The changes in football driven by globalization motivated the arrival of private capital from foreign investors into EU football clubs. The way in which investors acted upon the clubs was very much like any other business. The first step taken by the clubs was to expand their markets, looking for consumers outside Europe. East and Southeast Asia were the main target of clubs. Membership, gear, TV broadcasting of matches and even special channels focused exclusively in one club (Ex: Chelsea TV) and even pre season tours where teams would fly into several countries playing friendlies and giving the consumers the opportunity of getting close to the club were attributes that each club needed to have in order to match competitors (PoP).

Manchester United in in the summer of 2005 stood out from the rest by purchasing Park Ji-Sung, Korean footballer. If Man U chose to buy Park in order to profit is an ongoing debate but the result of this transfer was a growth in popularity and consumers in the Asian market. Due to the presence of Park in United’s squad, consumers could associate themselves with the brand unlike any other (PoD). Although Park left United’s squad after six years the club signed with Shinji Kagawa, Japanese midfielder, in the 2012 transfer window.

image: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1273360/Champions-League-finalists-Bayern-Munich-target-Manchester-Uniteds-7m-Ji-Sung-Park.html