Red Devils in the Digital Era: Exploring Modern Online Arenas

As befits a club with a massive global reputation, Manchester United have been at the forefront of the push to embrace digital technologies in recent years.

The Premier League club is undoubtedly one of the best in the business when it comes to leveraging the possibilities offered by establishing a strong presence in modern online arenas.

Intriguingly, while the club has rightly been criticised for failing to invest in several other key areas such as stadium maintenance, the same accusation cannot be levelled at their digital game.

With that in mind, we take a closer look at how the Red Devils operate in the digital era, starting with a look at their relationship with the online gambling industry.

Online Betting Sites

Advancements in technology during the 21st century have helped online gambling become one of the most lucrative sectors on the planet.

A quick look at leading comparison platforms highlights that point to perfection, with punters able to explore new betting sites which have jumped on the bandwagon in recent times.

Given that each of the competitions they feature in are covered extensively by online sportsbooks, it comes as no surprise to find that Man United have strong links with the sector.

Betfred was the official betting partner of the club from 2006 to 2013 – a link-up forged as a result of founder Fred Done’s lifelong passion for the Red Devils.

The partnership was renewed ahead of the 2022/23 football season, and the two organisations now work on a series of exciting digital initiatives which benefit each party.

To facilitate online betting for fans on matchday, the club recently rolled out a new Wi-Fi system which was installed at Old Trafford by cloud-driven networking company Extreme Networks.

It features under-seat Wi-Fi 6 technology and has more than 1,600 access points installed, making it the largest project of its kind in the United Kingdom.

Social Media Platforms

Another digital area where Man United have excelled in recent years is on social media, with the club boasting a massive following across all the major platforms.

For example, the club’s official Facebook page has garnered 82 million followers at the time of writing, while 63.2m people follow them on Instagram.

Man United also have 37.4m followers on X (formerly known as Twitter), while 8.46m people have subscribed to the club’s YouTube channel.

The Red Devils have also led the Premier League’s charge towards TikTok, racking up more than 24m followers on its official channel since its launch in October 2020.

United say the channel entertains ‘millions of fans worldwide with exclusive behind-the-scenes content, engaging hashtag challenges and thrilling action moments’.

The club also works with TikTok to provide fans with exclusive augmented reality content, stadium takeovers and exciting brand collaborations at televised matches.

The short-form nature of TikTok makes it hugely appealing to younger fans – a factor which helps United maintain relevancy to the next generation of supporters.

The Digital Future

Staying ahead of the curve in online arenas is no easy task, with new developments in modern technology hitting the digital sector on a frequent basis.

To support their efforts to keep up-to-speed with the ever-evolving nature of the digital landscape, the club leverages the expertise of a strategic technology partner.

DXC Technology serve as the club’s Official Digital Transformation Partner, helping them better align their information technology and business strategies.

The firm has a proven track record in delivering services that ‘maintain, modernise and innovate mission-critical tech platforms, steering them with data-driven insights’.

The partnership initially focused on enhancing fan engagement, ensuring that all online platforms are always available and developing a digital transformation roadmap.

DXC places a strong emphasis on providing the club with a raft of digital data, which better informs how they engage with key stakeholders in modern online arenas.

While many other professional sports clubs are guilty of failing to invest resources into their digital infrastructure, United have taken proactive steps to stay ahead of the game.