Manchester United announces partnership with LEGO
Posted by Huw,
OffThePitch, a football news site, is reporting that "A partnership with LEGO was announced in [Manchester United's] recently published Q1 report [...] According to the club, the deal is a licensing agreement, however, new information and products will only be released in the new year."
So, no details as to what it might entail are yet available but it's sure to be a move that will please fans of the Red Devils but irk virtually everyone else.
Collectable minifigures? An Architecture-style model of Old Trafford? We'll have to wait and see...
News via Hoth Bricks.
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46 comments on this article
Whatever it is it will be stupidly overpriced due to the licensing costs. LEGO really is starting to lose the plot. Just give me the Batmobile already....
I'm waiting for the comments from people who don't support this team.
Personally I'm not a fan of football but I'm sure if the products released with this partnership I will buy some that's also if they are not horrendously overpriced
You have it all wrong. Manchester players will be wearing brick built uniforms on the field next season.
I am certainly interested to see what this partnership might entail, although I am not sure that Collectable Minifigures would prove successful. The current Manchester United squad includes comparatively few players who are well known worldwide, or even around Europe. David de Gea, Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Juan Mata and maybe Harry Maguire are probably the only prominent players internationally.
However, an Architecture rendition of Old Trafford could undoubtedly be impressive, even though I am not actually a Manchester United fan.
Okay I guess?
I thought lego already did some sports team sets in the past. NBA? National Cup? Did those do well? I suppose the Olympics minifigures were in demand, though that may be more due to their rarity than their general appeal. Perhaps this is going to be a game day giveaway for fans who attend live? I know lego occasionally does/did that here, at least for baseball games.
Forget United, give us Messi minifigure!
Brickstand (http://brickstand.com/) have been making football stadiums for a number of years now.
I’m not sure a franchise with one particular club is a wise move.
Oh my! Lego seem to have a license with everyone! Whatever happened to the own brand pirates, cowboys, castle, space etc...
"I'm waiting for the comments from people who don't support this team."
I ... barely know who they are. This is soccer, right? Although I'm sure I just gravely offended the people who call it "football" :(.
Would have preferred Tottenham or Liverpool.
@Minifig290, here you go. Disgusted with this announcement. As a West Ham fan I will certainly not purchase any of this SH*T product associated with that club. Gonna be big in Asia though, not so much in Manchester
Whatever it is, it'll probably be something exclusively sold at the stadium (and in Manchester toy stores maybe). Kinda like how that Billund Airport set is only sold at the Billund Airport.
As mentioned in the forum a while back by a member it’s meant to be old Trafford and as a Liverpool fan it’s a big fat NOOOO from me. If Pochettino gets the Utd job and gets them playing well again I’ll have to deal with Utd in football and Lego :(
LETS GOOOOO! Bringing back the Lego Sports!
The only reason I even know what Manchester United is is because the sports guy from BBC radio (aired on late night NPR here in VA) mentions the team multiple times every night. ;)
Another IP over five years too late
As long as LEGO stays true to its promise no longer to engage in limited geographical releases, I am happy to embrace or pass on whatever they develop. My interest will be driven more by theme than any team allegiance or opposition.
Hope they don't do a CMF series cause I would be inclined to buy it as I try to get as my CMFs as I can. Though if they did it wouldn't be like the Team GB and Team DFB series under the pledge from LEGO to not have country exclusive sets.
No doubt David Beckham who is an AFOL and a former Man U player will be pleased.
I think LEGO is going overboard with the licensing these days, and this is no exception. But I am interested to see what becomes of it; and most importantly, whether LEGO loses their backside on it or not.
As someone who works at a Lego store, this could be good news especially as a lot of people ask for sports sets, so hopefully other sports will come.
It's nice to see that Lego is getting back into the sports world
I would've preferred Leicester City. But on the bright side, if Lego can afford a partnership with a prestigious football club, hopefully we will see a revival of the Lord of the Rings theme in future. Fingers crossed.
UCS David Beckham???... With exclusive minifigure? Or maybe a modular Eric Cantona kicking someone...
Ok, but just Manchester? I’d rather some more teams.
Oooo this is quite interesting news (and a good one! Better than certain licensing TLC has done...). I look forward with high hopes on this.
Could this deal be for models that will only be available via Man U, rather than for general worldwide sale. In a similar way as the MSC cruise ship model that can only be bought on board the cruise ships. ?
I could offer several sarcastic remarks about this bit of news, but I am not going to. ;-)
I am impartial on the subject of football. If there ever was a British team I would support it would be Liverpool, but only for my personal connection to the city and its surrounding area due to my having been there so often during my childhood and youth. I even have some Liverpool F.C. memorabilia from back in the day, but again, not because I am (or was) a big football fan.
That said, I am a big architecture fan, so any memorable sports stadium in LEGO form would be appreciated by me.
As for minifigs, well, we already got our German national team, so yeah, why not ManU or other teams as well?
Perhaps TLG should have sought a general licence for the Premier League as a whole though. Would have offered so many more possibilities than just one club (especially one on a current downward slope). Otoh, TLG are well known for chasing trends way past their sell-by-date, aren't they? :-)
I swear I’ll be gravely disappointed if it’s just an Architecture stadium.
A reboot of the Soccer line (even if it’s the basic Shell style sets) would be amazing.
So some Heathen, Busby Babes and Red Devils figs in the works.
Would have much preferred a deal with the Premier league in order to give everyone the chance to get something for their team and not just focus on a single one.
Talk about a limited appeal.
HAHA! Ollie is at the Dark Gray Minifigure Utensil Tool Wheel!
Lego, how about picking a winning team in all Red?
Man Utd have the biggest global fanbase of any football club. And the vast majority of them are in Asia. Having worked with MU sponsorship for another brand, i know what the possibilities are. This could be a very shrewd move for Lego especially as they seek expansion in Asia.
Well. I am a Season Ticket Holder at United aince a long Time now.. So I am excited. I guess... (that just doesen't fit togehter for me soemhow). Let's wait and see...
@jdm, actually Real Madrid by some distance. Success in the Champions League and the global equivalent is critical to acquiring and then maintaining a global fan base, and, well...
^ depends which metric you use but there is no doubt that whether they are 1,2 or 3, they have a huge following and a proven ability to sell licensed products.
Well that's interesting...
Hoping this is the Harbinger of Lego Sports 2.0
I really don’t think that club needs any more money. Certainly won’t be getting any of mine
Well if you're not a Manc you're a ...
Kidding aside I hope its not another CMF as the German Series wasn't all that exciting; though being German it was I nice nod from Lego. A stadium would be cool depending on size. Minifig size of course is to large but something that could fit with City sets would be nice. An architectural size would most likely be the case
Talk about late to the party, Lego.
I am a big football fan and even if MU is not my team I know they have one of the biggest marketing brands. For a true fan is not important if the team is not playing well these years so the remark "5 years too late", as funny as it is, is not relevant.
I am happy for any license collaboration because the same Police station, Fire brigade, helicopter chase and Statue of Liberty needs a little spice from time to time.
Of course Messi or other guys or brands would be more in demand but don't forget the "licensors" need to agree with financial conditions and image linking with LEGO.
I am not a fan of some licensed LEGO sets and I simply don't buy them, but I am happy for those fans of the licensed product finding pleasure in LEGO.
I still wait for the day when a big brand like UNICEF or Apple will announce a collaboration with LEGO and the condition will be of forcing them to make Castles, Pirates, Western, as a respect for our own species history.
Hope it’s not Old Trafford. It’s a tip. Colchester United have a better stadium!
What about Arsenal’s stadium.Much more interesting.
Color me intrigued. And further so at the notion of any sports arena produced by LEGO.
Fingers crossed for one day being able to build an official frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.
I have the year 2000 Championship Challenge 3409 playset (was a special edition with extra orange shirted Netherlands national team figures), but after many years of figures standing on those spring pieces, they lost their clutch on regular studs.
So if they'd do a generic playset again (which I doubt for just a club license) at least I hope they'd use a better system that doesn't "damage" the figures legs.