Menu
Download the app

SBJ subscribers – Enhance your experience with the revamped iOS app

Franchises

ManU CEO David Gill To Stand Down, Cede Power To Exec Vice Chair Ed Woodward

Manchester United CEO David Gill will "stand down at the end of the season as he targets a new role" on UEFA’s exec committee, according to Burrows & Ducker of the LONDON TIMES. ManU Exec Vice Chair Ed Woodward "has been confirmed as the replacement" for Gill, who joined ManU from the tour operator First Holidays as financial director in '97 and became CEO in '03. Gill "will remain" a club director and continue as FA vice chairman. Although Woodward will assume the CEO’s responsibilities, dealing with issues such as transfer and contract negotiations, he will "continue to attend Premier League meetings." Gill’s "desire to earn a place" on UEFA’s exec committee, the organization’s main decision-making body, has "persuaded him that he cannot perform that role and his job at United to the highest standard, convincing him to stand down" (LONDON TIMES, 2/20). BLOOMBERG's Alex Duff reported Woodward "helped the Glazer family secure" a £790M leveraged buyout of ManU in '05 when he was a banker at JPMorgan. In a statement, ManU co-Chair Joel Glazer said Woodward "truly understands the club’s culture and what makes this club so treasured." In another change, Commercial Dir Richard Arnold "will become" group managing director. Woodward, who has worked for ManU since '07, and Arnold "signed sponsorship deals" with companies including Malaysian snack brand Mr. Potato and Chilean winemaker Concha y Toro (BLOOMBERG, 2/20). In a statement, Gill said, "It has been a very hard decision because I love this club and, as the fans' banner says, it is 'more than a religion'" (ManU). Glazer added, "I am very pleased he has agreed to remain on the board, so that his experience and counsel are not lost to us. I hope that the decision he has made will be to the benefit of the game in Europe as a whole, as he seeks election to UEFA's executive committee" (GUARDIAN, 2/20).

FERGUSON REACTS: ManU Manager Alex Ferguson said, "I have been at United for over 26 years and for 23 of those years my boss has been one of only two men: Martin Edwards, who brought me to the club, and David Gill. I have enjoyed working with both. David has been a magnificent chief executive. Of course, we have had a million arguments, but I have always enjoyed them because I know that David has two great qualities: he is straight and he always puts Manchester United first" (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 2/20). REUTERS' Keith Weir reported fans and investors who have bought shares in the club "will be keen to see how Woodward gets on with Ferguson." Ferguson, 71, who has managed the club since '86, said that "he was sorry that Gill was leaving but welcomed the appointment of Woodward." Ferguson: "He is a young man with the energy and drive to help keep United at the forefront of the game and to help us maintain our success on the field" (REUTERS, 2/20).

WHAT NOW? Finance blog Andersred hedge fund manager Andy Green said, "Before this you had a clear division between the football club and the commercial operations run by Woodward. That [policy] has been very successful for Manchester United." He added: "Mr. Woodward is a financier who will now have to get down and dirty in the negotiations with clubs and footballers" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 2/20). In London, Jamie Jackson wrote on the GUARDIAN's The Sport Blog the timing of Gill's departure, described as a "big loss" to Ferguson, is "bound to intrigue others." The club is 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League, has an "enticingly poised" Champions League last-16 tie with Real Madrid to complete in a few weeks and is already into the quarterfinals of the FA Cup. As Gill "steps away with a second treble looming into view, aged just 55, many wonder, why now?" (GUARDIAN, 2/20).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2013/02/21/Franchises/ManU.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2013/02/21/Franchises/ManU.aspx

CLOSE