03.08.2009 13:14
Ferrer: "Companies take an interest in Barça"
Berta Brau (enviada especial) / Marc Parramon
Jaume Ferrer, vice president for marketing of FC Barcelona, has spoken about the tour in a strategic sense, describing it as “a possibility to establish contacts with companies” and “to place Barça in a global position”.
Midway through their American tour, FC Barcelona have had a number of opportunities to demonstrate
the success of this visit to the United States. The public furore surrounding the club has also
generated commercial interest in Barça.
Contact with major companies
Jaume Ferrer stated that “sporting success has a big influence on the interest
companies show in Barça”. Therefore, FC Barcelona is able to take advantage of the situation
to create links with some of the biggest companies located in the United States. “On this
tour we have held several meetings with some very important company directors. Some of them are
looking to settle forms of sponsoring FC Barcelona this very year” said Ferrer.
Global positioning
The United States had become a major target area
for FC Barcelona, to the extent that the club even has a marketing team based in New York.
“We know that a large part of the club’s growth in recent years has been because of the
international market, so we are working hard to put the brand in a global position” commented
Ferrer.
American and Asian markets
Ferrer admits that FC Barcelona are back in the USA because “after the treble and
thanks to the interest in MLS, the American market offers high expectations and we have been able
to charge as much for games as we did in Asia.” He also said that FC Barcelona will probably
alternate their tours between America and Asia, a place he is sure “we will return”.