Football is without a doubt the most popular sport across the world.

And naturally popular football clubs are big brands especially the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Like major brands in various industries, these brands have their own style of functioning. Over the next few weeks, we will be taking a closer look at certain aspects of a football club like the hierarchy in place and also analyze a few roles.

In addition we will delve into the commercial side taking into consideration the cost and revenue aspects. Further, it will be interesting to see how big a business football really is and what do businessmen look to obtain by investing their money in such brands.

Listing itself on a stock exchange is a big step for any company. From being privately held, the organization now comes under the ownership of the shareholders. This move implies that the company now plans to expand its operations beyond a certain scale and for this, needs to borrow from the market. Keeping this in mind, a host of football clubs listed themselves on various stock exchanges across the globe.

FC%2CBarcelona | Stock Prices | Quote Comparison - Yahoo Finance

The likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Millwall, Arsenal, Birmingham City, and Celtic were at one point public holdings. The case of Manchester United is, however, a bit strange. The club was delisted in but then in , amidst a sense of euphoria and excitement, the Malcolm Glazer owned Manchester United, re-entered the market announcing its initial public offering IPO on the New York Stock Exchange.

Arsenal have a unique system in place such that they are publicly held but not listed on a Stock Exchange.

FC%2CBARCELONA | Stock Prices | Quote Comparison - Yahoo Finance

A single share costs a big sum and it appeals more to fans than potential investors looking to make a profit. Celtic have been dominating the Scottish game for some time but the lack of star players and failures in European competitions makes their shares unattractive for potential investors.

When a fast moving consumer goods FMCG company makes a substantial profit in a given quarter, its effects are felt in the financial markets. The stock price of the company increases.

Similarly, the performance of a football club affects its stock price. Post the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, the club has gone through a rather tumultuous period and that has led to the fluctuations.

A company gives dividends to its shareholders when it makes profits and the lack of profits is a serious issue in football. Only a handful of the top clubs in Europe end the financial year in black.

This prevents them from paying dividends to the shareholders. Doing so ensures effective decision making and thus drives the club forward. Recently, Scottish giants Rangers, were forced to delist themselves after failing to hire an adviser and facilitate changes in its organizational structure.

When clubs initially launch their IPOs on various stock exchanges, the aim is to get a wide variety of investors.

However, most of the shares, over the years, have been subscribed by fans of the respective football clubs and not by people looking to make a fortune in the stock market. The men in yellow have made it a habit of defying the odds. Great results on the pitch have been complemented by consistent performances off it. Listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Borussia Dortmund is a great investment from both a footballing and a financial aspect. The club is expected to put in top notch performances in the future and that is sure to have a positive effect on its performances in the financial markets.

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Further, German football is growing rapidly right now and the club is expected to expand in the coming years. So if you are a football fanatic and are looking to make a return in the stock market, you know where to put your money! Opinion 26 Aug , Manchester United are one of the most valuable clubs in the world.