IndexSituationStakeholdersForecastsSituationBastian Schweinsteiger's decision to move from a short stay at Manchester United in favor of the American team Chicago Fire has fueled many debates and discussions about the state of American football. The move has impacted countless people around the world. The former German national team captain had won almost everything he could win in German football with Bayern Munich's Bundesliga titles, a DFB-Pokal title, a UEFA Champions League title, a FIFA Club World Cup title and a UEFA Super Cup title in addition to the World Cup victory with the German national team in 2014. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get original essaySchweinsteiger moved to Manchester United in 2015 to potentially expand his list of successes with English titles. He had joined the Bayern Munich organization as a youth player in 1998, and had not changed clubs until joining the English team. The contract he signed with Manchester United would last three years and the deal was estimated to be worth £7.2 per year, a similar figure to his salary with Bayern Munich (Edwards). Schweinsteiger's career with Manchester United ended in the spring of 2017, before the end of his contract. Injuries and age had led to a lack of playing time, and the change of manager from Louis van Gaal to Jose Mourinho contributed to Schweinsteiger's demotion to training with the Under-23 team (Shode). He then joined MLS side Chicago Fire, reportedly without exercising his contractual right to require Manchester United to pay his entire three-year salary in full (Gaughan). The German joined the struggling Chicago Fire with great fanfare. The Fire finished the 2015 and 2016 seasons in last place, the first and only MLS team to finish two consecutive seasons at the bottom of the table. Poor performances led to poor attendance at home games: the Fire averaged a home attendance of 15,602, the second lowest in the league (Campbell). Chicago had plenty of room to grow and hoped a one-year, $4.5 million deal with an international star could help. Stakeholders Due to the international nature of soccer, Schweinsteiger's move to American soccer has affected countless people around the world. Fans, both spectators and viewers, were incredibly impressed. His following is huge around the world thanks to his many titles and years at Bayern Munich, and that following grew with his move to Manchester. With over four million followers on Twitter, the German has more followers than the entire Chicago Bears football team combined (Campbell). For American soccer fans, the move was an incredible opportunity to see an international star. The Chicago Fire reported selling over 150 new season tickets following Schweinsteiger's arrival, and fans of other teams also had the opportunity to see the legend in action against their own team (Campbell). Another benefit for American fans is a more convenient time slot for watching sports. Time zones often prove difficult for fans of international teams, often forcing them to significantly alter their sleep schedules to watch matches. With Schweinsteiger's move to America, games are played during the American sports television system, helping sports fans follow the games. Although the spectatorsAmericans benefit from the move, international fans suffer. The sport's international status allows fans to live anywhere in the world and still watch games, but the move to MLS, a league often criticized for lower skill levels, limits the ability to watch for many fans. Because the move benefits American time zones, it hinders the ability to watch worldwide. As a German, Schweinsteiger's largest following exists in Europe. Despite all the support and enthusiasm from American fans, Schweinsteiger loses spectators and viewers around the world. New organizations would also benefit from Schweinsteiger's move to MLS. The club reported 2.5 billion impressions across all media generated around the move, including content from local and national news outlets. This is incredibly beneficial for organizations, which rely on selling documents and generating opinions and impressions to stay afloat. The push from American readers and even international fans looking to stay up to date with the German's successes helped news organizations and content creators increase revenue. Advertisers would also benefit from the deal. Football is not the most advertiser-friendly sport due to its continuous practice, so advertisers often find new ways to reach football audiences. One of the main ways we achieve this is by sponsoring team uniforms. Every Chicago jersey, from those worn by players to those purchased by fans, bears the name Valspar, a paint company. By sticking the Schweinsteiger name on the back, Valspar certainly benefited from more publicity as Fire and German fans rushed to buy and wear the new Chicago jerseys. The city of Chicago has potentially seen some positives from Schweinsteiger's arrival. The growth of soccer in America is quite small, with plenty of room for improvement. Being the home of an international star, Chicago has a competitive advantage over other soccer cities. This could help boost the city's economy, although Chicago is already a bustling city. By growing the team and the league, Chicago can potentially hope to push for hosting bids for major soccer events. Media outlets around the world have benefited from the decision to move to MLS as have local and national news outlets. Manchester was abuzz following the announcement, as was much of the football world. Fans turn to any media source they can find to get their fix. The internationality of this sport also helps spread the media: football is understood and celebrated in every language. As previously mentioned, Chicago Fire had a lot to gain with the introduction of Schweinsteiger. The team hoped to make up for the team's poor performances and low match attendance. The league also likely wanted the star's help in increasing viewership and drumming up advertisers. The main stakeholder is Bastian Schweinsteiger. His decision to move from Bayern Munich to Manchester United was an emotional one after playing most of his career with the club. His exclusion from United's squad left him desperate to find a club that could actually field him. Through it all, Schweinsteiger was motivated by pay and a love of the game. Due to his age, the star is nearing the end of his career and changing teams can be risky. If Schweinsteiger hadn't performed in Chicago, his career would have essentially ended without the.
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