For the very first time in the competition’s 150-year long history, the Emirates FA Cup touched down in Australia, as part of an international tour spanning multiple countries.
Alongside Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Seoul’s South Korea, Sydney was the representative for Australia in a landmark occasion celebrating the rich and authentic heritage that the cup brings.
In collaboration with Paramount+, the tour was also made possible by The Football Association (FA) Commercial Director, Navin Singh.
Having been at the FA for a year now, Singh has played a pivotal role in managing the organisation’s commercial strategy and digital transformation for not only the men’s and women’s FA Cup, but also Wembley Stadium connected by EE and the Barclays FA Women’s Super League.
Speaking exclusively to Soccerscene, Singh shares the key objectives behind the tour, engaging with a wide audience and future plans for the competition itself.
Were there many discussions surrounding the tour to Sydney and what did it take to get it off the ground?
Navin Singh: Yes, there were a number of discussions and months of planning.
We have worked with our delivery partners who know the region to ensure we deliver appearances and events that are both engaging for the participants and media worthy, to help spread the message of what the competition does.
I’d like to give a huge thanks to our broadcast partner Paramount+ who have been instrumental in making this event happen.
Can you give a rundown of what you hope to achieve as part of this tour?
Navin Singh: We want to continue to grow the international appeal of the Emirates FA Cup.
For that to happen we must engage directly with the fans in these international regions that have a passion for the product – helping us to ensure there is fan retention and aiding with attracting greater audiences in the future. The trophy coming to the region is just one way of trying to achieve this.
We want to entertain and excite fans with the stories of unparalleled drama of FA Cup football and demonstrate why it’s the greatest domestic knockout tournament in the world. We are also demonstrating value to our broadcast partner (Paramount+), who have helped shed the competition in a positive light.
Is there a reason why Sydney has been targeted as the first destination in Australia?
Navin Singh: Sydney, like many Australian cities, has a rich sporting history.
We could have gone to a few cities, but the opportunity that Sydney provided, by working closely with our broadcast partner as well as Sydney FC, meant it was the right fit.
Given this is the first time the trophy has touched down in Australia, is it fair to say that this is the start of strengthening the relationship between the Australian football fanbase?
Navin Singh: We feel we have a good relationship with the Australian fanbase already, but will always want to strengthen any relationship.
We want to show our commitment to them and our commitment to growing the competition in this region and the trophy tour is one way of demonstrating that.
We know the Australian audience is engaged with English football and our products. There are a number of ex English Premier League players, both currently playing or managing a team in the A-League as well. There are also several Australians with a club who are yet to be knocked out of the Emirates FA Cup.
We hope to continue to strengthen our relationships via tactics such as this tour, in addition to working closer with our broadcast partner to ensure the fans are able to watch the best of the action.
Are there any business objectives that the tour may help the FA achieve?
Navin Singh: There are two key goals that the organisation is hoping to achieve.
We’re looking at the growth of our domestic and international audience – with an increase in engaged fans being healthy for any brand.
The second target is to continue to strengthen relationships with the fanbase and our broadcast partner Paramount+, as the agreement continues to evolve.
Hopefully we are able to carry out more tours like this in the future to help spread the message.
At this stage, what is the state of play regarding worldwide media rights, and do you expect any upcoming changes?
Navin Singh: The FA has an existing agreement for the FA Cup media rights in APAC (including Australia), Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe, which lasts until the completion of the 2023/2024 season. The FA will go to tender for the FA Cup broadcast rights in these regions in March.
You can catch all the action of the FA Cup on Paramount+, with every match streamed live and on demand.