Last year it was the Ange Homecoming Tour to Sydney. In the summer, we are off to Ange’s more recent home, Japan, as well as Korea. Stuck in a small league with a TV deal that is predicated on the value of a handful of games, we need to look for new markets.
I know there has been some scepticism at the club that there will be sustainable commercial value in Japan. As we know well, players can go as quick as they came, which makes it precarious to plan Asian tours on having a local interest to sell. Still, we have a responsibility to try.
Kyogo, Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, Tomoki Iwata all featured in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final. Yuki Kobayashi was on the bench and is set to play in our remaining six fixtures this season, including the Cup Final. While Celtic still hold the registration of Yosuke Ideguchi, he is on loan in his homeland and is unlikely to return to Glasgow. That’s five players from Japan with successful narratives about Celtic to Japanese consumers, players and agents. Japan’s representation in next season’s Champions League will overwhelmingly come through Celtic.
Demographics are important. There are 125m people in Japan, 23 times more than Scotland, and on average, they have far more disposable income. Madrid, Munich and the EPL will always get most eyeballs there, but we are now in the conversation. A great deal of work has also been put into the commercial side, before we even reached this stage. We have travelled to Japan and business contacts have come to Celtic Park.
Penetration of the South Korea market is in gestation, by comparison. Hyeongyu Oh is only just in the door and there are no hard suggestions we will sign more of his compatriots. Still, it is another large (population 51m) and wealthy market.
The great migration of Scots to North America began to wind down 40 years ago, it is unlikely that market will contribute as much to the club going forward as it has since the onset of internet access and multi-channel TV. If there is nothing to be achieved in foreign markets, fair enough, but as I said, we have to try.
Road to Seville
It’s just three days until the cyclists leave from Celtic Park bound for Seville. Today we hear from Brian O’Shea, who started cycling just three years ago and now faces an unimaginable task – all to aid the work of the Celtic FC Foundation. You can hear Brian’s story below, and just as importantly, you can support the work of the Foundation, your Foundation, here.
Many thanks for all the support towards the cyclists. Keep in touch with their journey on Twitter: @Road2Seville23
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Good evening all from the Lord Edward, Dublin. Great afternoon in here but the horse bets have not delivered a profit yet. I blame Brian. 😁
I would happily live in a Hun free Scottish football environment.
2012-2017 without something called “Rangers” in out top league was fine by me.
Might not have been best for the business model, but I do find it funny that for that period other clubs won 8 trophies and a narrative was “but your not winning trebles”.
Those clubs that won trophies did they care there was no current Rangers in the SPL, did they hell.
Even better for our PLC, and dare i say it the missing 10,000 SB holders, since they got to the top table – we have won 16 trophies from 20, with one to decide.
And 5 trebles from 7 seasons.
I suppose enjoying the humilation of something so revolting is a sin.
BIG JIMMY
You having a flutter on the Derby?
Aipple
Was that a serious question?😁
Cup Final kick off is 5.30pm
Cup final moved to 17.30 – disgraceful that we have to move the climax of the season for broadcasters. This demeans Scottish football.
!!BADA BING!! on 3RD MAY 2023 5:10 PM
Cup Final kick off is 5.30pm
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Far better time than midday.
Scottish youth cup final
Celtic v Huns KO 7:00pm
Live on BBC Scotland & YouTube tonight
Celtic Football Club has issued the following statement.
“We are hugely disappointed that the Scottish Cup Final has been moved from its traditional 3pm slot, something we don’t believe was necessary, or in the best interests of both sets of supporters.
“Additionally, there was no meaningful consultation with Celtic on this matter, interms of assessing the many issues affecting supporters attending the match – something which is also extremely regrettable.”
Nonsense kick off time IMO, no thought for fans getting ferries,or Inverness fans trying to get home via trains.
login
It would be interesting to see who drove this Cup change the SFA or Viaplay. The latter shouldn’t be bothered as most using it will already be under subscription either by yearly or single month.
That leaves PPV option for a single day on that platform. Now irrespective of competition from the English cup 99.99% of potential customers would be from the two clubs , so the English cup showing at the same time should have been irrelevant
PRESTONPANS BHOYS
The Scottish Cup Final is on bothe Viaplay and BBC1.
Tom
I know that the point of the post, if viaplay objected then why?
PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 3RD MAY 2023 5:43 PM
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I think the final will also be on BBC.
Celtic Statement on k.o time
https://twitter.com/CelticFC/status/1653794632998834187?t=kDOQ_yD4o67jiSbeRGQaTg&s=19
HH
Our game is whored to Telly!!
HH
this stage last season
1 Celtic 33 26 4 3 78 19 +59 82
2 Rangers 33 23 7 3 67 27 +40 76
1 Celtic 33 30 2 1 103 25 +78 92
2 Rangers 33 25 4 4 81 34 +47 79
If we feel that strongly, don’t engage Viaplay on the day.
ZIGGYDOC1 on 3RD MAY 2023 2:09 PM
We currently have five Japanese boys plus one out on loan. Hard to imagine any other team in Europe with that many. I wouldn’t be surprised if we had another one or two in the next year also. If we could do something in Europe with a strong contingent of Japanese boys, that’s got to stimulate interest out there. It’s a massive country with people who aren’t afraid to spend money. I was fortunate enough to visit there some years ago and absolutely loved it.
* I have a daughter who taught in South Korea for several years, now back here, and she took advantage of that and did a bit of touring over there, her favourite place was Japan, which she went tae a couple of times.
Or if we have to contractually, send out the shoe shine and Seigrist to talk to them
ZIGGYDOC1 on 3RD MAY 2023 5:59 PM
PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 3RD MAY 2023 5:43 PM
I think the final will also be on BBC.
I know it is , perhaps I should put my original post in another way. There is no need for Viaplay to care when the game is played, so I can’t see them insisting on a time change. That leaves someone else responsible, an organisation close to our hearts !
I believe what’s happened with Siegrist is that he got injured, was nearly back, and suffered a setback. Bain was in the squad by then, and looking at the last sort of quarter/fifth of the season there’s been a reluctance to make changes for change’s sake. Open season on the No1 jersey with effect from pre-season…so I am told.
I would hope Inverness Caley will show solidarity with Celtic about the kick-off time for the final. I think their supporters will be even more inconvenienced. Seems to me something cooked up by the SFA and the sports department of BBC Scotland.
St.Stivs
Seen you mention Andrew ‘cheat’ Dickson
A timeline on him from 2012
https://twitter.com/Zeshankenzo/status/872193218649214976?t=hj4oE0ZULp2gte68akR0Rw&s=19
A cheat,Sir David the cheats administrative puppy cheat,all to do with how player registrations could be cheated.
Andrew Dickson is proof positive he knew the nefarious element to their cheating as well as being the sfa’s ‘worksteam’
He should be chased from our game,thats the problem, back in there prime no one questioned them.it was their game.sfa+their worksteam
:-)
HH
My apologies: just heard that Inverness Caley have also complained.
That awkward moment when Sam Allardyce gets a job.
“Road to the final” pictures shown before kick off.
In one clip, Sevco no.9 heads for box before performing the most spectacular dive.
They teach them young.
Recent FA Cup Finals have kicked-off at 5:30pm. Not sure why they have changed back to 3pm.
Celts …take care of Ginelli on Sunday and the game / league is ours …we know what their tactic will be long balls through for him to run onto …and to be allowed to kick us off the park of course….he has caused us bother before Taylor and the rest of defence need to be on alert from the off 🍀
Young Celtic keeper having a mare
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Tom,
Police advice Two Manchester clubs, I guess.
https://metro.co.uk/2023/04/26/fa-cup-final-kick-off-time-moved-to-3pm-for-first-time-in-12-years-18676313/
Too many left footers …………
LB like watching KT a few years ago…..
Good evening all from the James Connolly bar Dublin.
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