American Appeal: ManU's U.S. Tour To Kick Off This Summer

ManU Hopes U.S. Tour Will Ignite Interest

Manchester United (ManU) "will use its off-season to try to chip away at the attention deficit it suffers in the US," according to Michael Steinberger of the FINANCIAL TIMES, who wrote that in July, the club will embark on a four-city U.S. Tour, "attempting to achieve what the sport of soccer has so conspicuously failed to do — win the affection of the average American fan." ManU "have been sprouting roots in the US of late," including the team's joint marketing agreement with the Yankees and its 13-year, US$473.8M deal with Nike. Bucs Owner Malcolm Glazer also purchased a 2.9% stake in the team recently. The team's summer tour "will mark its most significant US foray," with stops to play Juventus in "Italian-rich" N.Y. and Club America in "Latino-rich" L.A. The "tour's success is assured" as three games have already sold out, but "whether it will produce the desired increase in merchandise sales and pay-per-view television purchases is far from certain." As reports have ManU possibly selling the rights to MF David Beckham to Real Madrid before this summer, ManU maintains that the loss of Beckham "would [not] diminish United's global appeal." A team official: "We've learned with the departure of other famous players that business does not walk out the door with them. People are first and foremost Manchester United fans." Meanwhile, Steinberger noted that plans to feature Beckham in an episode of "The Simpsons" were recently dropped. "The Simpsons" Exec Producer Al Jean: "We thought about Becks, but soccer isn't big over there (in the US). He's not really famous enough" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 4/17).