Segmentation of football fans

The Makings of a Football Brand
A football club wished to brand itself in such a way as to reposition its appeal from a local to a national club, creating the conditions to rally support from across the country, increase stadium attendance and the number of TV match viewers. We were asked to conduct a research study which would provide insights which could be used to create a new identity for the football club and provide guidance in terms of club ideology and philosophy.

Drivers of Fan Loyalty
An initial qualitative study helped our client to understand the mechanics of loyalty formation among fans towards certain football clubs - the drivers of a club's popularity. The research examined the emotional benefits of “belonging” to a football club, as well as assessing the impact of the club’s character, image and attraction to different fixtures and club activities.

The subsequent quantitative research provided a clear understanding of drivers of club loyalty, identifying factors determining only local support from those appealing to a wider fan.  Furthermore, it examined the image of different fixtures and the effect of marketing activities. Potential growth areas were identified as well as possible areas for the development of the club and key fixtures targeted.

Rallying the Fans
The club was provided with clear direction as to which elements should be maintained, what elements restrained and which promoted to transition it from a local to a national platform. Club activities were identified as the main vehicle to steer and manage the image change, and these would need to become more visible across the country.  Special attention and guidance was given to what should be promoted and which channels of communication to use.