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Tag: Manchester United

  • Man United and adidas strip it back to dreamland with new home kit

    Man United and adidas strip it back to dreamland with new home kit

    MUMBAI: Adidas and Manchester United have dropped their 2025/26 home kit, and it’s steeped in sentiment. Taking cues from the quiet power of Old Trafford on non-match days, the design brings to life the stadium’s soul — minus the roars, but with all the reverence.

    Dubbed the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ kit, the jersey features a moody abstract sleeve graphic in rich reds that nods to the stands, tunnel, and turf. It’s a tribute to the pitch-side calm before the Premier League storm.

    A crisp black-and-white V-neck collar, sleeve cuffs, and adidas’ signature three stripes keep things timeless, while a discreet ‘Theatre of Dreams’ sign-off at the back of the neck tips the hat to the club’s legacy.

    adidas senior design director Juergen Rank said, “The colour red is fundamental to the club’s DNA. There have been many different expressions of it over the years and for this season we wanted to do something a little different, using the sleeves as a canvas. The abstract graphic stays true to the club’s DNA while providing an innovative look and feel to an otherwise classy and classic jersey.”

    Built for performance, the on-field version includes adidas’ latest airflow-maximising fabric. For fans, the replica comes with AEROREADY tech — designed to wick away sweat, even when the match goes to extra time.

     

  • Sawhney jumps ship to Campbell Pacific, eyes Indian media pie

    Sawhney jumps ship to Campbell Pacific, eyes Indian media pie

    MUMBAI: Rajiv S Sawhney, a seasoned tech and digital whizz, has landed a new gig as country manager for India at Campbell Pacific Media, hot on the heels of his stint at Thakral Corp. Sawhney, who boasts a CV sprinkled with big names like Amazon, Yahoo, and even a sojourn with Manchester United, is set to spearhead the firm’s expansion into the bustling Indian market.

    Campbell Pacific Media, a “unique independent media consultancy,” is betting on Sawhney’s knack for forging strategic partnerships and navigating the choppy waters of emerging markets. The aim? To leverage his expertise in CRM and new media to whip up customer engagement strategies that’ll have brands and ad tech companies salivating.

    With a network of over 1000+ entrepreneurs, founders, industry experts, agencies, brands & freelance partners, Campbell Pacific is clearly aiming to be the go-to for anyone looking to crack the Asian market.
    Prior to this, Sawhney clocked nearly five years at Thakral Corp, where he steered the ship as vice president and general manager for India and South Asia, and briefly as chief executive officer of Thakral One Solutions. His past exploits also include a stint as a strategy advisor for Manchester United.

    Before that, he was busy at Amazon, leading business development and partnerships in Singapore, and at Yahoo, where he was senior director and head of global partnerships for APAC. He also served as a founding team member and business head at Reliance Group’s Zapak Digital Entertainment, and as head of ecommerce at Times Internet.

    Sawhney’s move signals Campbell Pacific’s ambitious play in India’s burgeoning digital and ad-tech landscape. With his track record, they’re clearly hoping he can score a hat-trick in the Indian market

  • PVR Inox-Star Sports to screen Manchester United Vs Manchester City in theatres

    PVR Inox-Star Sports to screen Manchester United Vs Manchester City in theatres

    MUMBAI: The mother of all football battles is here. Manchester City vs Manchester United. The Premier League. Come 15 December 9:30 pm,  the much awaited football fiesta is sure to set the screens alight what with the supreme Rodrigo swaying and weaving past the Manchester United mid-fielders and defence and belting one hard past the open mouthed goalie Altay Bayindir and scoring. Football fans can also watch the hard fought game on select cinema screens of PVR Inox theatres in  Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi, Bengaluru, Pune, and other cities.  

    PVR Inox is bringing the action on the turf in collaboration with Star Sports. Bookings for this electrifying match are open now and can be made through PVR Inox’s newly launched WhatsApp Chatbot, Movie Jockey. Fans can enjoy an unforgettable experience with state-of-the-art sound, superior visuals, and the buzz of a live crowd cheering for their teams.

    This screening is part of the Star Sports Select Screenings initiative, following the success of previous events such as the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. 

    Says PVR Inox CEO revenue & operations Gautam Dutta:  “We’re thrilled to bring the excitement of the Manchester derby to the big screen. This is more than just a match; it’s a clash of two football giants, and we can’t wait for fans to experience it in a fully immersive environment.”

     

    (The Picture is of an earlier clash between Manchester United and Manchester City)

  • It’s Manchester Derby in the epic FA Cup final showdown

    It’s Manchester Derby in the epic FA Cup final showdown

    Mumbai: On 25 May 2024, the battle lines are drawn as two titans of English football, Manchester United and Manchester City, collide in the prestigious Emirates FA Cup Finals at Wembley Stadium. This titanic showdown promises to be a spectacle like no other, as these two football powerhouses fight for glory and supremacy on the grand stage.

    Manchester United, a club rich in history and tradition, is determined to reclaim their spot as English football giants, while Manchester City aims to defend their title and assert their dominance once again. The rivalry between these two fierce competitors adds an extra layer of intensity to what is already set to be a thrilling encounter.

    Last year, Manchester City emerged victorious in a dramatic final, with lkay Gündoan scoring the fastest goal ever in an FA Cup final. However, Manchester United, led by the talismanic Bruno Fernandes, is eager for revenge and eager to unlock City’s defence to secure a memorable victory.

    Football fans in India are in for a treat as they witness the intensity of this historic rivalry unfold Streaming live on Sony LIV. With stakes higher than ever, every moment will be pulsating with excitement as these two powerhouse clubs leave it all on the pitch in their quest for FA Cup supremacy.

    Don’t miss out on this historic showdown! Catch the Emirates FA Cup 2024 final live on Sony LIV on 25 May 2024, starting at 7:30 pm IST.

  • Manchester United partners with Vivify Stories for their latest #ILOVEUNITED campaign

    Manchester United partners with Vivify Stories for their latest #ILOVEUNITED campaign

    Mumbai: Manchester United, the iconic football club, recently brought its globally celebrated fan event, #ILOVEUNITED, to Mumbai in an exhilarating opportunity with Vivify Stories, a leading creative production and technology solutions provider. The event took place at Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai on Saturday 9 March 2024, transforming the vibrant City of Dreams into a hub of football fervor. Vivify Stories has done many FIFA World Cup trophy tours previously and has always been dedicated to enhancing fan experiences.

    #ILOVEUNITED Mumbai surpassed traditional celebrations, offering a three-week extravaganza dedicated to strengthening the bond between Manchester United and its passionate fan base in India. Specially curated content across various club channels showcased first-team stars, club legends, and dedicated fans, amplifying the excitement leading up to the main event.

    The gates opened at 15:00 IST allowing fans to immerse themselves in the full match day experience in the build-up to the kick-off at 18:00 IST.

    The highlight of the evening was the live match screening hosted by Manchester United legends Denis Irwin and Wes Brown. Thousands of fans gathered at The Royal Western India Turf Club for a unique and immersive matchday experience, witnessing the exhilarating Premier League clash against Everton at Old Trafford.

    Attendees not only enjoyed the live match screening but also immersed themselves in the magic of Old Trafford on the big screen. Interactive games, giveaways, and photo opportunities further deepened the connection between fans and the club they passionately support.

    Vivify Stories founder and director Vikram Bhalla expressed his excitement about the opportunity, stating, ‘’At Vivify Stories, we’re dedicated to enhancing fan experiences by delivering an international quality event. We have done this for Manchester United for over a decade and across multiple countries in Asia and we have gotten better year after year both in terms of scale as well as the quality delivered.  We aim to help our client engage with the  fans, deepen connections, and ignite the shared love for football in every attendee.”

    This event marked the eighth occurrence of #ILOVEUNITED in India, triumphantly returning to Mumbai after a successful 2018 event in Kolkata, where over 7,000 fans gathered for an unforgettable evening with Wes Brown and Mikael Silvestre.

  • Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to make first-ever India tour in December

    Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to make first-ever India tour in December

    Mumbai: Football legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is all set for his maiden visit to India as the Manchester United fan and founder of Ace of Pubs, Tilak Gaurang Shah will be hosting the exciting three-city tour from 15 December to 17 December.

    Solskjaer is a renowned name in the football world and enjoys a huge fanbase in India as well. The former Manchester United manager is also among the leading scorers for the club with 126 goals in 366 appearances for the club. His sensational last-minute winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich is still fresh in the memories of football fans across the world.

    “I have heard a lot about Manchester United fans in India from Tilak and I simply had to experience the fandom myself. I’m thrilled to join the fans in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi and looking forward to an unforgettable time. This marks my first visit to the beautiful country, and I can’t wait to be here. Best wishes and see you soon!,” Solskjaer expressed his excitement.

    Manchester United fans in India will be treated with a life-time opportunity to get live glimpses of their favourite star as Solskjaer will ignite football fervour across the country when he lands in Bengaluru — the first city of his tour, on 15 December.

    While Solskjaer’s trip to India was finalised earlier this year, Tilak is confident of successfully hosting this exceptional tour and making it memorable for the Indian fans. He said: “I have been an ardent Manchester United fan for more than two decades now and visit Old Trafford once every quarter for a regular dose of footballing entertainment. After talking to Ole about United’s popularity in India, I knew his network and expertise could act as a catalyst in redefining football back home. Ace of Pubs aspires to infuse the Old Trafford fervour in India. The tour will start from Bengaluru followed by Mumbai and Delhi on December 16 and 17 respectively. This will be a momentous occasion not only for Manchester United supporters but also all football fans in India.”

    The football fever that accompanies the visit of the legendary icon Solskjaer will be nothing short of electrifying.

    For Manchester United fans, it will be the best opportunity to get up, close and personal with Solskjaer, who will also share his favourite Premier League tales and every fan, attending the event, will receive an authenticated 1999 Champions League final jersey signed by Solskjaer himself.

    Ace of Pubs is India’s largest quizzing company which conducts over 200 events per month across India and the UAE, and the bootstrapped startup company specialises in experiential events with a strong football fan network across all major cities in India and in Dubai. Making the moment even more special for the fans, the Platinum Ticket holders will get an opportunity to be part of an exclusive meet and greet with Solskjaer whereas all Platinum and Sapphire Ticket holders will get a chance to click a photo with one of the all-time greats.

    During his visit, Solskjaer will hold gala dinners with fans in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi.  Club ITC & ITC Hotels and Johnnie Walker have pledged their support as hospitality and celebration partners respectively. Ace of Trades has come on board as the Corporate engagement partner.

    BookMyShow, Paytm Insider and Zomato Live will jointly facilitate ticket sales, and 12th Man Brewing has joined as gameday partners in Mumbai.

    Following his playing career, Solskjaer also collaborated with the iconic coach Sir Alex Ferguson, coaching the Manchester United first team strikers in the 2007-08 season. He also transitioned into management as he assumed the role of manager at the Old Trafford in 2019 succeeding Jose Mourinho. Popularly known as the baby-faced assassin, Solskjaer has also played 67 matches for Norway, scoring 23 times for his country.

    As per the Business YouGov report of 2022 measuring the popularity of Manchester United in multiple global markets, India boasts a staggering 38% of Manchester United fan base. 

  • Top four football minds to discuss global fanbase and India’s growth at Leaders Meet: India

    Top four football minds to discuss global fanbase and India’s growth at Leaders Meet: India

    Mumbai: The Indian sports industry has seen an exhilarating journey in recent years. In 2022, it witnessed a surge in revenues, crossing the Rs 140 billion mark, recording a remarkable 49 percent increase from the preceding year. This, in itself, is a testament to the growing popularity of sports in India. While cricket continues to be a national passion, the excitement for diverse sports is reaching new heights. The Indian audience is now hooked to witness innovation, an enhanced experience, and greater engagement beyond the cricketing field.

    Leaders Meet: India, to be held in Bengaluru on 29 and 30 November, steps in as a catalyst where dialogues and idea exchange will be the centre of this transformation. The event will bring together the biggest game changers from across the sporting world, offering a truly global perspective on the present and future of the sports industry and how India can become a powerhouse in the business of sports.

    As we edge closer to the summit, here are four global sports leaders who have transformed and expanded the global football market and each, a trailblazer in their respective fields, will be sharing their perspectives and propelling discussion at the Leaders Meet: India.

    FIFA’s primary focus is to expand and develop football as well as democratize the sport globally. FIFA+ witnessed 211 million unique users for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and 190 million views on match recaps. Recently, FIFA+ has also expanded its availability on five new connected TV app. In order to bring more benefits for football fans, FIFA Digital Skills was launched in 2022 as an educational programme to develop the digital skills and expertise of professionals working in the global football community. This was a pet project of Charlotte Burr. The platform also included a dedicated e-learning platform, case studies of best practices, analysis of the latest technological trends and a series of live masterclasses for the ever increasing football community. At the Leaders Meet: India, as FIFA’s director of strategy for corporate development and digital, Charlotte Burr will be presenting the importance of India as a football market and what are possibilities for India to explore and become one of the biggest football growth market in the world.

    The Premier League’s annual TV audience is 4.7 billion and the game is viewed in 643 million homes worldwide. Fantasy Premier League too attracted 11.4 million participants from the world over last season and it became the primary touchpoint for the audience to engage with the league and develop a strong affinity with a particular club of liking. As Premier League chief commercial officer Will Brass will be giving an insider account on the business strategies about the world’s number one football league and also plans for India as a strong growth market for football.

    As per latest statistical data, Manchester United had the highest average attendance in the Premier League in the 2023/24 season, attracting crowds of around 73,488 to Old Trafford. Meanwhile, city rivals and Premier League champions Manchester City had an average attendance of 53,427. The club stands third in the revenue list (2021-22) and aims to only grow stronger and bigger fanbase. Ellie, with Formula 1, led the sport to grow its fan base, defined its vision, value & purpose and delivered sustainable growth for the game globally. And now with Manchester United, as their chief communications officer, Ellie Norman has been keeping fans back at the heart of the club. During the Leaders Meet: India, she will give insights on the ups and down through strategic marketing, partnerships, content and fan engagement.

    Tottenham Hotspur enjoy a massive fanbase in Korea as 12 million out of the country’s total population of 51 million supports the club which is almost one in four. Tottenham Hotspur has significantly hastened its digital development. The club revamped its website, recast its app and expanded its social media capabilities in line with this shift. While television growth has been significant, digital campaigns overtook traditional formats at Spurs. The club also fast-tracked its marketing tech stack build out and now has a strong following in the APAC region. To roll out the back story, Hotspur chief football officer Scott Munn will speak about the power of legacy fan base that will harness the Indian sub-continent football brand story at the Leaders Meet: India.

  • CVC Capital Partners, RPSG Group win bids to own two new IPL teams

    CVC Capital Partners, RPSG Group win bids to own two new IPL teams

    Mumbai : Kolkata-based business tycoon Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG Group has won the bid for Lucknow franchise for a whopping Rs 7090 crore while international equity investment firm CVC Capital won the bid for Ahmedabad with a Rs 5600 crore offer, as the much-awaited IPL bidding took place in Dubai on Monday.

    The T20 cricketing extravaganza will now witness ten teams competing for the coveted trophy when the league enters its 15th season next year. The two new teams will be from Lucknow and Ahmedabad.

    The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) earned a whooping Rs 12,690 crore from the two new franchises. “We’re extremely happy that Indian cricket is growing forward. That is what is important for us. We look at Indian cricket and that’s what our job is. The more Indian cricket prosperous, the better it is,” BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said.

    Goenka Group has been in the IPL for two years in 2016 and 2017 when he owned the Rising Pune Supergiants.

    “Yes, RPSG had the highest bid while CVC had the second-highest bid at Rs 5600 crore. The BCCI stand to earn around $ 1. 70 billion from the deal,” reported PTI citing a senior BCCI source.

    The Governing Council of the IPL had issued the ‘Invitation to Tender’ (“ITT”) document available on payment of the non-refundable tender fees on 31 August. But BCCI had later decided to extend the date for purchasing the ITT document till 10 October.

    As many as 22 companies had picked up tender documents worth Rs 10 lakh when the BCCI opened the process this year. But with base price for new teams pegged at Rs 2000 crore, only five to six serious bidders entered the fray.

  • Carabao Cup Round of 16: English football’s topflight teams go head-to-head

    Carabao Cup Round of 16: English football’s topflight teams go head-to-head

    MUMBAI: English Football League’s annual knockout competition – Carabao Cup heads towards another round of dramatic matches with some of the top clubs facing-off in the round of 16. The third round witnessed 32 teams battle it out for progression in the competition, with many scares and surprises as Manchester United needed penalties to overcome Rochdale – a League One team, while Tottenham fell victim to League Two side Colchester United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Red Devils have a lot to prove as they now face a tough trip to Stamford bridge where the mighty blues – Chelsea await them. Underrated Premiere League contenders – Arsenal take on current leaders – Liverpool at Anfield, while last year’s champions – Manchester City face Southampton in their pursuit of a third consecutive Carabao Cup at home at the Etihad Stadium.

    Adding Carabao Cup football to the channels’ programming, Hashim D’Souza – Head of Programming, English Entertainment, Viacom18, said “Offering comprehensive entertainment for our audience across ages and milieu, we continue to add properties in our programming, from big ticket international awards to some of the most popular shows, as well as coveted events like the Carabao Cup. The fandom of English football in India is larger than any other league, and we’re showcasing some of the biggest knockout clashes of the season to the audience. With a few surprises in the previous round of matches, we expect fireworks in the upcoming games.”

  • Apollo Tyres ropes in Sachin Tendulkar – Signs a five-year association with the sports icon

    Apollo Tyres ropes in Sachin Tendulkar – Signs a five-year association with the sports icon

    MUMBAI: Apollo Tyres, the leading tyre maker, which has been going the distance with its sponsorship of the top English Premier League brand, Manchester United, over the last five years, has now roped in Sachin Tendulkar, one of the greatest cricketing icons of the world, as its brand ambassador for a period of five years. This is the first time that the company has associated with a celebrity as the face of its brand.

    For Apollo Tyres, this association with Manchester United and Sachin Tendulkar is in line with its brand strategy, to reach out and engage with its target audience globally. The association with Tendulkar, will help the company leverage on his fan following and popularity as a sports icon to drive home the company’s own message of making every journey a safe and inspiring one.

    Commenting on the association with Sachin Tendulkar, Neeraj Kanwar, Vice Chairman & MD, Apollo Tyres Ltd said, “Building the Apollo brand to its true potential is key to our growth. By securing Sachin Tendulkar’s association with our brand, we have embarked on an exciting journey together. I am sure this partnership will help us go the distance!”

    Sachin is one of the few sporting icons who have emerged stronger even post hanging his bat! He is an Indian sports icon who is known globally, much as what Apollo Tyres is attempting to do. Tendulkar being a car enthusiast also gels well for Apollo Tyres.

    In addition to it being the Global Tyre Partner for English Premier League club, Manchester United, Apollo Tyres also has a presence in the German Bundesliga, with its association with Borussia Monchengladbach. In India, it has a presence in the Indian Super League (ISL), being the principal sponsor of Chennaiyin FC, and in the I-League, with its title sponsorship of Minerva Punjab FC.