Intermediality

One of the most appealing aspects of Man Utd and the website is the variety of media they offer the fans. Since the end of the 1990’s Manchester United started to broadcast games, interviews, previews, reviews etc through their own television channel. MUTV [1] it’s called and it can be purchased through cable (similar to for instance Canal+ in Holland) Pay tv is among one of the multiple forms of media that manutd.com holds. MUTV is reflected on the website in MU.tv, where fans (or better: members) can watch clips of interviews with players or the coach and clips of match highlights online. To do so you have to become a member of which there are different types. From the basic free stuff to paid-for-memberships, every type has its certain extra’s for the fans. Manutd.com also keeps up with many newspapers on a daily base. Most of the time the articles they select are of course related to Manchester United itself, but for instance with the ongoing European Championship they extend their reports to a national football level. Besides tv and the newspapers, the fans can also listen to the radio online. On Saturday’s or Sunday’s when United is playing, fans who aren’t able to watch the game can listen to live commentary through the net.

            These matters all imply that United is there for the fans. The psychological aspect of having everything you want and need when it comes to MUFC (Manchester United Football Club) in just a few clicks away has been a very smart move. Now, these practices will not be any different from other football clubs; every club wants to offer their fans everything they want and by doing so trying to gain even more fans. The key aspect here is the way in which a traditional sport, with traditional clubs has become a multimedia, worldwide brand and at the same time maintaining the image it already had (!) So by looking at the aspects of intermediality, Man Utd is fully aware of their following that is scattered worldwide. The television and radio give fans across the globe access to what MUFC would like to think of as the best football club for the people. It’s all about bringing MUFC to the people.