Manchester United – English Media’s perennial 3 Body problem
Like scientists around the world who are intrigued by 3 body problem of celestial body movements under influence of gravitational forces and then trying to ascertain its trajectory, likewise as a United fan I / rather we are forever intrigued by 3 body problem that has plagued the dynamic between Manchester United and English media – Hate, Relevance and Love.
Whether it is us completing a signing for 100m or for 1m (deliberately didn’t mention currency as that’s how media reports them to somehow push it up!), the pomp and coverage never cease to amaze. There are clubs in League who have signed players for £100m whose hairdo makes more waves than performances on pitch or some who have failed drug tests, but those never makes headlines. However if a United player goes out late evening, the English media will be all over it and run it sometimes for weeks/ even months. Let’s call this the ‘Relevance’ dimension, if you aren’t relevant then who is going to read you isn’t it!
We then have characters - be it retired football ‘legends’ from other clubs, or an ex- player who is making news now just because of theatrics around his laughter or some ex-players whose wounds haven’t healed yet – who will go on TV channels or on YouTube channels or Podcasts or Radio shows with a single agenda- ‘What is the new way we can bash United TODAY’. Let’s call this ‘Hate’ and ‘Relevance’ dimension.
We then have some football writers, journalists who take genuine interest in United. Not only do they report on what’s happening but they also go a bit deeper on the why and the how. This acts as a doorway for fans like me who sit from afar and try to make sense of the chaos that used to be Manchester United. One wishes that there are more like them, but we all know that isn’t going to happen. This is the small albeit the most important ‘Love’ dimension.
If one carefully thinks about patterns, then every other article that is written by English media is often driven by ‘Hate’ and ‘Relevance’, as any news about Manchester United sells more papers or now a days drives more clicks. Honesty/ Integrity or sometimes both, one would struggle to find in most publications/YouTube channels/Podcasts, and it might even enrage you, however you then realize it’s revenue generation and its engagement farming.
For the contribution that Manchester United had in building the brand of English Premier League worldwide and in due course helping it reach insurmountable heights (bringing in monumental TV revenues) the utter disrespect and disregard it gets is just unbelievable and shameful. Add to the fact that many publications/TV channels/YouTube channels wilfully leverage United’s name just to gain financially even at cost of their reputation is just pitiful.
Sitting from afar, the fact that most of these media personnel or media houses have just used the brand of Manchester United for respective individual gains but haven’t even bothered to even be little concerned about decay that it was subjected to for a decade or so, never ceases to amaze me.
End of the day all United fans expect is fairness in their coverage, however time and again it has been proven that it is not going to be possible.
As they say, Manchester United – Always hated, seldom loved but NEVER ignored!