Manchester City's plan for global domination.

[oldius]

Was only a few months ago that I read continued "shit Barca duo OUT" on this very forum.
My how times have changed ... for the time being,until our first defeat.

Someone commented in the post match thread following the Shaktar loss. It was the first time they'd posted since the last time we lost! Some people do love a moan: it's a lifeblood for many.

 

[Saddleworth2]

The PR team are clearly earning their crust, with this plus the recent FT article projecting us in a good light.

It's a good read, even if there's little new (and a mistake saying the 2012 title win was our first major trophy in 36 years) but I'm torn on this. I understand the vision and potentially it's a great idea to have feet on the ground in these countries but I really don't care about any club other than City. And I know people who watch NYCFC who are rags or otherwise hate us. So the supposition that we're going to become fans of these clubs or that Uruguayans will all become City fans is fanciful in my opinion. However these plans reinforce the notion that the Sheikh (or at least Abu Dhabi) aren’t getting bored anytime soon and will be around for quite a while.

Ultimately though, as the biggest club in the CFG stable, it's our success that will affect the perception and global popularity of the club. All over the USA there are fan clubs and these fans gather to watch games and, having watched games with some, in both Pittsburgh & Phoenix, they are passionate. My son said over 100 people watched last Sunday's match in the Kettle Black in downtown Phoenix, the overwhelming majority being blues.

My criticism, as a match-going fan, has always been that Garry Cook saw us as real people whereas Soriano sees us as cells on a spreadsheet. That he'd be happier having 40k in the stadium paying £60 each than 55k paying £40 each. That he'll look at revenue projections and say "Increase those by 5%" with no thought at all for the impact on a working class family with a couple of kids and an already stretched budget.

I also feel that the board & executives, in their rush to create a footballing Disneyworld, took their eye off the ball as far as City were concerned. One League Cup in 3 seasons without a serious challenge for the PL is simply not a good enough return for what we’ve spent and where we think we are now as a club. Hopefully that’ll be put right this season but I want sustained and consistent success and I believe it’s taken too long to put the right factors in place. We should also have focused on gaining a foothold in the corridors of power at the FA & PL but we still seem to be seen as a target and fair game for the likes of Wenger & Mourinho, who have got that foothold. To me, that would have served our purpose better than buying some club no one’s heard of in South America.

Lots of good points made PB. There is definitely a tension between the globalisation of the club and maintaining good relations with the core historic support. I seem to remember the Chairman promising that they would not lose focus on the local fanbase when the takeover happened. I do think they could be more imaginative and try harder to maintain a strong connection. Communication could be better, responding and acting on feedback, overtly being seen to improve public transport arrangements to and from the campus (they certainly have enough clout to drive improvement if they seriously used their influence). Some form of recognition for loyalty in setting season ticket prices. Creating a unified singing section. All stuff that would help immensely. The historic local fanbase is the soul of the club and needs to be nurtured carefully in parallel with all the globalisation malarkey! The two aims are not incompatible but will need very careful management.

 

[cyberblue]

If some ticket prices were £20-£30 a game we would pack the ground out every game no problem.

 

[scousemanc]

Maybe struggling was the wrong word. I’ve put a couple of tickets on the city ticket exchange and they haven’t sold.

I've put up 2 this season and both have sold

 

[Scottish Cityzen]

Maybe struggling was the wrong word. I’ve put a couple of tickets on the city ticket exchange and they haven’t sold.

I've put up 2 this season and both have sold

How does the ticket exchange system work? Do ST holders make their seats available via the club and they just become available through the website, or is there a separate website/area?

Me and the young lad are Cityzens members and would be handy to know for the rest of the season due to the current limited availability. I managed down for Southampton and will be back for the Watford game.

Increasing the ground further would be sensible as the club is just going to keep on growing over the next few decades.

People I know just can’t comprehend how good the match day experience is when I describe it. The stadium and surrounding infrastructure is world class.

I think the club is Developed to such an extent already that even if the Sheikh walked away tomorrow City would remain a self-sustainable elite club. Very exciting times ahead.

 

[sir baconface]

until we get an official tractor and noodle partner we are small fry i'm afraid ;-)

Haven’t you seen our floodlights?

 

[Fame Monster]

If some ticket prices were £20-£30 a game we would pack the ground out every game no problem.

This.

 

[carlosthejackal]

As long as I can have a pint or six in town before hand , then still afford to watch my team , then jobs a good un

 

[Metalartin]

Some rag's gonna read that and skip to the end bit: "Sheikh Mansour selling City confirmed!"

 

[Saddleworth2]

How does the ticket exchange system work? Do ST holders make their seats available via the club and they just become available through the website, or is there a separate website/area?

Me and the young lad are Cityzens members and would be handy to know for the rest of the season due to the current limited availability. I managed down for Southampton and will be back for the Watford game.

Increasing the ground further would be sensible as the club is just going to keep on growing over the next few decades.

People I know just can’t comprehend how good the match day experience is when I describe it. The stadium and surrounding infrastructure is world class.

I think the club is Developed to such an extent already that even if the Sheikh walked away tomorrow City would remain a self-sustainable elite club. Very exciting times ahead.

They become available on the ticket site. They are normally released a couple of weeks before the game although that varies depending on how tickets are selling generally. There really is no alternative to checking a number of times each day as even where the website says Sold out, that can change within a couple of hours.