Manchester United to unveil global social-media network plus HQ images from Basel Vs Manchester United #mufc

Reuters -
Manchester United is building its own branded global social network and media outlet, with the aim of targeting its international base of an estimated 350m supporters.

Manchester United: developing its own global social network for fans

The Premier League-winning side has appointed SapientNitro as its global digital agency, to handle its digital strategy, digital marketing communications and online experience.
The agency will help to design and build a digital platform that will provide a network for Manchester United fans worldwide, rolling out in stages over the next two years.

The club has identified a target of more than 500m fans, after research agency TNS estimated a potential global audience of 660m with an allegiance to the club. The Manchester United Facebook page has attracted 20m fans in the year since it launched.
The platform will host multimedia content and offer advertising and sponsorship opportunities for brands. It will also sell items such as club merchandise through an ecommerce function.
The aim is to drive engagement with the club’s fans and tap into Asian markets, where Manchester United has a strong following and smartphone use is growing rapidly.
The club will offer fans exclusive content, such as videos featuring star players, and content from TV channel MUTV.

Manchester United won last year’s Premier League title and finished as runner-up in the 2011 Champions League, losing to Barcelona in the final at Wembley.
Both Manchester United and SapientNitro declined to comment.

United have been knocked out this season and will drop into the less glamorous Europa League,  obviously this will cost United money in the long run.  Ben Dirs of BBCsport reports:


United's loss at Basel on Wednesday saw them fail to progress from the group stage for the first time since 2005-06 and drop into the Europa League.
"The cost is between £14m-£18m, just on the TV cash," Andy Green, who writes the blog andersred, told BBC Sport.

"To meet the Financial Fair Play Regulations is very hard for City, they absolutely need to be in the Champions League every year and they need to do well."

"And you can assume they'll lose a few million pounds on gate receipts."
Green, a critic of the club's owners, stressed that while the losses associated with the Champions League exit are not ideal, they are "not fundamental or disastrous" for the club.
"Last year, United were the losing finalists in the Champions League and the further you go in the competition obviously the more TV money you get," he said.
"Last year, for getting to the final, they got about 53m euros [£45m] in TV income and this year they got about 18m euros [£15.3m] less. But if they win the Europa League - a big if - you get £4m.
"The basic way of looking at United's finances is that they turn over about £300m, they've got about £200m of costs, most of which is wages, which leaves £100m of operating profit.
"They pay about £50m a year in interest [on debt still outstanding from the 2005 takeover by the Glazer family] and transfers have got to come out of that as well.
"So if you take that £100m they make and you say that this exit they've made from the Champions League is going to knock off about £20m, that's a bit of a hit."
United finished third in Group C, behind Benfica and Basel, after winning just two of their six games.
After making three of the last four Champions League finals, beating Chelsea on penalties in 2008 before losing to Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, dropping into the Europa League is a big blow.

Man Utd threw away qualification- Evra

"It is embarrassing to be in the Europa League," said United defender Patrice Evra. "I play for Manchester United to be in the Champions League. It's a catastrophe. We feel very sad but we deserve to go out."
United are the first team to be knocked out at the group stage the season after reaching the final and it is only the third time in 17 years that they have departed Europe's elite club competition at this stage.
Green also said that Manchester City's early exit from the Champions League was not ideal either, despite the continued bankrolling of its Abu Dhabi owners.

Uefa's Financial Fair Play Regulations, which came into force on 1 June, essentially mean teams cannot spend more than they generate from the football side of their business, or risk being excluded from European competition.
"In one respect City are fine because they're bankrolled by Abu Dhabi, so financially they can swallow it up," said Green. "But to meet the Financial Fair Play Regulations is very hard for them.
"They absolutely need to be in the Champions League every year and they need to do well. So this is not a great start in that endeavour."

 

Images from HQworld.net

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Manchester Uniteds player of the month award. Vote now! #mufc

 

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September's star man

United remained unbeaten in September to throw up numerous candidates for the ManUtd.com Player of the Month award.

We've whittled the shortlist down to five candidates, which was no easy task, and now the onus is on you to select your star man. As well as the rundown below on the quintet, check out our video of their best moments for more compelling evidence before casting your vote.


David De Gea: The boss felt the media had an agenda against the young Spaniard but he answered any critics with a string of top saves. A clean sheet at Bolton was followed by a couple of vital interventions in the win against Chelsea and two stupdendous stops to frustrate Stoke. One save with his feet again proved his class in the 3-3 draw with Basel as he was left under-protected against the Swiss champions.

Ryan Giggs: The veteran continues to defy age and all logic with his performances as he just seems to be getting better. A wondrous cameo at Bolton was nothing compared to the searing strike against Benfica that means he has scored in 16 Champions League campaigns. A captain's display silenced the Leeds fans as he rounded off his 45 minutes' work with the cheekiest of individual strikes and assists for both of Danny Welbeck's goals against Basel ended the month in fine fashion.





















Phil Jones: Arguably the Barclays Premier League's most attacking centre-back, his dazzling performance at right-back against Bolton was the pick of his fine displays. Another assured performance against Chelsea was followed by one of the stand-out showings in the draw with Stoke. It's little wonder he is well on course to becoming a firm favourite with the fans, even though he was given a stern examination by Basel's bright attackers.

Nani: Simply makes things happen on a football pitch. Emerging as the go-to guy for United in Wayne Rooney's absence, he stepped up to the plate magnificently with a sublime solo effort at Stoke. When brought on against Basel, he also answered the call with a beautiful cross for Ashley Young's late leveller and Welbeck almost won the tie from another perfect delivery from the right. Of course, we can't forget one of the highlights of the month - the searing strike past Petr Cech that even had Sir Alex gasping in amazement.

Wayne Rooney: August's winner could be the man to beat this time around as well, even though injury curtailed his progress. A clinical hat-trick at Bolton proved this is a striker on top of his game and the tap-in against Chelsea ensured he's scored in every league game he's played this term. He would have been further ahead in the striking charts had it not been for slipping and fluffing his penalty against Andre Villas-Boas' side but every fan is eagerly awaiting his return.

Feature from Manunited.com:   Video of candidates          |             Vote here 
 Images from HQworld.net

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UEFA Champions League matchday 2 standings and images. #mufc

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Well last night was matchday 2 of 2011/12 UEFA Champions League group stage, I was at Old Trafford and the game went well in the first half although we didn't create as many chances as we should and defensively we were too laid back. Danny Welbeck continued his amazing form and work-rate, he really has the Rooney work ethic like no one else at United.   The second half was poor however and the boys from Basle managed to score 3 goals! I was in shock to be honest and really couldn't understand how we let this happen.  I often saw Rio and Phil Jones 20 yards apart which is not cool for your centre halves.  It was just too easy for Basle to get back in the game.  Their fans were having a party over in the East stand.  Ashley young saved us anyway so we managed a point in Fergie time.

Elsewhere in the competition Manchester City got a rude awakening in Munchen or Munich as us Englanders say, spanked all over they were lucky to only concede 2 goals from the 23 shots Bayern aimed at their net. In what can only be described as idiocy true to form; Carlos 'Im leaving' Tevez refused to go on the pitch to help out his teammates!   I'm sure we'll be singing his song again at weekend when Norwich come to Old Trafford.    'Who's that tw*t from Argentina?'...........

Here are the standings after matchday 2

Full video highlights at UEFA.com

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