Man City are first Premier League YouTube partner

Manchester City has become YouTube’s first ever English Premier League content partner as the club ramps up its digital activity to increase fan engagement and revenue.

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The deal allows Manchester City to manage advertising around the content on its official YouTube channel as it looks to grow its reach at home and internationally. The partnership also enables the club to control their rights-owned or club-created YouTube videos.

The club recently hired former AKQA senior executive Julian Pate as its head of marketing, responsible for leading Manchester City’s “digital expansion” strategy, alongside head of digital Richard Ayers.

Ayers says the deal is the first move in laying the foundations of the club’s syndication drive as it looks to partner with more brands online.

He adds: “The ability to extend our reach and to increase accessibility to audiences is great, but we’re also looking forward to exploring the differentiating factors of YouTube, like using annotations, making bespoke interactive video and, more than anything else, becoming part of the thriving YouTube community.”

Other examples of Manchester City’s recent digital campaigns include its first music app and a digital membership scheme for season ticket holders, which included augmented reality content.

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