Rangers commercial department has been busy during the last twelve months, and not just since James Bisgrove arrived although he has certainly made a significant difference.
One of the most recent announcements has seen a formal partnership forged with Hamburger SV and, speaking to Football Insider, football finance expert, Kieran Maguire, feels that it could be one that pays dividends:
“It makes a lot of sense.
“Both clubs have got sizeable fanbases. There’s the opportunity for common products to be made to tie into that connection. The fans will probably buy into that as well.
“So from a commercial perspective, it’s definitely a positive. You generate potentially lucrative commercial revenues at a time when you’re not able to get fans to come into the ground.”
Rangers and Hamburg have long since had a close relationship and to finally create something concrete will only help to add to the current revenue stream, especially in a time when money is tight.
The 4-1 win over Dundee United saw us sport sponsors on our shorts with Bitci joining the growing ranks of partnerships that have been set up – it might annoy the traditionalists but when you realise that Rangers are making a seven-figure sum to have a small logo on the back of their shorts, it is worth every penny.
The last year has been a strange one, to say the least and, thankfully, it now looks as though fans will gradually be allowed to return to stadia at the end of the English season and into the European Championships over the summer, coincidentall,y in time for our 150th anniversary celebrations when Bisgrove et al will be expected to make the most of the opportunity – not that they haven’t made a decent start already.