Reports online have emerged that the biggest tech company in the World, Apple, is interested in purchasing Manchester United Football club. The football club is up for sale, and different buyers are running up their interests on acquiring it.
We are living in unprecedented times in terms of the influence different companies and personalities in tech have on other sectors of life.
We currently have obscenely rich people acquiring stuff, and controlling different things, even influencing legislation.
For example, we’re maybe witnessing Twitter’s implosion after the current world’s richest man – with no prior background in social media platforms – acquired it a few weeks ago.
In the agricultural sector, we currently have heightened conversations around Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) with former World’s richest person pushing for a shift from natural foods to GMOs.
The influence tech has come to have over other things in life is undeniable. Apple for example controls perception of what’s to be viewed as cool consumer tech; the iPhone, the MacBook, AirPods etc. Their choices influence almost every other manufacturer in the industry, and later on you and me.
With an annual revenue of over $400 Billion, and what could be the largest cash reserves, it’s a given that the Apple can afford Manchester United.
But why do the want it? (If the rumours are true, that is)
Well, advertising!
Football is the most watched sport in the world. Companies like MultiChoice make millions in profit from having the rights to certain football leagues and competitions.
We’ve seen brands partner with different football clubs in efforts to build brand reputation and perception. I mean, weren’t we all amazed by Rwanda’s partnership with Arsenal? Didn’t we all think of it as a genius way to encourage tourism? And… didn’t it work?
Well, what happens if you now actually own a club? And have money to own, design and make changes to a huge football stadium?
What happens if you have money to buy the best of players and have them in Apple commercials? What happens if you can have your brand name appear in all the football matches they play? What happens if you can make them all use Apple products and talk about them on social media.
Remember Apple also has Apple TV. And Fitness subscriptions. And think of the things such a purchase can do to.
What are the sort of returns you can expect from such a purchase? Well, let’s see how this goes, if it’s indeed true.
