MUMBAI: After calling off its $1 billion initial public offering (IPO) in Singapore due to volatile market conditions, well-known English Premier League (EPL) club Manchester United has filed for a $100 million IPO with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

It will become the first UK soccer club to go public in the US in more than a decade. The club was listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) from 1991 until June 2005.

The club, which is owned by American Glazer family, said it will issue Class A and Class B, with the latter controlling most of the voting rights. The club did not specify the launch date, stock symbol, price range or size of the IPO.

Manchester United said they intend to use all the net proceeds of the issue to reduce debt, which stands at $664 million higher than the $520 million revenue it earned last year.

"Our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial health and competitive position and reduce the availability of our cash flow to fund the hiring and retention of players and coaching staff," Manchester United said in its filing.

The team would become a wholly owned subsidiary of Manchester United Ltd, a newly formed holding company based in the Cayman Islands.

"In the Premier League, recent investment from wealthy team owners has led to teams with deep financial backing that are able to acquire top players and coaching staff, which could result in improved performance from those teams in domestic and European competitions,? the Manchester United filing said.

MUMBAI: Airtel Africa, a subsidiary of Indian telecom major Airtel, has sealed a partnership agreement with African pay TV platform DSTV that sees the two organisations working together to air a weekly TV football show, Airtel Rising Stars.

Grassroots football is part of Airtel Africa?s vision to develop and nurture young football talent and compliments Africa?s largest pan African youth football initiative, the Airtel Rising Stars, which is supported by Airtel and Manchester United.

DSTV will cover live football matches in various countries, leading towards a pan African inter-country final of the Airtel Rising Stars youth tournament being held in Nairobi later this year. The show will also trace the career paths of African footballers, demonstrating sporting journeys that have led to fame and success.

?We have always believed that football has the ability to develop and connect youth across the continent. This was the rationale behind our pan African football tournament and talent development program, Airtel Rising Stars, which is now into its second year. The enthusiasm Africa has for the sport is undeniable. Our decision to be involved in this new show compliments our ongoing commitment to support the passions of our young adult consumers," explains Airtel Africa CMO Andre Beyers.

?Airtel Football? focuses on different aspects of the sport across the continent and airs on Super Sport 9 every Monday.

Aside from profiling African footballers, the fast-paced half hour show explores a wide range of topics including insights on the sports fraternity, culture across various African countries and major tournaments/games being played on the continent. The show will run for 44 weeks and is also available to viewers in high definition.

MUMBAI: Manchester United, the globally popular football club, is reportedly mulling moving its initial public offering to US from Singapore.

Two reasons are being cited for Man-U?s move. The first reason is to secure higher valuation by moving the IPO to US. Secondly, Malcolm Glazer, the American owner of the club, wants to use the IPO in US to retain control by using a dual-class share structure.

Man-U, which was planning a $1 billion IPO on Singapore Stock Exchange, had delayed the public float because of volatility in the stock markets.

MUMBAI: Manchester United is the world?s most popular club with 659 million global followers.

Kantar, which carried out a survey, found that football remains the world?s most popular sport, with 1.6 billion followers globally, reinforcing the results of a recent Fifa survey. For the survey, Kantar gathered 54,000 respondents from 39 countries.

The club?s commercial director Richard Arnold commented on the long-term strategy that has made Manchester United the number one club in the world?s number one sport: "Manchester United has built on a tradition of iconic players, iconic teams and iconic achievements -- Beckham, Busby, Benfica ?68. Now our games are broadcast to 1.15 billion households globally, to an audience of over four billion a year."

Since 2007, Manchester United has rolled out new approaches to reach fans. The connections to the club has grown exponentially: from the increase in TV viewership from two to four billion last season, to the demand from millions of media subscribers in 72 countries through media partnerships and to the way the footage of Wayne?s overhead kick echoed around the world on social media.

"With the DHL Champions Trophy tour we have seen that passion from our community of followers face to face in 38 cities across the globe, and there does not seem to be a beach or street in the world where you do not see the Aon and Nike shirt. This survey shows that our family of followers is going from strength to strength," Arnold said.

Manchester United has 71 million followers in Americas, 90 million in Europe 73 million in Middle East and Africa, 325 million in Asia-Pacific an 108 million in China.

The number of Manchester United followers globally has grown by 98 per cent since the previous survey in 2007. Manchester United?s family of followers is larger than the combined population of the US, Brazil and Mexico.

MUMBAI: Manchester United has held on to its position as the world?s most valuable football brand with a brand value of $853 million despite a dissapointing Premier League season wherein it lost the title to Manchester City, according to brand valuation company Brand Finance.

However, the valuation firm has warned that shrewd commercial management and commanding Champion?s League performances by Bayern Munich could see United unseated from the top spot of the Brand Finance Football 50 in the near future.

German football club FC Bayern Munich climbed to the second spot with a brand valuation of $786 million representing a 59 per cent increase over the last year. The success in Germany and presence in the final of the Champions League has been bolstered by financial nous.

Bayern Munich pipped Spanish giant Real Madrid, which has slipped to third spot with its valuation decreasing by seven per cent to $600 million.

?However Bayern needs to start building its brand in emerging markets or they will be left behind by relying too heavily on their domestic fan base," commented head of Sports Brands Dave Chattaway.

Also witnessing a decrease in its brand valuation is Spanish club FC Barcelona, whose brand valuation shrinked by eight per cent to $580 million.

AC Milan, the only Italian club to make it to the top ten, has a valuation of $292 million.

Italian and Spanish clubs fared badly this year, affected by the economic turmoil in their home markets. Attendances are down due to high unemployment and uncertainty.

Clubs in both countries must continue to look abroad for a steady stream of commercial and broadcasting revenues, capitalising on strong brands, Brand Finance said.

Joining Bayern Munich in the top ten table is FC Schalke 04, which has seen its valuation zoom by 97 per cent to $266 million. The club has moved to 10th position from 12th position last year.

Champion?s League triumph secures another season in Europe for Chelsea but despite two trophies the club stays fifth with a brand value of $398 million due to a poor Premier League performance.

Arsenal and Liverpool share sixth and seventh spot respectively with a valuation of $388 and $367 million.

Meanwhile, the huge investment in local rivals, Manchester City, has finally yielded a Premier League victory. With Sir Alex Ferguson reaching the end of his career and the Glazers still paying off debts, the club may struggle to maintain the squad it needs to stay at the top.

The huge investment by Sheikh Mansour of Abu Dhabi, estimated at $1.5 billion, is beginning to pay off for City. The club has matched United on the field and though still in its shadow in terms of Brand value, it is catching up rapidly. At $302 million, the Man City brand is worth nearly double what it was in 2011.

Brand Finance CEO David Haigh said, "This year?s study shows that even football isn?t immune to the Euro crisis, with Spanish and Italian teams being hit hardest. The two top teams operate different marketing strategies, Bayern prioritising its domestic fan base whilst United concentrates on global opportunities."