Real Madrid make world-first move in bid to break clear of Manchester United

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While competitive success may have alluded Manchester United over the past decade or so to the level that was delivered under Sir Alex Ferguson, the club’s might on the global stage has barely diminished.

Despite the tumult and comparative struggles on the pitch when compared with years past, United have managed to maintain their strength when it comes to the impact of the brand around the world, and that has been very lucrative.

The Forbes 2024 list of the most valuable football teams in the world had United in second, with revenues of $785m, operating income of $187m, and a club value of $6.55bn. Only Real Madrid are above them, with a value of $6.6bn and revenues, as of the reporting period, of $873m. The Spanish giants are anticipated to push past the $1bn mark for revenues by the time their next set of accounts are released.

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Those figures are stark when compared against those further down the list, with Barcelona a whole $1bn behind in terms of club value in fourth, and Liverpool just behind them in fifth.

While the hiring of Ruben Amorim as head coach gives hope that the club will be able to turn a corner competitively, there is much work to be done by the man with the oversight of football and strategic matters at Old Trafford, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The biggest call will be what happens in terms of a new stadium, with rivals such as Real Madrid having already made moves long ago to address their need to have a stadium fit for a club that can maximise commercial opportunities in the modern game. Huge sums of money were spent revamping the Santiago Bernabeu.

Now, Real Madrid have moved to take themselves a little further away from United with a bold move, but one that United are probably one of the few teams that could conceivably follow suit.

Last week saw Real Madrid cut the ribbon on ‘Real Madrid World’, in Dubai, dubbed “the world’s first football club theme park.”

The theme park spans almost 15 acres of land and features over 40 rides based on the club and its history, which the club said includes the world's tallest "flying chairs" ride and the Middle East's first wooden roller coaster.

As well as the attractions at the park, Madrid fans can also gather to watch Real Madrid's games live at the venue. The site is part of the Dubai Parks and Resorts complex, where a number of theme and water parks are located may have had its official inauguration last week, but it first opened its doors to the public in a soft launch in April this year.

Attractions include the ‘Hala Madrid Coaster’ and ‘Stars Flyer’ described as "the world's tallest spinning ride" at 460ft high. There is also a life-size replica of Cibeles, the fountain in Madrid where the team celebrates its trophy successes, while visitors to the park can also sample traditional Spanish cuisine at the 'Hala Madrid' restaurant.

The opening of the park is part of the Real Madrid plan to focus more on making the club an entertainment brand, not just a football club, with its expanded reach into the Middle East seen as a way of getting a significant foothold in a territory that is growing in popularity as a tourist destination.

The club are leveraging the power of the brand and diversifying revenue streams away from just broadcast revenue and competition prize money. With Manchester United’s own global pull, with strong footholds in certain markets, following suit with something of their own could be on the cards in the future as clubs start to understand they are no longer just in the business of football, but the business of entertainment.

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