The commercial logic is easy to see. With the next World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, European clubs are pushing harder into that market, and Sunderland already carries some recognition there through its documentary exposure.
But the club’s approach appears to be more careful than flashy. The local identity still matters most. The report says the area around the Stadium of Light remains the emotional core of the club, with its roots in the city and the region still central to the message. That balance - global reach without losing local soul - is the difficult part.
Back in the top flight, survival alone would once have been enough. It no longer feels that simple. Sunderland’s return to the Europa League, only the club’s second continental campaign, changes the scale of the season immediately.
For Régis Le Bris, the challenge is obvious:
O’Nien’s message - “vamos competir” - sounds like a dressing-room standard, not a slogan.
The biggest question is whether the squad can absorb the load. Dan Ballard gives the defence structure, while Chris Rigg looks ready for a bigger role after growing in responsibility last season. The academy should help, but a campaign of at least 50 matches rarely forgives a lack of depth.
That is the next storyline to watch: not whether Sunderland can dream, but whether they can rotate well enough to keep the dream alive into autumn, in England and in Europe.