Supporters Direct Conference 2010

Workshop

The Social and Community Value of Football A Supporters Direct Research Project, by Substance

Dr. Adam Brown

Overview

1. Commissioned by SD summer 2008 from Substance

2. To understand more about the social and community value of football clubs.

3. To generate evidence about the relationship of different ownership structures to social impacts through surveys and case studies.

4. To provide evidence to support the work of SD – how does supporter or community ownership relate to social value?

5. To understand the regulatory framework in which social value might be assessed.

Three Phases• Phase One - Secondary Research/Literature

Review and Working Papers on approaches to social value

• Phase Two - Primary Research – Survey and Case Studies

- Qualitative Survey of 10 clubs, all levels- In depth case studies of 4 clubs- Social Accounting exercise

• Phase Three – Dissemination- Final Report- Summary Report of key findings and recommendations

Approach to ResearchInterim Report outlined:

- The range of possible approaches- The approach to be taken in primary research

Our approach:1. Qualitative survey of executives of ten clubs, all

levels of football

2. Case study of four clubs: 2 fan-owned, 2 non-fan-owned

3. Social Accounting club bundle (Adrian Ashton)

4. Regulatory Framework research and paper (M.James and S.Miettinen)

Approach to Research (interviews)

Interview Survey• Ten Clubs: Premier League to Step 7• Executive Officer interviewed, ten areas of inquiry, responses

analysed and coded:i. Background to the club and ownership structureii. Perceived advantages/disadvantages of ownership structureiii. Identified good/bad practice in generating social valueiv. Identified barriers to developing social valuev. Most important stakeholdersvi. Relationships with local authoritiesvii. Existence of local purchasing, business or staffing policiesviii. Attitude towards and involvement with supportersix. Innovative ticketing policiesx. Nature of community outreach organisation and work

Approach to Research (case studies)

i. In-depth qualitative semi-structured interviews with key personnel.ii. Qualitative and quantitative evidence from external stakeholders.iii. Survey of supportersiv. Quantitative assessment of community departments’ work.v. Employment of a ‘Social Accounting Club Bundle’.

Club A Limited company model Football League club, with previous Premier League experience.Club B Limited company model Football League club.Club C Supporter-owned Football League club.Club D Supporter-owned Non-League club.

Key Findings – Overall• Little evidence of culture or practice in football evidencing

and reporting social value:- Not part of the reporting or regulation of the game- Not part of the business practice of clubs as it is in other sectors- Absence of data, openness, even where this would be fairly easy- This despite the benefits for football of doing so and football’s rhetoric

about its key role in communities

• Clubs themselves play important roles within communities and to a range of stakeholders, but need to:

– Identify stakeholders– Conduct research with internal and external stakeholders– Work with local authorities who are key partners

• Chronic instability and financial strife rampant. This undermines football’s ability to deliver social value

Key Findings – Fans

• Fans identified as key stakeholders by all executives but only included within ownership in some examples

‘What has the ownership of the club got to do with community?’ (Club B Executive)

• Recognise clubs are a structuring part of fans lives, with significant social value

‘I probably know 4-500 people from football, faces to say hello to, and I could name about 200. That’s just been built up through years, through travelling to games and being involved in [the independent supporters’ association and trust]. It’s surprising

how it grows. It becomes your community in itself.’

The Social Value to Fans

Stakeholder Relations

• Horizontal integration of community vital to realising social value:

• ‘Instead of just saying “we’re a community club”, let’s be a community club. I think there’s a huge difference. A lot of clubs say they are a community club, claiming they are rooted in the community… As if that’s enough.’ (FL club, Club C))

– Real Business Advantages – e.g. relations with local authorities:

• ‘When I first got involved with the club, I was really positively surprised that it wasn’t just men over a certain age…When you look at the terraces, it really is a community-owned club and I wasn’t expecting that. It’s all very well saying you are a community club, but they don’t just say it, they live it as well.’ (local authority rep, Club D)

• Our status as a supporters’ trust was vital for support from the council, and it will be going forwards. If we sold the club to a wealthy individual who wanted a stadium, it would be a harder sell to get the council backing. We wouldn’t be in this position with the new stadium if we weren’t supporter-owned – and there’s all sorts of spin offs from that.’ (Club C)

The Value to Local Communities

Key Findings - Ownership• Some notable differences for supporter or

community owned clubs– Not a given that fan owned deliver greater social value and

good (and bad!) practice evident at clubs of all types– But: more inclusive of wider range of stakeholders as clubs

especially in terms of participation in running the club– Better relationships and closer shared agendas with local

authorities and stronger local partnerships– More open and greater range of ad hoc relations with localities– Key advantages when developing facilities– Better attitudes to supporters - stakeholders not ‘customers’

Key Findings – Good Practice• Inclusion of fans in ownership = volunteer

labour, self policing• Volunteer time as ‘debt’ owed to Trust• Sharing facilities with community department• Developing ad hoc relations – park events and

fetes, ‘out and about’• Mixed interests and golden shares• Local authority powers• Trust supporting youth/community

development through raising finance• Football League Trust - environmental

policy/impact reporting

Key Findings – Regulation• FA, PL and FL: no requirements to undertake

social accounting or to report social and environmental impacts

• PL and FL come closest: customer charter (PL); environmental impact of community schemes (FLT)

• UK government: no requirement beyond Company Law (few clubs with company community Objects )

• EU – no requirement; misunderstanding of rhetoric and reality in EC sports rulings

Regulation - Optionsi) Potential for emergent EU sports policy under

Lisbon Treaty – for further investigation, questionable legality of sport-specific laws

ii) Legislation at national level – most straightforward, but unlikely

iii) Football’s federations bodies to require auditing – e.g. UEFA Licensing, league reporting requirements

iv) Clubs to adopt Objectives of clubs and report in Annual Reports - SD to draft model rules; bottom up approach.

Recommendations (i)• For Supporters Direct and Supporters’ Trusts

- Use leading role to disseminate and lobby for change- Report SD’s own impacts- Promote broader ownership as a mans of delivering social

value- Opportunities for trust education, work and involvement

• For Football – change culture and practice– Clubs to make clear community Objectives and to evidence

and report social and environmental impacts– Authorities to require reporting of social and environmental

performance and recognise – Recognise the added social value of broader based ownership– Football to recognise the significant opportunities in doing this

Recommendations (ii)• For government

– All public authorities: To give preferential treatment to football only where it can demonstrate the ‘public good’

– Local Govt: Encourage wider community involvement in ownership, use of powers to do this (eg facilities, planning etc.)

– National Govt: Recognise added social value of broader ownership and encourage this (e.g. when clubs in administration)

– European Govt: To generate Europe-wide evidence of the positive social value of sport through evidence and reporting of its impact and base policies affecting sports on this

Substance

3rd Floor Fourways House

Hilton St

Manchester

M1 2EJ

0161 244 5418

www.substance.coop

adam@substance.coop

http://valuefootball.substance.coop

The Social Value of Football

- now we know how to measure it, the why, how and “yeah

but...”s

Adrian Ashton

www.adrianashton.co.uk

What’s in it for you?

• Better reporting

• Better management information

• Identify areas of excellence

• PR...

Adrian Ashton

What could kill it before you start?

• Time

• Perceived (ir)relevance

• Fear...

• Too much information needed that we don’t have and will be too difficult to capture

Adrian Ashton

What could kill it before you start?

• Time– Pick and choose indicators– Potentially 2 days work

• Perceived (ir)relevance– Changing legislation– Strengthen arguments and case for support

• Fear– Don’t have to tell everyone about everything

you ‘uncover’...

Adrian Ashton

What about the information needed?

• Measures designed to use information that (in theory) club should already be capturing:– Invoice registers– Staffing records– Policies– Minutes of meetings– Details of Trust members/ticket sales– Records of community activity

What you need to get started

• Other clubs sharing experiences

• Appendices to research report– http://valuefootball.substance.coop/

• SROI Network and SAN – www.sroi-uk.org– www.socialauditnetwork.org.uk

Adrian Ashton

The Social Value of Football

- now we know how to measure it, the why, how and “yeah

but...”s

Adrian Ashton

www.adrianashton.co.uk

What’s in it for you?

• Better reporting

• Better management information

• Identify areas of excellence

• PR...

Adrian Ashton

What could kill it before you start?

• Time

• Perceived (ir)relevance

• Fear...

• Too much information needed that we don’t have and will be too difficult to capture

Adrian Ashton

What could kill it before you start?

• Time– Pick and choose indicators– Potentially 2 days work

• Perceived (ir)relevance– Changing legislation– Strengthen arguments and case for support

• Fear– Don’t have to tell everyone about everything

you ‘uncover’...

Adrian Ashton

What about the information needed?

• Measures designed to use information that (in theory) club should already be capturing:– Invoice registers– Staffing records– Policies– Minutes of meetings– Details of Trust members/ticket sales– Records of community activity

What you need to get started

• Other clubs sharing experiences

• Appendices to research report– http://valuefootball.substance.coop/

• SROI Network and SAN – www.sroi-uk.org– www.socialauditnetwork.org.uk

Adrian Ashton

• Social Value of Football is demonstrated in a number of ways

• Social Value can be hindered by financial instability

• Clubs are more than corporate entities….. should be reflected in their governance by the inclusion of a key stakeholder – the supporter!