Keeping up with the Man U's
The article about Manchester United in the Seattle Times details the fall and rise of the UK-based football club.
It's interesting to read how the organization markets itself through its branded products. They provide a fan with an opportunity to support the club through things like refinancing his mortgage with Man U, or having a Man U credit card, or purchasing any of a host of other Man U branded products. It's interesting to see how they have capitalized on irrational behavior (passion for a soccer team) to turn the organization into the highest-valued sports franchise in the world, and how North American franchises like the Yankees, Leafs, Nets, etc. are trying to imitate Man U's success.