Article submitted to Malaysian Star
Thu Dec 05, 2024 1:23 pm
Dear Sir
When people mention the name Vincent Tan what comes to mind? A successful businessman? Someone who mixes with government officials? To some, to the supporters of Cardiff City and Kortrijk FC, he is someone who supporters believe has totally failed in his venture into football and protests are now taking place at both clubs.
For the people of Malaysia this is not a good look.
As a contributor, and supporter of Cardiff City football club, I submit the following article for publication in the Malaysian Star.
The article carries both a sporting and business element which is why it has been emailed to both Sports and business editors.
Vincent Tan: A Tale of Contrasts Between Business Triumphs and Football Challenges
Tan Sri Vincent Tan, a name synonymous with success in Malaysia’s corporate sphere, has built an empire through his flagship company, Berjaya Corporation Berhad. With interests spanning retail, hospitality, property development, and more, Tan’s business acumen is undisputed, and the name "Berjaya" (“success” in English) aptly reflects his achievements. Yet, the story of Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s foray into professional football paints a more complex picture, one marked by ambition, controversy, and mixed outcomes.
Cardiff City Football Club: The Bluebirds’ Turbulent Journey
In 2010, Tan Sri Vincent Tan acquired a controlling stake in Cardiff City Football Club, a team with a passionate fanbase in Wales. His tenure began with optimism and significant investment, culminating in Cardiff’s promotion to the English Premier League (EPL) in the 2012-2013 season—a historic achievement as it marked the club’s first top-flight appearance in over half a century.
However, Tan’s decisions, notably the controversial rebranding of the club’s colors from blue to red, alienated fans and led to widespread discontent. While he reverted the decision in 2015, the damage to his relationship with supporters was palpable. Cardiff’s subsequent relegation after just one season in the EPL and its ongoing struggles to establish itself as a consistent top-tier club have led critics to view Tan’s involvement as more a story of disruption than lasting success.
Los Angeles FC: A Brighter Note
Tan’s co-ownership of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) in Major League Soccer (MLS) offers a contrasting narrative. Joining the ownership group in 2014, Tan helped steer the club to rapid success. LAFC made its debut in 2018 and quickly became one of MLS’s standout teams, winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2019 and securing the MLS Cup in 2022. With a focus on building a strong brand, engaging with fans, and fostering competitive excellence, Tan’s role at LAFC stands as a rare footballing triumph.
KV Kortrijk and FK Sarajevo: Modest Returns
In Europe, Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s ownership of KV Kortrijk in Belgium and FK Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina has yielded limited success. While his investments improved the infrastructure and financial stability of these clubs, neither has achieved significant competitive milestones under his stewardship. FK Sarajevo did secure domestic league titles in 2015 and 2019, but consistent European success has eluded the club. For KV Kortrijk, the journey has been largely one of survival rather than progression in Belgium’s top league.
A Dichotomy of Success and Failure
Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s football ventures stand in stark contrast to his extraordinary success in business. Through Berjaya Corporation, he has demonstrated an uncanny ability to identify opportunities, weather challenges, and build a diversified conglomerate that continues to thrive. His ventures into football, however, underscore the complexities of managing sporting institutions where financial investment alone is insufficient. Success in football demands not only resources but also deep engagement with the culture of the game, fan sentiment, and long-term strategic vision.
Lessons and Legacy
For Tan Sri Vincent Tan, the lessons from football may well inform his broader business philosophy. While the Berjaya name remains a beacon of success, his football experiments highlight the importance of balancing ambition with empathy and adaptability—qualities essential for resonating with stakeholders, whether they are investors or fans.
As he continues to balance his business empire with his sporting interests, Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s journey offers a compelling study of contrasts: the unyielding success of Berjaya juxtaposed with the unpredictable and often humbling world of football. Perhaps, in time, his football story, like his corporate legacy, will find its enduring mark of "berjaya." or, in the instance of failure "Kegagalan"
When people mention the name Vincent Tan what comes to mind? A successful businessman? Someone who mixes with government officials? To some, to the supporters of Cardiff City and Kortrijk FC, he is someone who supporters believe has totally failed in his venture into football and protests are now taking place at both clubs.
For the people of Malaysia this is not a good look.
As a contributor, and supporter of Cardiff City football club, I submit the following article for publication in the Malaysian Star.
The article carries both a sporting and business element which is why it has been emailed to both Sports and business editors.
Vincent Tan: A Tale of Contrasts Between Business Triumphs and Football Challenges
Tan Sri Vincent Tan, a name synonymous with success in Malaysia’s corporate sphere, has built an empire through his flagship company, Berjaya Corporation Berhad. With interests spanning retail, hospitality, property development, and more, Tan’s business acumen is undisputed, and the name "Berjaya" (“success” in English) aptly reflects his achievements. Yet, the story of Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s foray into professional football paints a more complex picture, one marked by ambition, controversy, and mixed outcomes.
Cardiff City Football Club: The Bluebirds’ Turbulent Journey
In 2010, Tan Sri Vincent Tan acquired a controlling stake in Cardiff City Football Club, a team with a passionate fanbase in Wales. His tenure began with optimism and significant investment, culminating in Cardiff’s promotion to the English Premier League (EPL) in the 2012-2013 season—a historic achievement as it marked the club’s first top-flight appearance in over half a century.
However, Tan’s decisions, notably the controversial rebranding of the club’s colors from blue to red, alienated fans and led to widespread discontent. While he reverted the decision in 2015, the damage to his relationship with supporters was palpable. Cardiff’s subsequent relegation after just one season in the EPL and its ongoing struggles to establish itself as a consistent top-tier club have led critics to view Tan’s involvement as more a story of disruption than lasting success.
Los Angeles FC: A Brighter Note
Tan’s co-ownership of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) in Major League Soccer (MLS) offers a contrasting narrative. Joining the ownership group in 2014, Tan helped steer the club to rapid success. LAFC made its debut in 2018 and quickly became one of MLS’s standout teams, winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2019 and securing the MLS Cup in 2022. With a focus on building a strong brand, engaging with fans, and fostering competitive excellence, Tan’s role at LAFC stands as a rare footballing triumph.
KV Kortrijk and FK Sarajevo: Modest Returns
In Europe, Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s ownership of KV Kortrijk in Belgium and FK Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina has yielded limited success. While his investments improved the infrastructure and financial stability of these clubs, neither has achieved significant competitive milestones under his stewardship. FK Sarajevo did secure domestic league titles in 2015 and 2019, but consistent European success has eluded the club. For KV Kortrijk, the journey has been largely one of survival rather than progression in Belgium’s top league.
A Dichotomy of Success and Failure
Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s football ventures stand in stark contrast to his extraordinary success in business. Through Berjaya Corporation, he has demonstrated an uncanny ability to identify opportunities, weather challenges, and build a diversified conglomerate that continues to thrive. His ventures into football, however, underscore the complexities of managing sporting institutions where financial investment alone is insufficient. Success in football demands not only resources but also deep engagement with the culture of the game, fan sentiment, and long-term strategic vision.
Lessons and Legacy
For Tan Sri Vincent Tan, the lessons from football may well inform his broader business philosophy. While the Berjaya name remains a beacon of success, his football experiments highlight the importance of balancing ambition with empathy and adaptability—qualities essential for resonating with stakeholders, whether they are investors or fans.
As he continues to balance his business empire with his sporting interests, Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s journey offers a compelling study of contrasts: the unyielding success of Berjaya juxtaposed with the unpredictable and often humbling world of football. Perhaps, in time, his football story, like his corporate legacy, will find its enduring mark of "berjaya." or, in the instance of failure "Kegagalan"
Re: Article submitted to Malaysian Star
Thu Dec 05, 2024 1:28 pm
A good summary, welldone 
Re: Article submitted to Malaysian Star
Thu Dec 05, 2024 1:35 pm
Thank you for doing this! without patronising, it is really well written and hope it gets published. Do let us know.
If Tan isnt feeling the pressure now I dont believe he ever will, but lets hope all this is hitting home .
If Tan isnt feeling the pressure now I dont believe he ever will, but lets hope all this is hitting home .
Re: Article submitted to Malaysian Star
Thu Dec 05, 2024 2:02 pm
His time in football will always be classed as a failure no matter what his clubs have achieved..... as they say and this article relates to is football is like no other buisness because your dealing with people's emotions and loyalty directly ...... something tan as never grasped hence the customer tag that he labelled fans with... we ar not customers we are part of a family "FOOTBALL "
not a supermarket...car sales.. or holiday destinations he's used to running.
not a supermarket...car sales.. or holiday destinations he's used to running.
Re: Article submitted to Malaysian Star
Thu Dec 05, 2024 2:21 pm
Tan only owned about 20% at most in LAFC. I assume his control was minimal so probably not comparable to our situation.
They were lucky.
They were lucky.
Re: Article submitted to Malaysian Star
Thu Dec 05, 2024 2:28 pm
Very well put.
Re: Article submitted to Malaysian Star
Thu Dec 05, 2024 2:40 pm
pembroke allan wrote:His time in football will always be classed as a failure no matter what his clubs have achieved..... as they say and this article relates to is football is like no other buisness because your dealing with people's emotions and loyalty directly ...... something tan as never grasped hence the customer tag that he labelled fans with... we ar not customers we are part of a family "FOOTBALL "
not a supermarket...car sales.. or holiday destinations he's used to running.
This is spot on
Re: Article submitted to Malaysian Star
Thu Dec 05, 2024 3:10 pm
Well written article.
Re: Article submitted to Malaysian Star
Thu Dec 05, 2024 3:25 pm
Very well written. Let us know if they publish it.
TAN OUT!
TAN OUT!
Re: Article submitted to Malaysian Star
Thu Dec 05, 2024 4:13 pm
Cheers All.
I hope they publish it. When I was one of the clubs photographers, and we were in the EPL, I regularly used to send them images so hopefully they still have me on their contributors list.
All things said aside - if anyone else wanted to update them as to what is going on - those are the two people to send too.
I hope they publish it. When I was one of the clubs photographers, and we were in the EPL, I regularly used to send them images so hopefully they still have me on their contributors list.
All things said aside - if anyone else wanted to update them as to what is going on - those are the two people to send too.