Cardiff City: Our biggest PR coup
Wed Apr 24, 2013 5:10 am
Done a little searching around the web and found this article from the Malaysian paper 'the sun daily'
----------
IN ALL my years of watching English football matches on TV, nothing could quite compare with the delirious scenes last week when Cardiff City were promoted to the English Premier League (EPL) after a 0-0 draw at home to Charlton Athletic.
It ended 51 agonising years for the Welsh club to return to the top flight, sometimes dubbed the promised land, as the EPL is arguably the world's most prestigious football league watched by hundreds of millions weekly all over the world.
Cardiff have missed out on the promotion in the playoffs for the last three seasons in the Championship (second division) and will play in the EPL for the first time since 1962.
To realise how long ago it was, John F. Kennedy was president of the United States in 1962 and Malaysia had not even come into being as a federation. Kennedy was assassinated on Nov 22 that year while Malaysia was formed on Sept 16 the following year.
A bit of history but what was absolutely fantastic was the Malaysian connection to Cardiff City FC. The club is owned by billionaire Tan Sri Vincent Tan, better known as the founder of the Berjaya conglomerate.
No surveys were done as to how many Malaysians stayed up till the wee hours to watch that Cardiff-Charlton match to share the glorious moments of a club hitherto unknown to most of us who are mainly die-hard fans of either Manchester United, Liverpool or Arsenal.
The climax was the final whistle when over 20,000 home fans invaded the pitch hugging as many players as they could in a chaotic but sporting situation.
Bob Holmes, a respected football pundit, wrote that Tan has single-handedly driven Cardiff City into the English Premier League.
TV shots of Tan showed him joining the celebration at the stadium and for a man who was not even a football fan before he bought Cardiff City in 2010, he was simply ecstatic and looked the happiest that I have ever seen him.
The club's promotion is certainly the biggest public relations coup for Malaysia with enormous potentials especially in terms of tourism and was achieved at no cost to taxpayers.
This is because Tan had insisted from Day One that "Malaysia" and not names like Berjaya or the other companies be emblazoned on the team jersey.
When Tan Sri Fernandes took over the ownership of EPL club Queens Park Rangers (QPR) a couple of years ago, he had AsiaAir that he also owns on the jerseys during home matches and Malaysia Airlines (MAS) that he briefly co-owned on away matches before it was switched to only AirAsia after his patnership with MAS was aborted last year.
Now with only four matches left in this EPL season, QPR are lying second from the bottom of the table and 10 points adrift of safety.Reports described QPR's perilous position as "all but relegated" to the Championship where Cardiff City was for so long.
The Midas touch that Fernandes seems to have with his airline and other business does not seem to extend to football. When I texted him the good news of Cardiff's promotion, Fernandes replied: "It's great. At least one Malaysian-owned team in the EPL. Awesome news." Reading between the lines gives the impression that he has all but given up on QPR's survival in EPL, barring a miracle.
Miracles do happen in football and this was what happened to QPR when they escaped relegation on the last match of the previous season by the skin of their teeth. Imagine having two Malaysian-owned teams in the top-ranking league of the world's most popular sport!
Even Tan is understandably overawed by it all and has issued a rallying cry to Malaysians to get behind the club, saying it is a "fantastic feeling" to be the owner of a member of the world's most famous league.
His next big move is to draw support from football fans and the business community, both state and private sectors.
But having invested around RM50 million on players this season and paying for both the jersey sponsorship and live telecasts of Cardiff home matches, Tan says the time has come for others to share the burden.
"In the Championship, I've decided to personally sponsor my country. But now we need help to buy the players to stay up. He plans to talk to the next tourism minister.
What he has in mind is for example, Cardiff can put "Visit Malaysia" on their shirts, just like Sunderland has "Invest in Africa" shirts.
"Now that we are in the Premier League, everytime we play it's going to be on TV worldwide – especially when we play the top clubs with big following like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. Everyone will be watching and that's a lot of publicity for the shirt sponsor."
The Tourism Ministry and top companies should grab this chance to put the Malaysia brand up there on par with the world's other top brands. Like the astute businessman that he is, Tan is learning about football business fast, too. He says football needs sponsors as big bucks are involved.
"You know how expensive the players are and how big their salaries are. We definitely have to buy a few players of Premier League quality.Of course, we'll try to keep as many of our present players but we need better ones."
Cardiff manager Malky Mackay was the first to attribute the club's success to Tan. "Our owner has put a lot of money into the club over the last four years, the players and the people of Cardiff because they have waited a long time to be back into the top division," he said.
"Hopefully this is a little way to repay them for their backing over the last 20 months. I'm so happy for them."
This club has got the character and substance to prove that their promotion is no flash in the pan. Tan vows that "God willing, we can stay in the Premier League for a long time." Of course, like Tony Fernandes, success in running AirAsia does not extend to the football pitch and Tan is aware of this.
But in contrast to the ever busy Fernandes who has to shuttle from place to place as AirAsia seeks new markets, Tan can have the luxury of time to be hands-on with Cardiff City now that he has his son Datuk Robin as head of the Berjaya group that he also virtually single-handedly brought to its lofty position as one of Malaysia's most successful corporate entities.
Kudos to Tan and Fernandes.
----------
IN ALL my years of watching English football matches on TV, nothing could quite compare with the delirious scenes last week when Cardiff City were promoted to the English Premier League (EPL) after a 0-0 draw at home to Charlton Athletic.
It ended 51 agonising years for the Welsh club to return to the top flight, sometimes dubbed the promised land, as the EPL is arguably the world's most prestigious football league watched by hundreds of millions weekly all over the world.
Cardiff have missed out on the promotion in the playoffs for the last three seasons in the Championship (second division) and will play in the EPL for the first time since 1962.
To realise how long ago it was, John F. Kennedy was president of the United States in 1962 and Malaysia had not even come into being as a federation. Kennedy was assassinated on Nov 22 that year while Malaysia was formed on Sept 16 the following year.
A bit of history but what was absolutely fantastic was the Malaysian connection to Cardiff City FC. The club is owned by billionaire Tan Sri Vincent Tan, better known as the founder of the Berjaya conglomerate.
No surveys were done as to how many Malaysians stayed up till the wee hours to watch that Cardiff-Charlton match to share the glorious moments of a club hitherto unknown to most of us who are mainly die-hard fans of either Manchester United, Liverpool or Arsenal.
The climax was the final whistle when over 20,000 home fans invaded the pitch hugging as many players as they could in a chaotic but sporting situation.
Bob Holmes, a respected football pundit, wrote that Tan has single-handedly driven Cardiff City into the English Premier League.
TV shots of Tan showed him joining the celebration at the stadium and for a man who was not even a football fan before he bought Cardiff City in 2010, he was simply ecstatic and looked the happiest that I have ever seen him.
The club's promotion is certainly the biggest public relations coup for Malaysia with enormous potentials especially in terms of tourism and was achieved at no cost to taxpayers.
This is because Tan had insisted from Day One that "Malaysia" and not names like Berjaya or the other companies be emblazoned on the team jersey.
When Tan Sri Fernandes took over the ownership of EPL club Queens Park Rangers (QPR) a couple of years ago, he had AsiaAir that he also owns on the jerseys during home matches and Malaysia Airlines (MAS) that he briefly co-owned on away matches before it was switched to only AirAsia after his patnership with MAS was aborted last year.
Now with only four matches left in this EPL season, QPR are lying second from the bottom of the table and 10 points adrift of safety.Reports described QPR's perilous position as "all but relegated" to the Championship where Cardiff City was for so long.
The Midas touch that Fernandes seems to have with his airline and other business does not seem to extend to football. When I texted him the good news of Cardiff's promotion, Fernandes replied: "It's great. At least one Malaysian-owned team in the EPL. Awesome news." Reading between the lines gives the impression that he has all but given up on QPR's survival in EPL, barring a miracle.
Miracles do happen in football and this was what happened to QPR when they escaped relegation on the last match of the previous season by the skin of their teeth. Imagine having two Malaysian-owned teams in the top-ranking league of the world's most popular sport!
Even Tan is understandably overawed by it all and has issued a rallying cry to Malaysians to get behind the club, saying it is a "fantastic feeling" to be the owner of a member of the world's most famous league.
His next big move is to draw support from football fans and the business community, both state and private sectors.
But having invested around RM50 million on players this season and paying for both the jersey sponsorship and live telecasts of Cardiff home matches, Tan says the time has come for others to share the burden.
"In the Championship, I've decided to personally sponsor my country. But now we need help to buy the players to stay up. He plans to talk to the next tourism minister.
What he has in mind is for example, Cardiff can put "Visit Malaysia" on their shirts, just like Sunderland has "Invest in Africa" shirts.
"Now that we are in the Premier League, everytime we play it's going to be on TV worldwide – especially when we play the top clubs with big following like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. Everyone will be watching and that's a lot of publicity for the shirt sponsor."
The Tourism Ministry and top companies should grab this chance to put the Malaysia brand up there on par with the world's other top brands. Like the astute businessman that he is, Tan is learning about football business fast, too. He says football needs sponsors as big bucks are involved.
"You know how expensive the players are and how big their salaries are. We definitely have to buy a few players of Premier League quality.Of course, we'll try to keep as many of our present players but we need better ones."
Cardiff manager Malky Mackay was the first to attribute the club's success to Tan. "Our owner has put a lot of money into the club over the last four years, the players and the people of Cardiff because they have waited a long time to be back into the top division," he said.
"Hopefully this is a little way to repay them for their backing over the last 20 months. I'm so happy for them."
This club has got the character and substance to prove that their promotion is no flash in the pan. Tan vows that "God willing, we can stay in the Premier League for a long time." Of course, like Tony Fernandes, success in running AirAsia does not extend to the football pitch and Tan is aware of this.
But in contrast to the ever busy Fernandes who has to shuttle from place to place as AirAsia seeks new markets, Tan can have the luxury of time to be hands-on with Cardiff City now that he has his son Datuk Robin as head of the Berjaya group that he also virtually single-handedly brought to its lofty position as one of Malaysia's most successful corporate entities.
Kudos to Tan and Fernandes.
Re: Cardiff City: Our biggest PR coup
Wed Apr 24, 2013 5:20 am
Very interesting.
Re: Cardiff City: Our biggest PR coup
Wed Apr 24, 2013 5:49 am
A fascinating insight Gavin.
VT has completed phase one, the financial no brainer, he has bought a premier league club for c£100m! What self respecting billionaire wouldn't?
Phase two. Question: How do we stay up and then avoid either an annual fight for survival or at best lower to mid table mediocrity?
Answer: Shedloads and then more shedloads of money and even that may not be enough (QPR)
Rather him than me, but I am really going to enjoy the ride be it short or hopefully a little longer!
VT has completed phase one, the financial no brainer, he has bought a premier league club for c£100m! What self respecting billionaire wouldn't?
Phase two. Question: How do we stay up and then avoid either an annual fight for survival or at best lower to mid table mediocrity?
Answer: Shedloads and then more shedloads of money and even that may not be enough (QPR)
Rather him than me, but I am really going to enjoy the ride be it short or hopefully a little longer!
Re: Cardiff City: Our biggest PR coup
Wed Apr 24, 2013 2:43 pm
He is a clever cookie old VT. Put Malaysia on our shirts this season (worth around £350,000) and next year in the Premier League he can charge a lot more for "Visit Malaysia" or even get his betting licence in exchange.
I don't think we have scratched the surface with regard to VT and I expect loads more sponsorship deals in the Far East over the next few years.
I don't think we have scratched the surface with regard to VT and I expect loads more sponsorship deals in the Far East over the next few years.
Re: Cardiff City: Our biggest PR coup
Wed Apr 24, 2013 4:51 pm
Tony Blue Williams wrote:He is a clever cookie old VT. Put Malaysia on our shirts this season (worth around £350,000) and next year in the Premier League he can charge a lot more for "Visit Malaysia" or even get his betting licence in exchange.
I don't think we have scratched the surface with regard to VT and I expect loads more sponsorship deals in the Far East over the next few years.
All in the name of Malaysia hey Tony.
Re: Cardiff City: Our biggest PR coup
Wed Apr 24, 2013 5:54 pm
Tony Blue Williams wrote:He is a clever cookie old VT. Put Malaysia on our shirts this season (worth around £350,000) and next year in the Premier League he can charge a lot more for "Visit Malaysia" or even get his betting licence in exchange.
I don't think we have scratched the surface with regard to VT and I expect loads more sponsorship deals in the Far East over the next few years.
Re: Cardiff City: Our biggest PR coup
Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:54 pm
He's not a billionaire for nothing.
Re: Cardiff City: Our biggest PR coup
Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:23 pm
Bakedalasker wrote:Tony Blue Williams wrote:He is a clever cookie old VT. Put Malaysia on our shirts this season (worth around £350,000) and next year in the Premier League he can charge a lot more for "Visit Malaysia" or even get his betting licence in exchange.
I don't think we have scratched the surface with regard to VT and I expect loads more sponsorship deals in the Far East over the next few years.
All in the name of Malaysia hey Tony.
Yes all in the name of Malaysia Halfbaked. You can try having Visit Splott Market on your shirts if you want but it probably wouldn't cut the mustard in a global market in a global league!