Manchester City, a dominant force in English football under the stewardship of Pep Guardiola, is set to expand its influence beyond the pitch by developing new football-themed television shows. This new effort comes on the heels of their remarkable victory in the Premier League. Moreover, it spotlights their astounding creation studio exploits of the wide-ranging amusement field, cementing the club’s reputation as a global titan in both athletics and pc leisure.
Over the last 10 years, the Premier League has been ruled with an iron fist by Manchester City. They achieved the historic feat of becoming the first men’s team in English football history to win the top-flight title four times in a row (from the 2020/21 season). Respected globally, but rarely imitated under the strategic leadership of City Football Group (CFG), the club has experienced unprecedented on-field success. It has transformed into an incubator of development and a world football superpower.
In the past few years, Manchester City has found great success with its behind-the-scenes documentary series. The 2018 Amazon series, ‘All or Nothing’, provided fans with an inside look at the club’s operations, while their latest Netflix offering, ‘Together: Treble Winners’, marked a milestone as the first in-house documentary produced by a Premier League club to secure a multi-million-pound distribution deal with Netflix. This new-found love story with streaming giants isn’t just a coincidence but a calculated step to grow and expand Manchester City’s brand and presence even more.
The City Football Group is currently valued at $11 billion and owns stakes in 12 clubs around the world. These include franchises like New York City FC—in the United States—Melbourne City FC—in Australia—Mumbai City FC—in India—and Yokohama F. Marinos—in Japan. This global network helps make Manchester City a much more attractive brand. It comes with new rich storytelling possibilities that resonate with passionate audiences across the globe.
The windfall from such ventures is huge for Manchester City and its owners. The club is embarking on the lucrative television and digital content frontier. This strategic shift will dramatically enhance its fund streams. The new television initiatives will help tell the stories that put CFG, its clubs and its players front and center. Finally, they’ll have the chance to write gripping fiction narratives focused on soccer, putting it at the heart of their storylines.
Wayne Garvie, then president of international fiction and drama at content producer and distributor All3Media, called it an exciting new direction.
“The basics are always the same: 22 players, two goals, one ball, but the game always evolves and over the last decade City Football Group have become an unprecedented innovator and global leader. Our aim is to be part of the next evolution of the game, creating a new generation of innovative football-based entertainment to thrill the world.” – Wayne Garvie
Ferrán Soriano, CEO of City Football Group, underscored the collaborative capacity of this project.
“Bringing together the expertise of both CFG and SPT will enable us to create brilliant shows and remain at the forefront of football-led content production.” – Ferran Soriano
CFG’s decision to increase its footprint on screens is in line with the group’s broader strategy to shake up the footballing world. The group has already set a precedent for other clubs by demonstrating how to effectively merge sports and entertainment. Notably, CFG’s recent acquisition of Wrexham AFC has transformed the club from the National League to League One under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, showcasing their commitment to enhancing football clubs through strategic investments and innovative thinking.
Manchester City gets ready for a new era of broadcasting opportunities and challenges. The club’s aim is to present the broadest range of narratives that best reflect the beautiful game we love. CFG shared their vision for upcoming projects:
“Include stories related directly to CFG and its clubs and players, as well as the creation of projects inspired by football, or where football is the central theme or plotline.” – City Football Group
This extension into television is sure to make Manchester City’s storytelling even sharper. Supporters can engage with their favorite team more than just on gamedays. Manchester City is uncharted waters. Look for them to appear more frequently on your screens!
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