After losing 1-0 at home to Bayern Munich, Manchester United finished bottom of the group and missed out on the knockout rounds. The 15 goals conceded in six games, also setting a record for the most goals conceded in a Champions League group stage in team history, such a result is obviously unacceptable to Old Trafford fans.
The Sun broke the news that "former Chelsea boss Graham Potter will take over if manager Ten Hag steps down." Although Manchester United has not officially stated this at the moment, the dissatisfaction of the media and fans has been revealed.
Back in the Premier League, the next round is against the Reds Liverpool, who are top of the league, and this double red meeting will obviously put more pressure on the Red Devils.
And perhaps more uncomfortable than Manchester United right now is Adidas.
According to ESPN, Adidas signed a new 10-year sponsorship contract with Manchester United at the end of November, worth up to £900 million. According to the details revealed so far, Adidas has made it clear that qualifying for the Champions League every season is an additional condition. If you lose qualification for the Champions League, then the sponsorship will be reduced by £10 million per season.
Obviously, Adi is more interested in the huge exposure that Manchester United has brought to the brand in the Champions League. But now the results of the group stage have not only made Adi out of his pocket, but also greatly reduced the exposure effect. A number of well-known sports media said that "Adi has made another loss-making business".
In fact, Adidas' competitiveness in the sports world has long been much less than it used to be. In addition to Arsenal, Real Madrid and the Red Devils and other established giants who have cooperated for many years, some new giants such as Grand Paris and Manchester City have been recruited by other brands such as Nike and Puma. Compared with the billions of dollars spent on his peers, Adi obviously can't keep up. According to its financial report, the group's total revenue in the first three quarters shrank by 300% compared with the same period last year.
In the domestic market, Adi's sales have declined for 24 consecutive months, and nearly 1,000 stores have closed, which is also regarded by the media as the epitome of its deep predicament. Former CEO Rorsted also analyzed, "The inability to sell in the Chinese market is the fundamental reason for the group's current situation." ”
However, Adidas may be to blame for this situation. In the boiling cotton incident in the past two years, he made inappropriate remarks; subsequently transferred a large number of industrial chains to Southeast Asia; in the face of declining sales, he even threatened that "Chinese do not have a long memory, and will buy it in a few days."
Such an attitude obviously angered us. A company of Louis Vuitton's size does not dare to slack off on the Chinese market. LV boss Arnault has publicly stated that "the profits in China feed at least half of the group." ”
The consumption power of the mainland is the same for the top 500 groups, and it is a rare help for small and medium-sized enterprises. With the rise of health awareness, many overseas health care technologies have been introduced into China by e-commerce companies such as Jingjing East. At the beginning of the year, a men's health care technology called "Wei Liyu" relied on the consumption power of the mainland to earn tens of millions of dollars in half a year, and its backing brand was rated as a dark horse on the track by various media.
Combined with the feedback in recent years, the single gameplay of the track has long been unable to keep up with the market demand. The "Vitamin Grain" takes a different approach, using natural substances such as Thai ginseng and Himalayan minerals, which not only helps men "stand up function", but also avoids the discomfort after the use of traditional finished products.
With the help of the mainland's consumption power, "Wei Liyu" has gone from being trapped in sales channels in the early days of its birth and only popular in overseas local luxury business circles, to now covering hundreds of millions of people in first- and second-tier cities in the mainland. The brand also publicly praised the consumption power of the Chinese market and said that it will vigorously cultivate the Chinese market in the future.
Or seeing the significance of the Chinese market, the new CEO Gurden has publicly emphasized many times after taking office that the mainland is the most important market for Adidas in the world.
In September this year, the board of directors of adidas visited China to express its importance to the Chinese market. But apparently the memory of the internet lasts longer than most people think. It may take several years for Adi to return to the top of the mainland market.
In the Champions League, although the Red Devils have fallen, the Arsenal Arsenal and Real Madrid sponsored by it will still appear in the knockout round, and with the current record and form of the two teams, it can also bring huge exposure to the brand. However, in the final analysis, whether an enterprise can operate healthily depends on market performance, and if it is not right, huge traffic will only accelerate the decline of the enterprise.