Originally reported by Insider Sport
Few names in European football carry the weight and prestige of AC Milan. With a history punctuated by seven UEFA Champions League titles and an iconic home in the San Siro, the club stands as a symbol of Italian footballing heritage. But beyond the glory days of the past, the Rossoneri are now scripting a new chapter — one built on innovation, marketing ingenuity, and global brand development.
From Decline to Revival
After years of instability both on and off the pitch, AC Milan’s recent resurgence has been both strategic and symbolic. The 2022 Scudetto win and their journey to the Champions League semi-finals have reignited fan passion, but the real transformation has unfolded behind the scenes. In 2023, the club recorded €400 million in revenue and posted a €6.1 million profit — its first in 17 years.
At the center of this turnaround is RedBird Capital, the U.S.-based private equity firm that acquired the club for €1.2 billion in 2022. Their focus? Long-term value creation, brand scalability, and leveraging synergies with their wider sports and media portfolio.
Redefining Football Marketing: The Tania Moreno Effect
Integral to Milan’s modernized approach is Tania Moreno, the club’s newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer. Formerly involved in marketing roles across sectors like quick service restaurants, retail, and pro sports, Moreno now leads a team responsible for brand, creative, content, digital, events, and fan engagement.
In just a short time, her impact has been unmistakable. Campaigns like “Planting New Memories” — a sustainability initiative planting 1899 trees (reflecting the club’s founding year) — and “A Light That Never Fades”, a global call for fans to light up cities in red and black, have redefined how football clubs activate global audiences.
The latter initiative reached over 88 million impressions and earned three Silver Clio Sports Awards, proving the reach and relevance of AC Milan’s evolving brand.
U.S. Expansion: Pulisic, Partnerships, and Preseason Power Plays
The RedBird ownership has also opened new doors in the U.S., where football (or soccer) is growing rapidly. The signings of U.S. internationals Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah, combined with high-profile friendlies on the U.S. West Coast, have positioned Milan as a club with serious stateside ambitions.
RedBird’s synergy with other properties — such as the New York Yankees — has enabled merchandise cross-sales and new broadcast opportunities via the YES Network. For Moreno, this is about much more than reach: “This is a tremendous opportunity to activate differently in spaces where the younger audience spends time.”
Beyond the Pitch: Fashion, Entertainment, and Innovation
AC Milan is now aligning itself with industries like music, fashion, and entertainment. With collaborative merchandise, content expansion, and new tech-driven tools like AI to moderate online engagement, the club is building a modern digital-first ecosystem around its legacy brand.
In 2024, Milan is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a special edition kit and a host of fan-centric campaigns designed to honor its history while engaging a new global audience.
Lessons for Clubs, Brands, and Rights Holders
At 365247 Media, we help sports organizations, rights holders, and brands build scalable strategies modeled on success stories like AC Milan’s. Here’s what can be learned:
- Modern Football is Global: Strategic internationalization — especially in emerging markets like the U.S. — is non-negotiable.
- Marketing Needs to Be Multi-Dimensional: AC Milan’s campaigns touch social, sustainability, heritage, and culture — not just football.
- Ownership Alignment Is Key: RedBird’s synergy between clubs, networks, and commercial partners is a blueprint for smart portfolio leverage.
- Technology Must Serve the Brand: From AI moderation to global digital activations, innovation must have purpose and polish.
- Community Still Matters: Efforts through Fondazione Milan and global fan campaigns show that scale doesn’t have to compromise intimacy.
Looking to redefine your sports property or brand like AC Milan?
At 365247 Media, we specialize in global growth strategy, brand marketing, digital content, fan engagement, and commercial development. Whether you’re a club, league, federation, or brand looking to scale across borders — we can help.
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IMAGE: AC Milan
