What Globally Ambitious Brands Can Learn From Manchester United's Marketing Playbook

Lessons from soccer's savvy ambassadors

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Team captain Wayne Rooney leads Manchester United onto the field in four U.S. cities later this month for a series of exhibition matches against American and international competition. Over the past 60 years, the Red Devils have undertaken countless excursions like this, which rank among the iconic English Premier League team's most successful and frequently copied promotional strategies.

Man U "pioneered international tours over the summer, particularly in Asia and markets such as South Africa," growing its fan base outside England and broadening the team's appeal for potential sponsors, Sue Bridgewater, professor of sports management and marketing at the University of Liverpool Management School, points out.

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