Project Data Collection on City - MMU

[Colins Bellend]

We are evolving into our neighbours unfortunately and don't let anyone tell you differently

We are evolving into our neighbours winning ways. It's the winning they don't like!!

Treating the supporters as punters not people

 

[m7mcfc]

I like the location Colin, could not have put it better myself

 

[Deleted member 52846]

Hi

My names Thomas Burns, I'm a 3rd year Geography student at Manchester Metropolitan University. I am collecting data that will help me with my final year project. The aim of my project is: To what extent does the construction of global football brands impact upon place and identity and belonging, through a case study of Manchester City Football Club?

So I am here to ask a question that will hopefully create a discussion among the fans of Manchester City that I will monitor and hopefully give me enough information to proceed with my project.

The question is:

How do you think the image of Manchester City Football Club has changed since the Sheikh Mansour family takeover of the club in 2008?

To answer your question to us, first:
We have gone from being a historically well supported club who had won the odd trophy here and there throughout our history, to a club with infinite potential.

I think our image from the outside looking in, on the whole, is that of a club who got lucky and some think we didn't deserve it because we'd hardly won any trophies in our history. Others are firmly against rich owners coming in and making a club successful from nowhere but many of them would do well to have a look at their own club's history before having that view because there are pretty much no clubs whom have ever been successful without large investment. Even clubs like Celtic in the 1960s invested heavily in developing local talent, they don't just turn up on the clubs doorstep one day and win the European Cup the next day. Then there are others who like what we're doing and like the refreshing change instead of it being the same old teams at the top all the time.

I think our own image of ourselves, on the whole, is that we've already made it as one of the biggest clubs in the world. These people are expecting success and to be challenging the other top clubs of Europe. My personal view is that we've got a long way to go before we're actually up with those top clubs. Wolfsburg and Deportivo won league titles in their divisions through good investment; I think, at the moment, we're just overtaking that level at the time they were winning those titles. It'll be a good decade before we're really one of the top clubs of Europe because stadium, stadium size, fanbase, success, sustained challenging for success, money coming into the club, squad development, squad evloution, youth development...are not of the very top club's standard yet. But we are heading that way.


To add suggestions to your project question:
Global football brands are not a bad thing. Look at German clubs and how they stay faithful to their fanbases - providing reasonably priced tickets, in huge stadiums, with fantastic centre-piece vocal stands, that accommodate all types of people; not just those who they can rape money out of. Bayern München CEO Uli Hoeneß once said about ticket prices; ""We could charge more than £104. Lets say we charged £300. We'd get £2m more in income, but whats £2m to us ? In a tranfer discussion you argue about that sum for five minutes. But the difference between £104 and £300 is huge for the fan. We do not think the fans are like cows, who you milk. Football has got to be for everybody. Thats the biggest difference between us and England".
English clubs are getting to the position where they're starting to fuck their core working class fans off, across the board. It isn't just about the rich clubs like City. It is getting more and more ridiculous year-on-year across the league.

English clubs have a lot to learn about looking after their fans. As I say I'm not particularly talking about City (look at the £15-20 FA Cup tickets this week and the sell out attendance!) but will the day come when City are just like Arsenal and United and anyone else?

 

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

This is, of course, typical of the discussion topics given to undergrads to push them to a judgement! The concepts linked together are nebulous: "the construction of global brands" and "image" whereas "impacts upon" suggests conflict rather than complementary aims.

I think most would agree that City's image in the summer of 2008 was hardly positive. No trophy since 1976, no possibility of a trophy for over a quarter of a century, City were the butt of jokes for their ultra-successful neighbours. City appeared to be heading for administration as the culmination of 30 years of financial failure and mismanagement, but City's image was best summed up when farcical failure was described as "typical City". We were a joke, appreciated when we made a gift of 3 points to other fans' teams!

Certainly, that has changed. The club is resented by many fans here and abroad because of the Sheik's wealth because it is "ruining football" and in that sense it's image is not a great deal more positive, but many more fans here and abroad admit that they envy City their owner - and few football fans would say they hadn't heard of City, their owner or Abu Dhabi.

City's FA cup win and PL title win was followed closely all over the world and the events of May 13, 2012, meant that City got more publicity in about 3 minutes 30 seconds than they could have hoped for in a century of advertising. In general the win seemed popular with fans throughout the world (especially in Argentina for obvious reasons) and City's profile took one hige leap forward.

As a judgement/conclusion, I would argue that both the brand and image are developing. City's support is growing here and elsewhere, hits on all kind of websites are increasing, the number of sponsors and partners is increasing. And the image is developing - the club is glamorous and associated with wealth, the players are young, glamorous men, but professional, sociably reponsibleand, increasingly, associated with socially responsible and humanitarian causes. I don't think the core values City represents have been given as much precision as will be the case inthe future, but as so much at the club, it is still a "work in progress".

What will change perceptions of the club massively are the developments planned for the land around the stadium. Gradually this will turn City into a global brand possibly on a different scale to any other English club, and then the ultimate City core value will be in place - care for the community. City will then indeed be "mas que un club", and a club based in Manchester but with truly global appeal.

 

[blueyorkie]

I`ve been a fan since 1968 when I first walked up the road to Maine road.We lived just off Princess road.There was always a sense of belonging, as almost everyone came from Manchester, even over at the theatre of queens. But it was a complete and utter shithole. Drab,run down,and apart from city there was the brewery and a park (alexandra park) that nobody would ever use.
Today, we can see wholesale changes to our new site. It`s bright,cheerful, far from the shithole Maine road had become.
The locals have benefited hugely, new shops,stores have sprung up in the area,not neccesarily down to city I may add. But the local council has gained, and will continue to do so. The people of Gorton were handed a swimming pool, there will be a college, stadia for locals to use.
On match day you can get a decent pie,chips,drink. You get entertainment (other than watching guys in wide pants and skinheads fighting)
With success, however, there are changes to note. We do seem to get more fans coming to games from greater distances than before.But I do not have any axe to grind with newcomers. I welcome them all. The more the merrier!
I truly believe our image has changed for the best.How could it not change? We are no longer seen as the team from that hell hole in Moss side( which has also changed greatly in recent times) We are no longer seen as the prennial losers, the fans who live with constant criticism and jesting from our noisy,cockney neighbours over at the swamp.
It is a joy to be a blue at this time. Long may it continue, long may we flourish and improve, and long may we continue to piss those fans off who for years and years put us down.
Thank you Sheik Mansour

Spot on, well said. The club gives more care and attention to us fans than ever.<br /><br />-- Wed Jan 09, 2013 4:41 pm --<br /><br />

We are evolving into our neighbours unfortunately and don't let anyone tell you differently

How, pray tell. When have they supported the local community, when have they built facilities for fans, when have they bent over backwards to take trophies on the road to the fans, when have they given free access to online TV, etc etc etc

 

[ped]

can someone point the poster in the direction of the dutch tv documentry,i think it asks the same thing more or less.

 

[FlatlineMonday]

can someone point the poster in the direction of the dutch tv documentry,i think it asks the same thing more or less.

in this thread

<a class="postlink-local" href="http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=274058" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">viewtopic.php?f=1&t=274058</a>

 

[bluedan]

Tom, I think you will find a few answers to your question in the Dutch documentary.


I know your a Leeds fan so your probably well placed to understand our mentality through your own experiences and how Leeds fans perception has changed over the years based on their success and failure

I think its great that you are doing this at your Uni.



Come on blues, send in a response. He hates United and lives on Kippax Street.

 

[Rascal]

Hi

My names Thomas Burns, I'm a 3rd year Geography student at Manchester Metropolitan University. I am collecting data that will help me with my final year project. The aim of my project is: To what extent does the construction of global football brands impact upon place and identity and belonging, through a case study of Manchester City Football Club?

So I am here to ask a question that will hopefully create a discussion among the fans of Manchester City that I will monitor and hopefully give me enough information to proceed with my project.

The question is:

How do you think the image of Manchester City Football Club has changed since the Sheikh Mansour family takeover of the club in 2008?

Hi Thomas

Good luck with your project an hope you get a good degree.

I would suggest you have a good trawl through the forum when you have time as you may find interesting stuff on page 1000 or so that will you insight into how we are evolving.

Be careful you dont get hooked mind and avoid the Cellar as its full of nutjobs

nutjobs

 

[bluedan]

Other fans genuinly believe City have won the lottery and have bought the success and as a consequence not earned their respect as we havent done it in a organic way.

Chelsea, United, Liverpool, Arsenal (the old big 4) all spent vasts sums of money before City came to the table. No one uttered a word about Financial Fair Play then and doing things in a "organic" way

My own personal view is that all the top top clubs have monopolised the game. Outspending every other club by reinvesting to maintain being in top european comps. This in turn landing them more revenue through sponsorship, tv rights and prize money. This is allowing them to continue this process season upon season
Who says City are the only ones to spend money?

David Gill, Platini, Blatter, Wenger, Gazidis, Liverpool Execs and fans alike are all contradictory little jealous tarts.