The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 177: Controversy Surrounding the Ballon d'Or

Aldrich's scathing criticism of the Ballon d'Or voting immediately became the hottest topic in the UK.

After all, the sports world thrives on sharp, contrasting viewpoints. If the majority only showered praises and applause, what would be the point?

While the existence of controversy cannot be judged by any authoritative body, listening to different voices is exactly the kind of explosive clash that the news industry needs.

However, Aldrich's comments offended some people, especially fans of La Liga, who favor Ronaldo and Shearer.

Yet, he has his supporters. A few months ago, Brazil's coach Zagallo didn't hold back, saying, "Personally, I dislike the media's praise and hype surrounding him. It's absurd that a big club like Barcelona places all the responsibility on a 20-year-old's shoulders."

He went on to criticize bluntly, "If he keeps floating on cloud nine, it won't benefit him. He still doesn't understand the importance and significance of teamwork. Although Ronaldo will surely become one of the great players in football history, Pelé was much more well-rounded at his age."

Many legends and sports commentators supported Aldrich with rational arguments when discussing the Ballon d'Or on programs.

Their debate wasn't about whether Ronaldo or Shearer has the skill or if they'll be successful in the future. No one denies that if they continue to perform well, they will undoubtedly become great stars.

But in what can only be called a fruitless year, seeing players like Ronaldo and Shearer finish as the second and third in the Ballon d'Or rankings seems utterly ridiculous.

What's the reason for this?

It's because he scores often and scores beautifully.

A sports media outlet compiled highlights of Ronaldo and Shearer's goals over the past year and compared them to the highlights of Larsson and Nedvěd.

The conclusion was evident: Larsson scored the most goals, and as a midfielder, Nedvěd showcased a comprehensive performance with both goals and assists. However, Ronaldo's goals were simply the most visually striking. Without the European Championship Golden Boot, Shearer wouldn't even be in the running.

Most of Millwall's goals come from teamwork executing lethal strikes, and even the occasional individual effort lacks that visual impact. Players like Larsson only need one movement to create an angle for scoring, while Ronaldo's long runs, dazzling dribbles, perfect physical technique, and incredible speed make him an attractive figure for fans.

It's an old saying that football is a team sport, yet the heroic ideal in people's hearts seems never to fade.

Upon returning to the club, Aldrich held a high-level meeting, realizing a pressing issue brought forth by the Ballon d'Or voting.

No matter how well Millwall performed, they always felt unable to attain a prominent place in the football landscape.

After all, they are used to being the underdogs, largely due to external perceptions. Foreign media often refer to Millwall as a village club, and outside England, few pay attention to them.

Specifically, if AC Milan achieved five or six consecutive victories, they would become the focus of Europe immediately. Likewise, if Barcelona's Ronaldo scored a beautiful goal, it would be replayed on media platforms across the globe. Millwall winning ten matches in a row barely raised any eyebrows; it wasn't until they equaled Real Madrid's fifteen-match winning streak that they finally captured significant attention. But alongside that came skepticism, with critics doubting Premier League competitiveness, claiming that Millwall's sixteen-match winning streak was just a fluke.

From today's perspective, the Premier League indeed doesn't hold a leading position among the top five leagues. Recent disappointing performances in European competitions make it hard to look favorably at the Premier League, especially after Blackburn finished bottom of their group last year and became a laughingstock. While Manchester United managed to scrape past the group stage this year, it was mostly because Juventus, already qualified, didn't sabotage Manchester United's last round.

Aldrich realized: this isn't just an era of snatching talents; it's also an era of capturing fans!

With the development of broadcasting technology and commercial operations, this is the most advantageous stage for clubs to monetize and capture market share.

Success in the playing field alone isn't enough; they need to bombard fans' nerves through media broadcasts to capture their attention first and gain influence.

With all executives present, Aldrich sat at the head of the long table, listening to Adam's marketing development report.

Over the past two years, Millwall has rapidly spread, centered in East London, creating substantial influence. Their impressive record of two trophies and a runner-up last season earned them many neutral fans, as evidenced by an increase in sponsors.

However, many factors restrict Millwall's growth, foremost being their stadium, which has limited capacity. Neutral fans often find it hard to get tickets, and the stadium's image doesn't align with that of a strong team.

Additionally, Millwall's southeastern London location doesn't compare with the modern splendor of Stamford Bridge or Highbury. Most importantly, if they want to extend their influence beyond England, success in European competitions is essential.

This season in the European Cup Winners' Cup, Millwall has advanced to the quarter-finals, but their matches garner little interest. When they faced Switzerland's Sion in the second round, if Aldrich were a neutral fan abroad, he wouldn't feel enthusiastic about it.

Millwall vs. Sion?

And the quarter-final opponent drawn also lacks appeal: a team from Northern Europe, Brann.

Meanwhile, tickets for the matches held at Wembley for the European Cup Winners' Cup sold quite well, with an average attendance of around 50,000. However, many fans expressed disappointment because they wanted to see star players like Nedvěd, Larsson, and Trezeguet, rather than Van Nistelrooy, Gronkjaer, Phillips, or Lampard.

Adam's report showed that Millwall's influence was steadily increasing, evident through jersey sales, fan numbers, ticket demand, and media exposure.

But Aldrich felt it wasn't enough—not nearly enough.

He didn't expect instant success but knew they must recognize that this is the dawn of a golden age for commercial promotion.

"Let's establish a new department specifically responsible for promoting the Millwall brand. Adam, you keep pushing in the commercial side. Additionally, I'll propose two projects for you to refine and implement. First, set up an official Millwall TV channel that broadcasts programs related to Millwall 24/7—match highlights, player interviews, team training videos—creating the most engaging content possible to attract fans and make them familiar with Millwall. Second, we need an official Millwall website. Moreover, increase signage advertisements in the stadium. Through TV broadcasts, we can entice fans worldwide to visit our site, developing sales channels for our memorabilia. Fan organizations can also be featured on the site, with content including news, promotions, and interactions. Fans should be able to register for memberships and receive regular email updates. In short, we must stay ahead of the trends and not stick to past promotional strategies."

Aldrich's words left those in attendance exchanging glances, and someone asked, "Boss, if we start a TV channel, we don't have broadcasting rights."

Aldrich replied, "We won't be broadcasting; we'll simply show our past highlight matches. You can compile classic match footage, interview fans and celebrities, and even make a feature on a player's performance throughout the season. For instance, take Nedvěd: he arrived at Millwall in the summer of 1994 when no one knew who he was, and fans were skeptical of his abilities. His role in the team wasn't obvious at first, but through two seasons of hard work, he became a star. You can showcase his growth through clips from previous matches, instilling a spirit of motivation and resilience. We can also promote our football values through our youth training base; the 1996 Youth FA Cup victory is a fantastic example. Setting the record for promotion to the Premier League in 1995 and last season's glory—aren't these all materials we can use for promotion?"

Everyone nodded, beginning to grasp the promotional philosophy behind the TV channel.

"What about the official website? Do you mean we should set one up like the UK Treasury to listen to fans' opinions?"

The internet developed in the 90s but was still seen as a novelty, as it relied on hardware infrastructure. Governments worldwide have established official sites, which have been somewhat ineffective, but it's still a sign of keeping pace with the times.

Aldrich patiently explained, "We can post the latest news on the official site, turning it into a reliable source of information for our fans. For example, news about player contract renewals, transfers, injuries, travel plans, ticket discounts, charity events, player awards, and interviews can all be featured. We can establish a forum on the site for fans to discuss Millwall and create a platform for communication with fan organizations. Adam, who is responsible for transfer negotiations, can outline our recruitment policies, team philosophies, and outlook on players' futures. We can even give each player a dedicated section where fans can show their support and discuss players' performances, rating each game. Additionally, we should organize regular events where fans can engage with players or even me, as long as the individuals agree. The internet is the most crucial media platform for the future. We must seize this trend, allowing other media to pay attention to our site, releasing some important news exclusively on there. This will compel other outlets to visit our site. Once we accumulate a significant number of Millwall fans abroad, we can collaborate to set up overseas fan sites, and so on. Just think creatively and explore various ways to promote Millwall Football Club."

Aldrich's speech opened the eyes of those present, many of whom regarded Aldrich as a shrewd businessman and talented coach, but were surprised to discover his visionary ideas.

With internet technology evolving rapidly every year and the impending streaming era promising to further integrate the internet into everyday life, rapidly increasing its user base.

Aldrich simply wanted them to broaden their thinking, not to focus only on their own little patch in England. In the past, international promotion relied on European competitions or foreign stars. However, the internet has blurred the lines of real distance. If Millwall, with its humble background, doesn't seize this opportunity, waiting for a future when the market matures to claim a slice of the pie would only mean left with the scraps.