Take the case of Manchester City and the New York Yankees who have joined forces to fund the expansion New York City FC next year with Frank Lampard and David Villa signed and sealed to play in the side.
Or look at Spurs and Toronto FC linking together with Jermain Defoe’s long-term contract, an agreement to sell each other’s merchandise, play a match each summer in Canada and share marketing and training expertise.
Finally, even Sunderland has joined the party linking up with Washington’s D.C. United after a successful American tour this summer for the Tynesiders.
That begs the question: Should West Ham United jump in now before it’s too late?
There are some excellent mid-level football markets in Canada and the United States – Vancouver, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Portland, Kansas City, Houston and Dallas come to mind – where West Ham might be welcomed if David Gold, David Sullivan and Karren Brady made the right overtures.
The U.S. market is exploding right now in the wake of the latest World Cup and is ready to listen when it comes to overseas marketing opportunities. Sunderland grasped at its chance to strike when the time was right and is now entrenched in the U.S. capital. Surely Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and others will be coming next if they don’t already have deals in principle.
Given that some of these “big” clubs will have their pick of the biggest markets – think Los Angeles, Chicago, New York’s current club New Jersey-based New York Red Bulls which stars ex-Gunner Thierry Henry, the expansion Miami team that is expected to join the league as soon as next year which has David Beckham leading an investment group – West Ham should act now.
There are suitable partners out there and the Hammers can only benefit and find revenue streams and more fans if they get in before the likes of Crystal Palace, Hull City, QPR, Burnley, Leicester City, Newcastle, Everton and others beat them to the punch.
