind the scenes as well as what goes on on the pitch. Manchester United has invested ₤60 million or around $100 million into bringing Ronnie back home, but that fee will appear very little in the two years to come.
The presence of Ronaldo will not only increase the opportunity for club sponsors as he is one of the most sought-after athletes in the world, but his shirt sales alone will pay for his time back in England.
Man U normally sells 3-4 million shirts per year at around $120 CAD which generates anywhere from $360 million to $480 million. Now, the club only takes 7.5% from the Adidas kit sales but that is still approximately $27 million to $36 million in kit sales.
That’s for the average Manchester United kit sale. But this is CRISTIANO RONALDO. 5 time Ballon d'Or winner, champions league winner, EUROs winner, a disputed top 2 player of all time. His sales will reportedly triple the sales, meaning anywhere from $81 million to $108 million in kit sales. That’s pretty much covering their investment.
Now on social media, is a different story. We notice these types of things, and wow they are killing it on Instagram right now. Before their announcement, @manchesterunited on Instagram was sitting comfortably at 42.9 million followers… now, it’s at 46.7 million. The Ronaldo impact; plain and simple. To be fair there have been 32 Ronaldo-related posts since the first announcement last week.
Manchester United directors, owners, fans, players, and football fans, in general, are very excited to see the main man return to Old Trafford, but his impact off the pitch is just as intriguing. 2 years from now we may see one of the GOATs gone again, it just asks the question of will he generate success on and off the pitch. I’ll guess we’ll find out.
SIUUUUUUU
Published: September 3rd, 2021 - Issue 6 of The Sport Marketeer