FCBARCELONA.CAT

21.11.2007 20:06

Ingla explains Barça’s global impact

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Barça was present on Wednesday at the Catalonia Internationalisation Week at the Barcelona Fair. Vice-president Marc Ingla explained the process of worldwide expansion of the Club.

FC Barcelona vice-president, Marc Ingla, spoke at a workshop on strategies for worldwide expansion. He explained that Barça bases its activities on two pillars: sporting excellence (good football, fair-play and stylish players) and social commitment. “We believe that we are more than a club and that distinguished us from the rest”. He gave the example of the agreement with UNICEF as something that fitted in perfectly with the values the Club has promoted since 1899.

The importance of success

Marc Ingla admitted that sporting success was essential for the growth in the Barça’s influence and power of attraction: “Our shop window, our star product is the Champions League. It’s key to our projection”. However, he insisted that income alone wasn’t enough and that social commitment was also important.

Ingla went on to describe the situation of the modern football industry. He outlined the rupture between local and global clubs (including Barça) and described football not just as the pitch and the game but also as spectacle: “Barça has a pioneering position in a globalised and media-influenced society. Having great players and winning titles helps to project us and that’s what we have explained: how we capitalise on our international projection”.