Barcelona's Secret Plan to Steal Messi đ„·
Plus Real and Barca lose 'El ClĂĄsico' and F1 launches kid-friendly commentary.
Welcome to Athletic Interest,Â
The football transfer period is a time when reality sits down in a comfy chair, puts its feet up, and has a little rest.
As clubs enter the market for new talent, and agents start making calls for their clients, ridiculous rumours begin spreading on social media.
One minute Erling Haaland is planning to ditch Man City for Madrid and the next minute he is linked with a move to the planet Mars because âEarth does not offer enough of a challenge for his abilities.âÂ
For millions of football fans, the rumour mill of the transfer market provides a small slice of entertainment in the wilderness months between seasons. Like any good story, there is usually one main protagonist that becomes the centre of attention.
This time, itâs Lionel Messi.Â
With Messiâs PSG contract due to expire, rumours have been spreading about where he will end up next.Â
One day, Messi has signed a âŹ400m contract in Saudi Arabia, and the next he is offering to sell his kidneys to fund a return to Barcelona.Â
As with most things, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.Â
According to reputable sources (mainly Fabrizio RomanoâŠ), Messi does have a mega âŹ400m Saudi offer on the table, but he has yet to decide his future as he waits to see what Barcelona can do.Â
This stalemate has just fuelled even more speculation. One of the more interesting recent rumours has offered a glimmer of hope to Barcelona fans.
According to LâEquipe, Barcelona and Inter Miami have joined forces to prevent Messi from signing with Saudi side Al-Hilal.
As the French paper reports, the more financially stable Inter Miami will sign Messi on a bumper contract before loaning him back to Barcelona for a short farewell.Â
Again, the truth of this is probably somewhere in the middle. Perhaps the clubs did discuss a collaboration, or perhaps this is an attempt by Messiâs team to push Al-Hilal to up their already enormous offer.Â
We probably wonât know the truth unless it actually happensâŠor Fabrizio Romano tweets about itÂ
đ Letâs imagine that your name is John.Â
You are pretty happy with the name and tell everyone you meet to call you âJohnâ.Â
Now imagine that you have a new partner and they want to call you John but then your parents intervene and try to get a court order preventing anyone else from calling you John because they came up with it in the first place.
While a weird example, that is pretty much what is happening with the term âEl ClĂĄsico.âÂ
Barcelona and Real Madrid happily use the term in their marketing to refer to any game they play against each other, whether that happens in La Liga, cup competitions, or an overseas friendly.Â
Now La Liga is fighting back and claiming that Barcelona and Real Madrid do not have the right to use âEl ClĂĄsicoâ because it belongs to the league.
The Spanish patent office has actually backed La Liga on this matter, and Barcelona and Real Madrid will be prevented from referring to any of their encounters by that specific phrase.Â
Of course, nothing can stop the fans and (to some extent) the media from calling these matches âEl ClĂĄsicoâ but this issue goes much deeper than simply stopping people from using a name.
Both Barcelona and Real Madrid have always worked together to exploit the image of their rivalry. âEl ClĂĄsicoâ has become synonymous with the idea of an intense battle between two giants. Both clubs know that this is an easy sell abroad, hence the rise in overseas friendlies.Â
It is possible that La Liga views this as a sign of its two biggest clubs (that both remain supporters of a breakaway Super League) drifting away and having a little bit too much fun outside of their home league.
La Liga probably wants to curtail this independent overseas expansion, and what better way than by taking back control of arguably the clubsâ most marketable symbol?Â
That being said, it remains to be seen what impact this move will actually have, after all, fans will probably keep using the word. Â
đ„ Quick questionâŠ
What is the best way to generate awareness for your team or sport?
You could try running a marketing campaign or doing some weird dances on TikTok.
Alternatively, you could simply create a partnership with Google, the very essence of the internet and a company so intricately linked to our online lives that its very name is now a verb for searching on the internet.Â
Thatâs exactly the approach taken by the German Womenâs National Football Team. The DFB and Google have entered into a three-year deal, with Google promising to use its technology and brand power to increase the visibility of Womenâs football.Â
The stars of the German team are set to be integrated into the Google Pixel marketing campaign, with exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes content set to appear across social media.
In return, Google will have its logo featured on the advertising boards at home games and press conference backdrops.
This deal is actually part of a wider strategy by Google which looks to support Womenâs sports across the globe. Bingâs greatest nightmare also sponsors the WNBA and promotes female participation in basketball through the International Basketball Federation.
đ Have you ever been watching Formula 1 and felt a little bit lost when they start talking about technical terms like drag coefficients, brake balance, and dirty air?Â
Well luckily for you, F1 is here to help. Starting with a test at the Hungarian Grand Prix, F1 will have a kids-focused broadcast complete with simplified terminology and fun graphics.Â
This partnership with Sky aims to give kids (and confused adults) in the U.K. and Germany a softer introduction to the complex world of F1.Â
The child presenters of the Sky Kids show âFYIâ, Braydon and Scarlett, as well as young go-karter Zac, will join Nico Rosberg and Danica Patrick to present âF1 Juniorsâ.
The show will include interviews with key F1 figures as well as actual kid-focused race commentary.Â
This is not the first time that TV companies have tested kid-friendly sports coverage. Sky has done similar commentary for the Premier League, while Nickelodeon recently teamed up with the NFL in a show that included virtual slime and appearances from Spongebob Squarepants.Â
This is a very smart move from Formula 1 and Sky. By talking the language of a younger audience, F1 will be able to hook new fans much earlier than other series. Should this test prove effective, expect to see more broadcasters dedicate resources to making content for kids.Â
đ The Boot Room
Nike executives are playing musical chairs.Â
Thereâs a new CEO for their Converse brand and itâs all change over at Jordan Brand, with the current president, Craig Williams, moving to become VP of Geographies and Marketplace and being replaced by Sarah Mensah.Â
Sarah Mensahâs appointment as President of Jordan Brand is particularly significant. She will become the first female head of the brand, an appointment which comes just two years after she made history as the first Black woman to lead Nikeâs entire North American business.
This move fits perfectly within the ethos of Jordan Brand, which has a long history of elevating people of colour and championing Black Leadership.
Mensah takes the reigns at a crucial time, with the WNBA season just starting and the NBA finals just around the corner.
đ± Social Media Madness
Talking of the NBA finals, people are convinced that Lebron James may be considering retirement after his Lakers crashed out of the playoffs.Â
When asked by reporters after the loss, Lebron remained cryptic:
âWe'll see what happens going forward. I don't know. I don't know. I've got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball,â explained Lebron.Â
Days later, Lebron posted this intriguing story on Instagram:
Fans are now convinced that Lebron is seriously considering retirement, while others have been quick to rubbish these claims and argue that Lebron is simply trying to change the narrative after the Lakers were swept 4-0 by the Nuggets.
Itâs also important to remember that Lebron has always wanted to play alongside his son Bronny, a situation that could be possible when Bronny becomes eligible for the NBA in one season.