Can David Bruce lead us into an exciting new commercial era at Sunderland?

07/01/2024 01:00 AM

With Bruce's impact now starting to be felt, can we use this as a springboard for future prosperity? Andrew Smithson looks at how things could pan out in the years to come!

It's been a busy few days for Sunderland's Chief Business Officer David Bruce, with the former Monkwearmouth Academy pupil returning to his old school to be honoured, as well as taking centre stage during the hugely successful new kit launch and club shop reopening.

It was also good to see Kyril Louis-Dreyfus joining Bruce at Black Cat House, and handing out pink slices to those waiting in the queues on Friday.

It wasn't a bad piece of PR at all, and having the majority shareholder, with Régis Le Bris in the background, meeting folk when there's a buzz in the air was a good way for them to get a real sense of what Sunderland AFC means to people away from the angst of a matchday.

Despite finishing 16^th in 2023/2024, the lines of people waiting outside to hand over their cash were still reminiscent of those that would form by the ticket office for an old-school cup tie.

The fans are desperate for Sunderland to succeed and to be seen helping them to do it, and a few moments of positive mingling with those in charge can go a long way to creating a suitable atmosphere.

Given Bruce's marketing background, I wouldn't be surprised if it was his idea to get out amongst the crowds in the first place, and it's only right that he now gets some of the praise coming the club's way for their new partnerships with hummel and Fanatics, given that he's believed to have been instrumental in bringing it all together.

Bruce is ideally placed to gauge supporter demand, given the fact that he was a huge Sunderland fan long before he harboured any ideas of working in a senior role.

He's at the right age to be able to appreciate the long-held romanticism around some of hummel's previous kits, and I'm hoping that his continued presence will see the relationship between the punters and the professionals continue to grow.

A business can't always succumb to customer demand, but there's still a balance to be struck and his CV means that Bruce can see both sides of the argument when considering what makes financial sense, but will also ensure that the supporters feel valued.

In no way do I think this 'is a local club for local people'. You don't have to have grown up in an SR5 or 6 postcode and you don't have to have been educated at the good old Monkey House in order to 'get it'.

Some of Sunderland's biggest fans have walked a less obvious route and as an organisation, there are roles that benefit from being viewed with an external slant, but I do also think that it helps to have some positions filled by candidates with the same type of background as Bruce.

One of the few things that Charlie Methven got right when he here was to recognise that some employees do occasionally take the mick, so surely the best way to reverse that is through the hard work and outright passion of others.

We've probably all heard the whispers of certain individuals on the payroll being blasé about their decision making and expense claims, to the more deliberate unprofessionalism of those that apparently see us as a problem rather than an asset.

Many readers will be able to immediately think of at least one person who's happy to pick up a pay packet despite actively having a palpable dislike of all things red and white, and whilst you'd question their life choices and ethics in that scenario, it's the employees at the other end of the scale and with Sunderland at heart that can add something special to the mix.

I vividly recall being extremely jealous when a fellow junior school pupil was selected as a lucky mascot for a game at Roker Park.

Although I didn't know him well enough to speak to, I recognised his photo in the matchday programme before kick off and was gutted that it wasn't me leading the Lads out instead.

That boy was of course David Bruce and I can at least take solace in the fact that somebody from my area has not only done well for themselves career-wise, but is also involved in making some major decisions at the club.

During interviews at the store relaunch, Bruce spoke to Nick Barnes on the BBC and did so from a position of understanding.

He recognises the importance of a Sunderland strip and of high standards, but is acutely aware that nostalgia and retro merchandise can only go so far. As he put it, "We're in a battle for fans, for hearts and minds. We have to influence the next generation of young fans".

Results will go a long way towards that, but everything around it must be right as well.

Every interaction with the club, from the retail department to ticketing, fan displays, and just about anything else you can think of, needs to be spot on and to end with supporters walking away feeling acknowledged.

Bruce won't be picking any of the starting elevens and nor will the shop staff that heroically kept everything running so smoothly during a manic opening weekend, but they have a big part to play and if they've lived through a lifetime of love for the club, so much the better.

Get supporters young and old on board, and they'll be the ones running the show during the seasons to come.