Manchester United and HCL are creating something awesome at the Old Trafford stadium!

Technology firms are increasingly tying up with sports franchises, the latest being a tie-up between HCL Technologies and Manchester United. The former has won a three-year contract to handle tech operations of football club Manchester United.

According to the deal, the Indian IT company will create an innovation lab at Old Trafford. Manchester United and HCL Technologies will both invest in the deal.

The Manchester United has 659 million fans, and it interact with 100 million of them digitally. “I think that ManU is unique in that scale, not to sound immodest," said Richard Arnold, ManU group managing director.

"So we required an industrial-level solution (and) that is what we found HCL could bring," said Arnold, adding that an increased focus on digital is part of the club's strategic vision.

Such kind of tie-ups boosts visibility. Last year, Spanish football club Real Madrid signed a four-year business, technology and marketing partnership with Microsoft.

It was widely reported that the deal size at about $30 million. No other Indian IT company has signed up with a sporting franchise as yet.

HCL Technologies CEO Anant Gupta is of the opinion that the lab would showcase innovation in digital technology and create a platform to interact with fans.

"This partnership is unique and creates value not just for Manchester United and its fans but also for all forward looking organisations across the world," Gupta said. Team sponsors such as insurance broker Aon, carmaker Chevrolet, logistics firm DHL, sporting goods maker Adidas and others will also be able to use the lab to interact better with the club's fans.

"While this does give us a staging point, it is more important that...we will get a lot of data and insights. That can be leveraged for our other clients," said Krishnan Chatterjee, senior vice president, HCL Technologies.

The company has created six co-innovation labs so far, including one with German lender Deutsche Bank. But those labs typically come with confidentiality clauses related to the output. The Manchester United lab will be open to HCL's clients who want to visit, Chatterjee said. For Indian IT companies, showcasing prestigious deals is important.

"Digital is an emergent wave but one likely leading to polarised outcomes among players," JPMorgan analyst Viju George said in a July note. "In shaping this opportunity and the business model, it is but natural to expect differential/polarised progress in digital across the various players over the next 3-5 years."

(Image: Indiatimes)