Jefferson Johnson, the Media Management Director at “City Group,” the owner of several clubs, primarily including the English Manchester City team, emphasized that artificial intelligence has become an integral part of their team’s operations recently. He mentioned there is cautious investment in this field, with a warning that some content is produced through this technology.
This discussion took place during a dialogue session with Johnson, as part of the second edition of the Global Media Congress in Abu Dhabi.
Johnson stated, “We will continue this, but with precision and caution, always stressing that this content was created using artificial intelligence, and we need to handle it carefully.”
He explained, “We have played a leading role in producing sports documentaries, which form part of our future.” He pointed out that his team is documenting the club’s achievements from previous seasons, including winning the treble (Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League) last season.
He said, “We’re also planning to distribute these clips, allowing you to successfully narrate the story… We’ve learned a lot from history, and there are also fantastic clubs with incredible stories, and we are proud of the club’s history, with outstanding players in the sixties and seventies of the previous century.”
According to Johnson’s reference to the experience of “City Studios,” launched around 18 months ago, he said, “The team is evolving on several levels, not just in sports but also in producing films and videos about players’ successes.”
Regarding the integration and balancing of the “City” brand with local brands, Johnson expressed, “Every club has its own media team, with some being smaller than others… We have a large team capable of managing the process.”
He added, “Each content must align with the local community, and when we made external visits, including Japan and Korea recently, we found a great opportunity to interact and engage with fans in these countries. The interaction was extremely positive, confirming the popularity of our team, helping us produce exceptional content. City is more than just a sports club; it also creates content in various fields and reaches its audience worldwide.”
He said, “Last season witnessed unprecedented success in the club’s history after winning three championships, which undoubtedly assists us in our work. We always strive to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the players, due to the sense of humor many of them possess, enriching the content we produce.”
