Sunderland chiefs stress international fan growth, eye Africa opportunities and US tour | OneFootball

Sunderland’s hierarchy have underlined the importance of international fan growth to future revenues, alongside plans to tap opportunities in Africa and a United States pre-season tour. According to Sunderland Echo, the themes were discussed with supporters at the latest Supporters’ Collective Meeting.

The Black Cats travel to the US this summer before a Premier League campaign that will also feature Europa League football, after Regis Le Bris delivered a seventh-place finish on their top-flight return.

Sunderland’s Africa links stretch to 2012, when not-for-profit partnership Invest in Africa became shirt sponsor to promote business opportunities.

Minutes recorded that the US market is hard to crack, though the tour is important, and that Sunderland’s African connection sets the club apart. They added the club had more players at AFCON than any other Premier League side and that many commercial talks involve African companies.

The meeting also stressed keeping a unique matchday experience rooted in the local community, while seeking to share what Sunderland represents globally. The minutes said interim CEO Tom Burwell aims to export what Sunderland means to a wider audience.

The US tour begins with a week in Nashville before facing Liverpool at Geodis Park on 25 July. Sunderland then meet Leeds United in Harrison, New Jersey at the Sports Illustrated Stadium on 30 July, finishing against Wrexham at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania on the second of August.

Source: Sunderland Echo