OPINION
With today’s technology front and centre for not only the fans in the stands but the clubs behind the scenes, Leeds United’s partnership with Sports Interactive and their universally popular Football Manager video game makes a lot of sense.
The Whites announced the agreement on Thursday via their official Twitter account and website, with club Executive Director Paul Bell confirming his excitement at having a new way to engage with supporters off the field.
He told the Leeds website: “Sports Interactive and Sega have a fantastic history of working with clubs to promote Football Manager around the world, and we are delighted to work with them in finding new ways to engage with our passionate fan base.”
? | Leeds United announce partnership with Sports Interactive, Sega and its flagship game, @FootballManager
— Leeds United (@LUFC) November 22, 2018
However, if all this deal is is a chance for the Whites to further connect with an already hardcore Elland Road support then it is a missed trick, for the deal could well offer first team manager Marcelo Bielsa a surprise boost in the transfer market.
Now there will be many sceptical about how a video game can offer the club real world benefits but the fact of the matter is that there are few other databases on footballers as comprehensive as those at Sports Interactive.
The company use real world scouts to source their data for the game and considering that there are leagues from all over the globe used, the scope is far beyond what Leeds themselves could sanction for scouting.
Having access to a global information base of footballing talent could make a real difference for Bielsa, and while data is not comparable to watching a player in the flesh, it offers a much wider berth to start from in scouting out the next top star.
Fans might well love what the partnership brings off the pitch, but the opportunities it could bring the the first team must not be ignored.