The most powerful sports brand in the world is Wayne Rooney's club, Manchester United

For anyone who doubted that winning on the field, leads to significant marketing dollars and opportunities off-the-field, Manchester United now can show off their latest piece of hardware:  The moniker of world’s most powerful sports brand.

In the recent article from SoccerEx, advisory firm Brand Finance has made some rather startling conclusions as to the brand value of the reigning Barclay’s Premier League Champion.  Most notably, that they now stand 6th in the list of the most powerful brands in the world and the only sports brand in the top 10.

1)  Google

2)  Apple

3)  the BBC

4)  Dyson

5)  Facebook

Beyond that, the report goes on to laud the brand’s management under the stewardship of the Glazer family, who have encountered more high seas adventures during their time overseeing the club than a buccaneer on the Tampa Bay.  In fact, the report says that the brand’s value has more than doubled during the time of the Glazer’s family leadership and went from $197 million pounds in 2005 to 412 million currently.

All kidding aside, the lesson that the Glazer’s learned from their NFL marketing experience is one that all clubs should take a cue from:   On-field performance underpins financial success”.  Sounds basic, but it’s simply a rule that gets lost in the shuffle with most football clubs all over Europe.  Perhaps what made things easier was having a captain at the helm of this ship in Sir Alex Ferguson who not only knew how to get the best on-field performance, but had the tenure and the gravitas to serve as the de-facto Master and Commander of the brand.   So while the names have changed — excluding Giggs — in the past six years, the brand has only been further built, shaped, enhanced, and highlighted.

After reading through the report, two questions remain:

1) How much higher can brand squad go?  In 2011-12, will we see a 20th championship.  Will the new blood of Chicharito and Ashley Young bring United even more hardware?  DHL signed on recently as the endorser of the ManU warm-up jersey.  I’m waiting a dedicated fragrance product to come out with sponsorship under the “ManPU” tagline and cross-branding from Axe to hit the store shelves sometime in 2013.

2)  Dyson?  Really?  That just doesn’t make sense.

Sir Alex Ferguson, the ultimate brand manager for Manchester United

The Timbers used real, diehard Portland fans for their "No Pity in the Rose City" campaign.

What happens on the field does not drive demand for MLS teams. The relationship between a team’s record and ticket sales in the MLS is much less elastic as it is in the MLB or NBA. Take for example the Portland Timbers (6-10-3): they’re second-to-last in the Western Conference, yet are posting the 5th highest attendance out of the league’s 18 teams and have a wildly loyal and proud fan base. A look into their marketing efforts and American disposition to the sport helps explain why this poorly-preforming team is one of this year’s biggest success stories.

This Timbers ad is completely fan-centric as it does not show a single player. The viewer has no idea who the face of the team is, but they do know what they’ll experience if they attend a match. Contrast that with an NBA ad and one is quickly reminded how important star players are to teams and the league itself. Since most MLS teams lack the crowd-drawing names like “Beckham” or “Henry”, focusing on the fan experience in their marketing is extremely appealing.

This “fan-centric” advertising should not be viewed as a handicap or necessary evil derived from soccer’s inability to market itself as a sport. Rather, it is an asset. The earlier mentioned Timbers ad and footage from the Sounders’ opener highlight something that no other sport in the US has: the irrationally loyal, highly-energized fans. Whether it’s entire sections linking arms or scarf-adorning fans marching to the game, there is something mysterious about soccer and the camaraderie between its fans that non-attenders want to know more about.

Americans’ curiosity in soccer fandom is certainly tangible. Our limited-and possibly skewed-exposure to the sport through media like Nike’s Write the Future, the book How Soccer Explains the World, and movies like Green Street Hooligans leaves Americans fascinated by soccer without a real, firm understanding of the sport, which is understandable given its late blooming here in the states. This curiosity manifests in a variety of ways: 35% of students abroad attending their first match, the heightened viewership of the 2010 World Cup, and FIFA 11’s place as the fastest growing video game in North America.

Granted the Timbers are located in the soccer hotbed that is the Pacific Northwest and Portland is not saturated with a NFL, MLB, or NHL team, their 2011 season proves how important the fans are in soccer. They determine a team’s reality because they — more so than in other sport — determine how others view the team.  And that’s why the Timbers are one of the MLS’ most popular teams and not just a 6-10-3 team.

Jack O’Hara is a Stone Ward intern and will be a senior at Providence College in the fall. He is our resident expert on Indycar, opera, and all things Austrian.

In America, we adore winners.  Winning at all costs is held up as a trait to admire in our sports heroes.  And in doing so, we tend to forgive athletes for their bad behavior and the bad examples they set on and off the field.  It’s pretty obvious that there is a formula for winning America’s heart:  You win.  It’s that simple.

In America, we just don’t have much time for losers.  Gold is simply much more attractive than silver.  We are attracted to athletes who take home the biggest trophy.  We need our athletes to be conquering heroes that don’t settle for anything less than victory.

As I watched the post-game interviews of the USWNT and read the quotes from our players, I realized that almost to a person, these players had set a new standard in American sports lore for exuding grace in the face of a painful defeat.  I found their comments to be thoughtful, genuine, and inspiring for a father who’s trying to impart the all-important lesson of losing with grace.

Every single person in this country who plays a sport, will experience or have experienced both the joys of winning and the pains of losing.  It’s inevitable.  Just as we celebrate the heroism of our athletes that bring home the top prize, why don’t we also celebrate the athlete or the team that comes in 2nd gracefully?  Why don’t we hold them up as the model for how to deal with tremendous sporting sadness?

Why couldn’t the “graceful-in-defeat” runners-up become something as attractive as the “never give up” winners?

Could these gracious silver medal winners kick-start the fledgling Women’s Professional Soccer league with the way they handled dealing with the outcome this most painful game?

Could the disarming respect that the U.S. Women showed to Japan in the aftermath be the “sports bra” moment of this Women’s World Cup and attract mass media attention?

Could the players’ humility displayed in their post-match interviews bring in commercial appeal from potential sponsors who seek to connect with fans even though they didn’t hoist a gold trophy this summer?

And perhaps most importantly, could the example these players set with their gracious comments become a model for all of our youth to follow, boys and girls, when dealing with the cruel pain of losing.

Just imagine if it was you instead of them.

You’ve just lost the biggest game of your life on the biggest stage in the world.  The game achieved a higher worldwide TV rating than had ever been achieved for a women’s soccer match.  The comments about the game on Twitter set a world record.  You just played in and lost an epic see-saw soccer battle that extended through 30 minutes of extra-time and a penalty-kick shoot-out.  The media is swarming you.  You’re banged up.  You’re exhausted.  You’re heartbroken.

Would you have the poise, the grace and the humility to say anything like these women said.

For all the admirable skills that the USWNT players demonstrated on the field over the past month, perhaps the most desirable trait that these women have was what we witnessed as they walked off the field for the final time in Germany yesterday:  Losing with grace.

Read these comments for yourself.  And then read them to your son or daughter.  We could all learn a thing or two from these women.

On dealing with this loss:
“Evidently it wasn’t meant to be. We worked so hard. We believed in each other through everything. The Olympics are right around the corner and we’re excited about that opportunity. Hopefully we can qualify and get to London. This is going to hurt for a while and I’m proud of our team. We never gave up. Congratulations to the Japan team. I think their country is very, very proud of them.” – USWNT Head Coach, Pia Sundhage

On the disappointment of the result:
“We lost to a great team, we really did. Japan is a team that I’ve always had a lot of respect for, and I truly believe that something bigger was pulling for this team. As much as I’ve always wanted this, if there was any other team I could give this to it would have to be Japan. I’m happy for them and they do deserve it……

…..”It’s heartbreaking, but at the same time I think there was something bigger pulling for Japan. They were the team of the tournament and if there’s any team we’re going to lose to, I tip my hat off to them because they have so much class and play with so much passion and they fought and they fought and I really do have so much respect for the team.”  – USWNT goalkeeper, HOPE SOLO

“If any other country was to win this, then I’m really happy and proud for Japan. Deep down inside I really thought it was our destiny to win it. But maybe it was Japan’s.” – USWNT midfielder, CARLI LLOYD

“It was a crazy game. I think that we played well and we fought and we had heart. That’s what matters. Hats off to Japan. They just made their country extremely happy and brought joy to somewhere that was needed and that’s the bigger picture.” – USWNT forward, LAUREN CHENEY

TWITTER COMMENTS FROM PLAYERS

HOPE SOLO @hopesolo

“Both teams playing a beautiful game with possession and attack as the focus. Its the way a final should be played. Glad you all enjoyed.”

“What do ya say we go for it again in another 4? ;)”

“I will embrace this silver medal and give my utmost respect for japan. Thanks to all friends, families, and fans who stood behind us.”

“To make sense of, but I know ill eventually look back with great pride. There’s no better team I could have been a part of.”

“These memories will last a lifetime. I’m incredibly grateful to have been a part of this amazing journey. Its all a bit foggy right now”

KELLY O’HARA @ kohara19

“So proud to be a part of this team. Thank you everyone for all the support.”

ALEX MORGAN @alexmorgan13

“I am a little heart broken. But we left it all on the field, and I am proud of this team.”

CARLI LLOYD @ CarliLloyd

“Thank you to everyone for your support. We brought our country together. The support has been awesome! @espn thank u for all the coverage!”

“This has already made me stronger as it will with our team. We are fighters. We are winners and we will bounce back and qualify for olympics”

“I thought it was our time. Our destiny but I guess it was japans and I am happy for them. They have been through a lot.”

“Words can’t describe the feeling right now. Sadness. Shock. We gave it our all and to know that everyone is still supporting us is amazing.”

LAUREN CHENEY @laurencheney8

“Still hurts but could not be happier and more proud to represent our nation. I love this team. #USWNT #wewillbeback”

“God is good and He provides. Japan just inspired and brought so much joy to a country that has been devastated. Praise Him.”

JILLIAN LOYDEN @jloyden

“proud to be a silver medalist. #blessed”

“Not the end that we want but what an incredibly journey,no one can take that away from us. couldnt be more proud to be an american right now”

ABBY WAMBACH @AbbyWambach

“Well, not exactly what we had planned. Congrats to Japan on a tremendous #WWC2011. So proud to be a part of this team and to represent #USA!

But with the U.S. loss to Japan in penalty kicks after a heart-stopping 2 – 2 tie in the 120 minutes, it was clear that the team of destiny in this month-long tournament was Japan.

From a marketing perspective, we will watch closely over the next several days to see how the this game and this disappointing outcome affects the overall impact on women’s soccer in this country.  While America naturally loves its winners.  In the international arena, we also have grown accustomed to embracing our heroes that medal in the Olympics or display a sportswomanship and grace, even in defeat.

In forthcoming posts, we’ll examine the grace in the face of defeat of this extraordinary team and their words of support for the victors, as well as 2nd place female athletes that won marketing gold for themselves and their sport.

Despite its struggles in sustaining its teams over the past few years, the WPS has been highly proficient in it’s ability to use social media, and in particular Twitter, to build it’s following and it’s loyalty among a core base.

One player from the USWNT who has been very active with her Twitter activity, even during her busy work trip to Germany this summer, has been midfielder, Megan Rapinoe, who uses the handle @mpinoe.

With less than 3 hours to kick-off, she had time to notify her followers that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent the team “big wishes”.  Clinton will be watching the game on television during her trip to Greece.  She further went on to say that “It’s Go Time America!!!!!”

Today, social media will be uniting not just fans of the team and the game all around the world, but it will also be a unique way for fans to connect with their favorite players before the game and after the game in a way that wasn’t dreamed possible when the 99ers had their day in the California sun.  I look forward to following the players up it’s official shut-off the PDA time.  And if it’s a positive result for the USA today, it will be my go-to tool for keeping up with their sentiments and their celebrations behind the scenes.  I might even be able to join in by adding my prediction for the most popular topic at 4pm today in the USA: #3stars

As we get closer to kick-off, it will be interesting to see what starts trending, at what time, and where in the world.

Here are my  predictions for our World Cup trending topics of the day:

5. #USWNT

4. #PressureMakesUs

3. #AbbyWambach

2. #WorldCupFinal (which is already trending in the U.S. 2 hours before kick-off)

and if all goes according to plan:

1. #3Stars

A fan showing his love for USWNT Goalkeeper Hope Solo. May soon be shown a restraining order.

There are conventional ways of measuring the increase in popularity in women’s soccer.  TV ratings, attendance at games, and online visits to ESPN’s web page on the topic.  However, one of the more intriguing ways might be through the number of marriage proposals that have been offered on Twitter, Facebook and in-the stadium through banners such as this gentleman to the left.  The leading recipients of this specific type of “nuptial-interest” seem to be forward Alex Morgan and goalkeeper Hope Solo.

One gentleman from Texas has taken his adoration of Alex Morgan to lyrical levels and created a song for her that he posted to YouTube. On Twitter, numerous devoted fans of the team and particular players have taken to using the hashtags #marrymehope or #marrymealex.  I also found #marrymeali for Ali Krieger, the defender for the USWNT that put in the penalty-kick winner, and #marrymeabby for star forward, Abby Wambach.

If you subscribe to the theory that all publicity is good publicity, then I think you would find this latest form of player adoration as a good thing for the player, the sport and the game, so long as it stays in check — or at least from 500 feet away.  I believe that it’s this very type of adoration from fans that will result in the type of marketing success women’s soccer needs in this country.  Passionate fans and devoted fans, and there are lots of them, will empower others to acknowledge that the players that they see on the field and in interviews are worthy of their attention as well.  I’m not talking about the crazies that are truly considering a marriage proposal, but rather those that have become wrapped up in this moment, these players, and this team.

For it is that passion that truly defines what Hollywood calls “The It Factor”.  Even if it starts with stalkers, it is that same appeal “to be like Mike” or in this gentleman’s case to “be with Hope” that leads major endorsers to sponsor players on things other than athletic goods.  We may see the Nike ad today that celebrates the team.  But we are mere weeks away from the days when Wheaties, Pert Plus, Vitamin Water and other companies start launching their TV campaigns from their soccer heroes from Germany.

That passion for the players is also good for the WPS.  Attendance at games will likely be buoyed by the USWNT’s success in Germany.  Club teams that are lucky enough to have some of those key players are likely to gain greater bursts in attendance and overall marketing surge.  Obviously, if the team comes home from Germany with the World Cup trophy, the opportunity is far greater for mass attention and coverage of the sport and greater scrutiny and face-time for each of the leading players.  Abby Wambach and Hope Solo have already proven themselves to be strong personalities with outstanding interview skills.  It will be interesting to see who else from the USWNT enters into that same stratosphere of name recognition and media savvy in the days ahead.

A win and a key play in the World Cup final today could certainly define who enters into the conversation.  After all, it was one decisive penalty in the World Cup Final in 1999 and her subsequent celebration that put her “Q” rating on a whole new playing field among sports figures in the U.S.  Lots of answers will come clear today.  Who will rise up for the U.S.A. today?  And who will be a media darling and build their “Q” rating in the days to come?  But one thing is clear.  It all depends on a World Cup “W”.

USWNT Forward Alex Morgan celebrates her goal in the team's 3-1 win over France

Today, the women of the U.S. Women’s National Team have a chance to earn their third star on their jersey, the first country to achieve such an honor.  But they also have the opportunity to stitch themselves in to the fabric of American sports history as their long roller-coaster ride of a journey comes to a close.

If you look at the TV ratings over the past week, the USWNT are also making history.  Their 3-1 win over France on Wednesday notched a 2.6 overnight rating to match the weekend rating the U.S. pulled in their penalty-kick instant classic against Brazil four days earlier.

TVBytheNumbers.com outlines its highlights for the entire Women’s World Cup by  demonstrating that, once again, ESPN’s corporate investment in the sport of soccer is paying off.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup semifinal match between the U.S. Women’s National Team and France – a 3-1 U.S. victory in Moenchengladbach, Germany, on Wednesday, July 13 – was seen by an average of 3.35 million people, based on a 2.2 U.S. household rating on ESPN (2.57 million household impressions), making it the most-viewed weekday Women’s World Cup match in the U.S.

The match also ranked as the fourth most-viewed FIFA Women’s World Cup match ever and the second match from Germany 2011 to rank among the top five Women’s World Cup matches.  The other three are from 1999 when the tournament was held in the U.S.  However, the real question that is looming is whether the final for this year’s World Cup will come anywhere close to the tremendous 11.4 HH rating from the 1999 final when the Cup was hosted on American soil, and which still ranks as the #1 watched soccer event — men’s or women’s — in the U.S.  As you can see in the chart below, there is a 8-point gap between the #1 and #2 ranking.

Two of the top-five most-viewed FIFA Women’s World Cup matches have taken place in the last 7 days.  And it’s quite certain that there will be an new entry to that list today.  My prediction is an impressive 4.2 rating — which goes along with my prediction for the final score of the World Cup final to be 4 – 2 in a goal-scoring extravaganza.

USWNT Forward Abby Wambach scores the tying goal in the World Cup Quarterfinal vs. Brazil

Last year when Landon Donovan scored the game-winning goal to send the United States to the quarterfinals of the 2010 Men’s World Cup,

Landon Donovan of the USMNT celebrates his dramatic "win or go home" goal over Algeria in the 2010 Wold Cup

soccer in the United States had a bigger spotlight than ever before. Videos popped up online documenting celebrations all across the country, and most people understandably thought it would be the biggest goal U.S. soccer would experience for quite some time.

Enter the women of the U.S. National team.

No one could have predicted that Abby Wambach would score an even more dramatic goal just one year later to keep U.S. soccer dreams alive. But she did, and with that goal she kept the U.S. in the World Cup and now with only one game away from their first World Cup trophy since 1999. Just like after Donovan’s goal, fan reaction videos to Wambach’s goal have started surfacing on YouTube. The joy on the players faces, the shot of Head Coach Pia Sundhage hugging a crying Rachel Buehler and the passion from the fans celebrating at home was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The impending doom as the clock ticked deep into injury time and the Brazilian players stalled, expectations make the victory that much sweeter and causes people to love the character and determination of the team that much more.  At a time when most athletes seem to be overpaid and underperforming, this team represents everything Americans love about sports. This team plays for the love of the game, not for the money. They play for and believe in each other. They give everything they have, and has been said over and over, they “never say die.” You couldn’t dream up a better team for America to fall in love with.

In terms of marketing, U.S. soccer could not have asked for a better game than what took place last Sunday against Brazil. The early own goal, the red card, the controversial calls, the Brazilian stalling and faking tactics, and the last second heroics could not have been scripted better for this team of “never-give-up” players, to write the next chapter in American sports lore. The game countered a lot of the criticism that soccer faces for being too slow and boring; it’s hard to believe that anyone could still win that argument after watching Sunday’s game.  It was the 3rd most watched women’s soccer game of all-time in the U.S. and the fourth most watched game was the France semifinal on Wednesday.  The only question regarding ratings go, is could the 2011 World Cup Final beat the 1999 as the all-time watched women’s soccer match.

The other interesting storyline for soccer in America, is that the Brazil game and the U.S.A.’s ongoing march toward the trophy may have given the WPS a lifeline.  If the U.S. had made their earliest exit ever from the tournament, there would be almost no hope that a professional league would stand a chance. But if the U.S. uses their momentum and continues to have the same kinds of performances as they did on Sunday, then the WPS should get a huge boost in attendance, coverage, and media attention. If the U.S. players can return to their respective teams as champions, they will surely have won over a fair number of people who jumped on the bandwagon during the World Cup. They should be able to improve sponsorship as well, since there are few, if any, teams or athletes that have had such incredible underdog performances. The only problem the WPS will have to deal with is the Brazilians. Although things would have been worse had the Brazilians won, it will be interesting to see how fans react to them after the tactics they employed. All I know is that if I were a Brazilian, I would lay low in the WPS for a while. And avoid any and all diving.

It’s hard to believe that a U.S. soccer team could have as big of an impact as the 1999 team had. But if it is possible, this is the chance. They have the same grit and determination that that team had, as well as much of the same “girl next door” appeal. There is only one player still on the roster from that ’99 team that brought home the trophy and marketing gold with their star power.  And it appears that U.S. Soccer may have may have struck gold with this team. We’ll find out Sunday whether this team really can go all the way and if we do, I think the soccer marketers in America will be partying like it was 1999.

This post was written by Molly Campbell, Stone Ward intern and defender on the University of Notre Dame Women’s Soccer Team.

At the end of the game, he asked to go to the store to buy something USA. He didn’t care if it was mens or womens. He just wanted to get something that represented what we just shared.

U.S. Midfielder Megan Rapinoe taking a deep breath in the Nike ad "Pressure Makes Us"

While the main excitement for the Women’s World Cup is taking place on the soccer fields throughout Germany, the battle for the women’s soccer brand supremacy is being fought out by the two world’s two largest soccer apparel brands:  Nike and Adidas.

The U.S. Women’s National Team is sponsored by Nike and for the Women’s World Cup, the Portland-based company has created the viral video and TV campaign “Pressure Makes Us”, that offers a unique, an introspective look into the psyche of the U.S. National Team player as they seek out pursue World Cup glory.

Perhaps what makes the campaign most effective, it that it wrings with authenticity.  As a female athlete for the top NCAA team, I can relate to the women’s World Cup  Pressure Makes Us ad because it exactly fits my experience in so many ways and gives a great perspective on what pressure is really about.

One of my favorite lines was, “Imagine there was no Mia, no Brandi, no legends to live up to.” This spoke to the kind of pressure we felt last year when our chances for advancing deep into the tournament were looking slim. We had lost at home to UCONN early in the Big East tournament, and there was a sense of panic that the season would completely unravel from there. Our coaches brought us in at 5 o’clock the next morning for film. And while I remember nothing from the film, I do remember them reading off every record that we had blown—something like a 77 game conference winning streak and the first home conference loss since 1995—among many others. They told us about how all the players before us had worked so hard to build the program, and how we were going to be the ones to throw it all away. That kind of pressure that our coaches put on us during that meeting is exactly the kind of pressure the ad is talking about. You aren’t only winning and losing for yourself and your teammates—you have a responsibility to those who did the work to get the program to the very top. Interestingly, during that part of the camera panned to Shannon Boxx, a former Notre Dame player who is a legend we try to live up to every day.

Another aspect of the ad that I really like is that it presents pressure as both a burden and a blessing. It’s a difficult challenge to feel pressure from your coaches and teammates to perform well and win. When we fail to respond to the pressure, which we sometimes do, it is tempting to give up or quit. At the same time, however, pressure allows us to play harder and focus more that we ever could without it. If hadn’t had the pressure of the NCAA tournament, we would not have performed or dominated like we did.  So, while pressure is in some ways a terrible feeling, it is also necessary to reach the highest level. The ad does a great job capturing this.

Nike is certainly hoping this campaign will make them the women’s soccer brand champion in the hearts and minds of women’s soccer fans all across the country.  And if the U.S. team keeps on playing the way they have in their opening two matches, the campaign will not only be authentic, but will also be prophetic as the U.S. charges forth to a third World Cup title.