Freddie Shepherd pledged today that Newcastle United will not be left behind by Manchester United in the battle for a stake in the global goldmine. The Reds' announcement that they have completed a deal with baseball kings New York Yankees has stunned their rivals in the Premiership who fear that Man U will become even harder to catch because of the extra revenue.

But Newcastle made it clear they are not going to sit back and let the old Trafford club cream off the riches now available world-wide.

For the Chronicle can reveal today that United have:

n Re-opened talks with Melbourne Carlton in their bid to buy the Australian club;

n They are in on-going talks with American billionaire Lamar Hunt who owns the Columbus Crew football team and the Kansas Chiefs baseball outfit in the States;

n And they are planning to return to the Far East for an end of season tour.

Shepherd said today: "Manchester United have certainly hit the headlines this week with their New York Yankees deal, but I can assure our fans we have not been sitting back.

"We have things in the pipeline all over the world and hopefully we can pull off some deals which will be of massive benefit for Newcastle United and our fans.

"We spent three days in Australia just before Christmas in our bid to buy Melbourne Carlton, and while negotiations broke down then, we are talking to them again.

"We are also expecting to go back to the Far East for another tour at the end of the season.

"Our last trip to the Far East was a huge success and we are still feeling the benefit of it.

"And as far as America is concerned, we are talking all the time to Lamar Hunt who is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, sports entrepreneurs in the States ."

United are fighting Leeds United, who already have star Aussies in Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka, for the largely untapped riches Down Under and they are in contact with Australia's Minister of Sport.

I was with United on their pre-season tour of Bangkok, Singapore and Japan in 1996 and it was a huge success both on and off the field, culminating with the £15 million signing of Alan Shearer.

That tour helped United build up a new following in Asia but Manchester United still have the biggest hold.

But while the Reds are crowing about their latest deal, Newcastle have not been idle as far as the US market is concerned.

Shepherd and Bobby Robson became friendly with Lamar Hunt when United played his club Columbus Crew in Ohio last July.

The United chairman said: "Both Bobby and myself struck up an immediate rapport with Lamar and we are looking at ways in which we can help each other.

"Apart from Columbus Crew Lamar owns the Kansas Chiefs baseball team and there was talk last July of us going over there to train with them.

"But he also has a connection with the Texas Rangers baseball team and they have just given their star player Ivan Rodriguez the most lucrative deal in sporting history with a 10-year contract worth 250 million dollars."

United fans must be wondering what all this has to do with them. But at the end of the day this is all about money.

Even before the news about the New York Yankees, Manchester United were by far the richest club in the world.

That's why there is talk of making David Beckham the first £100,000 a week footballer and why Sir Alex Ferguson was this week able to give his central defender Jaap Stam a £50,000 weekly wage packet similar to Roy Keane.

http://www.evening-chronicle.co.uk/cfm/body_sport_storys.cfm?StoryID=284117&Row=1&Category=Sport

Im surprised no one has put this up!

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2001

Answers

ANSWERS PAGE.

Mr Sheppard make this ignorant smog monster eat his words!!!!!!!!

http://boards.rivals.net/default.asp? sid=892&p=16&style=2&forumId=3193&action=ReadMsg&replytoid=2142218650

Bloody cheek.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2001

http://boards.rivals.net/default.asp? sid=892&p=16&style=2&forumId=3193&action=ReadMsg&replytoid=2142218650

????

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2001

I put a bit about it on my site earlier

USA v The far East The Ozzie announcement is one of a three pronged response to the news that Man United have tied up a deal with the New York Yankees to sell each others merchandise. Newcastle have also stated that a similar deal between Newcastle and Columbus Crewe's owner Lamar Hunt is progressing well. American Billionaire Hunt also owns the soccer club Kansas Chiefs and the Kansas Chiefs American Football team. Personally I can't see Newcastle fans taking much interest in the fortunes of a Kansas grid iron side.The likelihood of us buying Kansas chiefs merchandise is as ludicrous as Man United fans buying New York Yankee Baseball stuff . Or New Yorkers buying replica Man U shirts. Hang on, have I missed something here? Why are Man U interested so much in the USA? A much bigger market has surely got to be the far East. Football is huge in the likes of China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Indonesia. So much so that over a third of the hits to this site (three or four hundred a week) emanate from that part of the world as opposed to a few dozen from the USA. And that brings us to the third announcement by Mr Shepherd "Our last tor to the far east was a huge success and we are still feeling the benefit of it, We are expecting to go back at the end of the season for another tour" Just where in the Far East will they visit? Most current Newcastle fans in East Asia are in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Hong Kong , that's why I predict that Newcastle will visit, China , Korea and Japan. Relatively few Newcastle fans are found in these football mad countries and that problem needs addressing . Imagine the amount of pay per internet view customers a successful tour of these countries could bring NUFC. Absolutely MILLIONS. They want top to see top quality football in the far east and we are going to be at the forefront , as long as they pay NUFC and NTL for the privilege that is.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2001

I saw the Boro thread, but can't realy see what all the fuss is about. As I said in the above piece, what's the point of this tie up between the Yankees and Man U? They'll make a bit of extra money from the USA but I think they're fishing in the wrong sea, the big money will be made in the far east on pay per internet view TV by NTL. perhaps we should start buying shares in the US conglomorate?

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2001

As I understand it, manure are already the biggest football draw in the major Far East markets, in which case their marketing deal with arguably the biggest and most important sports franchise in the US market looks really smart to me.

While soccer is still well behind baseball, basketball, American football and ice hockey in terms of TV coverage and income, as I understand it, it is the fastest growing participation sport in the US - and therefore the merchandising potential is enormous.

In the face of this, I'm afraid I don't draw much comfort from our Chairman stating that NUFC will not be left behind by manure - especially when he stats this confidence is based on:

1) the fact that he and YBR got on "real well" with some dude running the Columbus Crew (!) footy team,
2) that we are thinking again about trying to acquire an Aussie footy club, after failing to complete this deal once before,
3) that we are thinking about another Far East pre-season tour

...doesn't inspire me with a whole lot of confidence I'm afraid!

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2001

Who cares what money they get! Its certainly no guarantee theyll make a better team than over the last few years. The only way they can continue their domination is to continue as they are now, by mixing a few top buys with a nucleus of players who were of gloryhunter orientation in their youth. They already have enough money to buy the worlds best.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2001

Smithy

>>Im surprised no one has put this up! <<

See the Yankees thread and the Shields Gazette account. Posted mid- day yesterday,

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2001

HONG KONG, HONG KONG, HONG KONG !!!!!!! DON'T MISS OUT BLIDDY HONG KONG !!!

Everyone out here is Man Utd. mad from their trips. Can't stand it...if I seen a Toon shirt anywhere I nearly run the car off the road with delight for their dedication !!

val.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2001

sorry expat mate!!!

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2001

most of the people i meet who don't know much about the Premier League, always fo: "Oh, Newcastle? Kevin Keegan, Alan Shearer...." No one mentions the legend and saviour who is Bobby Robson. A best kept secret? Until we win something i think.

success on the pitch is what sells in faraway countries. You only have to watch CNN and their ridiculous "Top Twenty-Five World Clubs This Week" list and "soccer" round up to realise that. That's based on finance more than actual football that's been played.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001