Villa’s import of Celtic commercial success

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Our trip to Birmingham this week is thankfully less crucial than it may have been.  Celtic (12 points) will not reach the top eight, even with a win, Aston Villa (13 points) are likely to make the cut with a win, not a draw.  That puts all the pressure onto the home side, allowing Celtic a free hit.

Villa also have everything to play for at home.  They are eight in the table, four points off an automatic Champions League spot, but that could change if Manchester City’s legal challenges crystalise before the end of the season, and English clubs earn a fifth spot, which looks likely.

The Birmingham club have a mix of American and Egyptian billionaire owners who bought into what was a sleeping giant and set about a restoration project.  Interestingly, they came to Celtic for their commercial head.

Last year they employed Celtic’s then commercial director, Adrian Filby.  Adrian joined Celtic in 2008 and transformed our commercial operation and income over 16 years.  This culminated in the club’s current relationship with Adidas and retail partner, JD Sports.   Commercial deals fall into the category of ‘you don’t want to see how the sausage is made’, but suffice to say that collaborative deals with Adidas and JD leveraged a lot more money for Celtic than would otherwise have been possible.

Every time our financials are released you and I discuss the importance of commercial income to our strategic planning.  Ticket sales are more or less steady, European income varies widely, but commercial contracts allows the club to budget with some certainty for years ahead.  For many years these deals brought in the equivalent of a Champions League qualification (although this year’s CL is likely to blow that equivalence out of the water).

Filby led what was by far the most experienced and successful commercial team in Scottish football.  It is often a thankless task.  No one really likes sponsor’s names on their shirt, but they put players on the field, just as our season ticket money does.  He also took over the women’s team, concluding with their first league title.

Forget all of that, though.  If any of you bump into him in Birmingham this week, the anecdote you probably want to ask him about is the Sydney Tournament.  He was the man who declined the offer Newco’s James Bisgrove signed up for, eventually agreeing to a payment four times more than Newco.  Bisgrove was soon promoted to Newco chief exec, causing much hilarity elsewhere in Glasgow.

There is now a Celtic commercial team band reunion underway at Villa.  Kerry Keenan, our former marketing head who left in 2022, has joined Filby as VP of Marketing.  The story of Celtic’s business and operational excellence seldom grabs the headlines, but it has been genuinely exceptional for a long time now.  It is no surprise that aspirational English clubs want a piece of it.

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  1. Happy Monday fellow Tims.

     

     

    Good article on Brendan on the last page of the previous article – worth a read back if you have time.

  2. Good story, Paul – shows the vital importance of those away from the limelight – there are quite a number within the building at Celtic Park. Unsung heroes who help make our club what it is – the very best. Hail Hail!!!

  3. Hadn’t realised Kerry Keenan had gone there also. She was a pretty capable operator who I really thought was in her dream job with Celtic.

  4. glendalystonsils on

    BURNLEY78 on 27TH JANUARY 2025 12:16 PM

     

     

    I would imagine Kerry Keenan moved for the same reason footballers move . The greater the financial rewards , the dreamier the dream job .

  5. TEXASTIM on 27TH JANUARY 2025 12:12 PM

     

    Happy Monday fellow Tims.

     

     

     

    Good article on Brendan on the last page of the previous article – worth a read back if you have time.

     

    ————/

     

    Tremendous piece – thanks for flagging it – really enjoyable – insightful and right on the money. HH

  6. EKBHOY at 10.27 am –

     

    You talk too much sense .

     

    Get yerself along to the Shipbank on Friday and BRRB , Big Jimmy abd Belmont Brian will soon knock that out yer heid 🤪

  7. Interesting insight

     

     

    Much less insightful but interesting to me, at least, was today’s Swiss Ramble article about Deloitte’s annual Football Money League.

     

     

    A couple of things that jumped out were that while tv money stayed flat for the top 20 richest clubs, commercial revenue increased by 10% or €500 million and match day revenue by €200m or 11%. Two revenue streams that we’ve traditionally been able to compete with, at least better than tv.

     

     

    If they’re pinching our best people, and investing huge amounts of capital to increase match day revenues our chances of competing are getting lesser each year.

     

     

    The simple solution would be to rebuild the main stand, to increase match day revenue, but we don’t have access to cheap capital like the top 20 clubs with their guaranteed tv income and ownership models and rich owners.

     

     

    Our only hope is to carry on the smart thinking from the smart people

  8. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Yet another comparison with “newco” for whatever reason. Forever shackled by the old firm…..

  9. Glendalystonsils

     

     

    Yes you are probably right. Maybe more a KT than a Cal Mac. Having seen her celebrate a few of our triumphs I always felt she really connected.

  10. Celtic40me

     

     

    The challenge for the top 20 in Swiss Ramble report will be the depth of commitment from a fan base which we enjoy. The % of disposable our fans spend is massive by comparison.

     

     

    The challenge for us is the massive global exposure which these other brands have is so much greater given the leagues they are in. This commercial potential is so vast.

  11. glendalystonsils on

    BURNLEY78 on 27TH JANUARY 2025 12:43 PM

     

     

    Once a Celtic fan ,always a Celtic fan . I don’t know the lady but I’m sure KK still follows our fortunes while earning her living elsewhere .

  12. The Battered Bunnet on

    “It was always my dream job, from the first moment I saw the salary and benefits package.”

     

     

    BoughtTheTeeShirtCSC

  13. As we move tie up our business in this window, we have this quote: “The gulf opening up between them (us and Ibrox) is starting to look like the kind of chasm which might never be bridged.”

     

     

    No not one of the many ‘Celtic’ bloggers – none other than Keith Jackson – must be right then!! HH

  14. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    “He was the man who declined the offer Newco’s James Bisgrove signed up for, eventually agreeing to a payment four times more than Newco. ”

     

    Hmmmm, will it be eight times as much before too long…..

     

    https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/faint-fitness-hopes-organisational-knowledge-drain/

     

    “our own man, Adrian Filby, negotiated a fee around twice as much and excluded the “Old Firm” phrase from the all promotions.”

     

    ——————–

     

    And why the ‘no old firm ‘ exclusion if we didn’t know who the opponents were going to be?:

     

    ” Celtic contracted to play the tournament without mention of any other club”

     

    https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/sydney-newco-and-the-10m-liability/

  15. BSR

     

    Because it is so long since he’s played Jota is currently taking his football theory test. Might show him a ball later on

  16. bournesouprecipe on

    GENE

     

     

    Well according to Bigrailroad , he was playing pool in the Brazen last week 👍

  17. bigrailroadblues on

    Fred Colon

     

    Away n bile yer heid. 😆

     

     

    BOURNESOUPRECIPE

     

    He’s back in today. His jeans are in helluva state. With all that money……😁

  18. bournesouprecipe on

    Bigrailroad

     

     

    Careless with his Whispa?

     

     

    You broke story it’s an exclusive 👍 if only people had listened

  19. Delighted to have Jota back. A pivotal player for us under Ange. Brendan will do what he does and take him up levels. Can’t wait.

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