From Lukaku to Dimarco, from Vinicius Júnior to Martinelli, from Endrick to De Bruyne. Since Roc Nations, the powerful American agency and sports production company owned by rapper Jaz-Z, entered football, it has done so in grand style, also because at the beginning it dealt almost exclusively with services for its clients — read: agents for footballers. But for some time now it has started working with clubs to promote their brand in a “virgin” market like the United States. The quotation marks are necessary, given that MLS, the football league, has in any case grown significantly in recent years, there is no shortage of stars, from Messi down, and the major summer events — last year’s Club World Cup and this year’s World Cup for national teams — will provide a further boost.
Perhaps this is precisely why European clubs, especially English ones, are looking at the USA. And Chelsea have connected all the dots, signing a strategic partnership with Roc Nation for the US market. As stated in a release from the company itself, the collaboration will develop through “music, fashion, entertainment, digital creators and athlete-led storytelling”. Okay, explained like that it sounds a little vague. As reported by The Athletic, the aim is to bring the American public closer to football through different paths, with entertainment and culture — which in the USA have always been considered fundamental tools for expanding the fan base both in the short and long term.
The idea, then, would be to (ex)port the English model of support and closeness to the club to the USA as well, adapting it to local habits. “This partnership represents an important step in the way we connect with our fans in the United States. By focusing on culture, music and creativity, we want to build deeper and more authentic relationships with a new generation of supporters who experience football as a lifestyle,” explained Chelsea’s brand director, Scott Fenton. Roc Nation Sports’ international president, Michael Yormark, added: “Football has never been so culturally influential in the United States. Our ambition is to help Chelsea be present in the moments, on the platforms and in the conversations that really matter to the modern fan.”
The club also says it wants to involve fans in “innovative” ways, going beyond the 90 minutes of the match. Among the examples cited are collaborations with WWE wrestlers for promotional campaigns and limited-edition clothing collections created together with the OVO brand, initiatives designed to bring in a younger audience. Who knows whether it will be enough to bring people closer after a disappointing season, which could end with Chelsea outside the European cups — at the moment the Blues are even ninth in the table, but they could qualify for the Europa League by beating City in the FA Cup final.