ABSTRACT
This chapter critically examines FC Barcelona as a corporate entity. In doing so, it has three key themes. First, it considers the processes by which the club evolved into a global matrix of product, sport, business and entertainment. It then discusses the implications of these processes, with an analysis of the strategies employed by FC Barcelona that enabled it to become such a powerful multinational force. Finally, the chapter speculates about the nature of what was called ‘Barça Corporate’, as the commercial and audiovisual arm of the club. It provides a good example of how football clubs have become multinationals and illustrates how they compete with other entertainment multinational corporations. In the analysis of FC Barcelona as a global brand, the authors propose five main brand territories (symbolism, innovation, data, entertainment and knowledge – SIDEK) in which the club can achieve competitive advantage over its rivals. Archive material and interviews have been used to elucidate the issues of this chapter.
