I don't think the financial imperative is necessarily quite so serious as we might think it is, some of the geo-political shifts at this level of sports are financially underwritten by increasingly powerful Asian nations.

Simon Chadwick

Categorized in : Sports

There remains some considerable equity in the Manchester United brand, which has accumulated over decades, hence, there is the potential to extract further value from the brand, especially when targeting certain key target audiences that are familiar with the club's historic success.

It is true that the Olympic Games is a tarnished brand. There is general collective public cynicism of trustworthiness of sports bodies, the Olympic movement has tried to change but the Olympics will continue to be tarnished with the same brush as( world soccer's governing body) FIFA.

You've got a tried and tested product there that cuts across all ages, classes and genders who will subscribe to watch football, so it's a no-risk deal, in rugby it's different because the sport doesn't have the cross-cultural or cross-demographic appeal that football does. I still don't think rugby has broken out of its heartlands.

If the EU prompts such a change then we will effectively be heading towards a free market for labor in the European Union, as we know, the view is that markets regulate themselves, one consequence being that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Another view is that markets are unpredictable, hence the old certainties many in football are used to could disappear.

The pervading view seems to be that we live in a world of 'haves' and 'have nots', and that Europe is growing rich at the expense of significant parts of the rest of the world.

In the short to medium-term this is a completely unrealistic option, and statements coming out of the likes of England are Germany are simply shots across the bows of FIFA, longer term, it is a possibility... but it's a big call for the dissenting nations as it would create a multitude of political and organizational problems for domestic and continental associations.

The divisive way in which boxing has developed is an object lesson in how not to effectively address the importance of organization, governance and commercial change, football faces intense competition from many other sports around the world and the last thing the sport needs is for a fragmentation of power, agreements and markets.

I'm not convinced that Messi or his advisors want this, i think he's simply happy to play football and pick up some additional commercial income along the way.

There is a clear and deliberate strategic intent on the part of the Cristiano Ronaldo and Cristiano Ronaldo business representatives, the intention has been to create and position a brand that provides consumers with a differential advantage over its rivals.