Sports Merchandising. It’s not all about the game!
The world has gone Premier League crazy! It’s official. Long gone are the days when football was just about the game. Since the arrival of commercial magnates like Roman Abramovich and the Glaziers, the idea that football is all about the game has become a distant memory. Marketing the global brand of Chelsea, Liverpool or any other premiership team is far more important than simply playing the beautiful game, or so it would seem.
What Happened to The Beautiful Game?
Part of me misses the good old days when football was played by players who were on the field simply because they loved being there. I’m a Tottenham fan, so when I was a boy, back in the 80′s, we had a great team, with players who were a joy to watch and truly had passion for football. Whereas recently we have been making a bit of a comeback, with much thanks being owed to the genius that is Harry, attracting decent players comes at a price. The or ice being in the region of around £100,000 per week. PER WEEK! What really has become of football as The Beautiful Game? No, it’s all changed.
Where Does This Leave Us?
Well, at first I was rather depressed when I thought about what has happened to football. However, the more I thought about it, the happier I became. You see, as a Marketing Communications expert, I’m regularly giving advice to clients who are directly or indirectly involved with a range of sports. One of these companies is Memento Exclusives. This is a company that provides signed sports merchandise to consumers and businesses alike.
The Managing Director of Memento Exclusives, Barry Gough, spent over 20 years working in what is now one of the most commercialised sports on the planet, Formula 1. The more I speak to Barry, the more I realise that although he is in business to make a profit, his real passion still lies in sport itself. The fact that he can make a living from something he loves is just an added benefit for him.
Companies come back year after year to Barry because he has something they want. This something is high quality merchandise that is personally signed by the world’s leading sportsmen and women. The result, his customers are happy and he is overjoyed as he is doing something he loves.
Conclusion
In the same way as a businessman is in business to make a profit, I do realise that sportsmen need to make a living. £100,000 a week is obscene I agree, but maybe, just maybe I am wrong. Perhaps the passion is not actually gone for the sport. Just shared between the sport itself and the remuneration derived from it. Speaking to someone like Barry makes me realise that commercialism and sport can run hand in hand. So sorry Mr Terry, Mr Cole and Mr Crouch, all is forgiven! Let’s just make sure of one thing though. That however we are involved with sport, whether it be on the field, racetrack or in the boardroom, we don’t lose sight of one thing. This being that the real reason d’être of sport at this high level is to entertain the supporters, without whomever the sport would be nothing.
You can find out more about some of the great signed mementos that Memento Exclusives can offer by going to their website, www.mementoexclusices.co.uk Take a look, I’m you will find something you will like!
Written by Matthew Francis of Fusion-pro (www.fusion-pro.co.uk)
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