Author: Darren Young
SEVERAL WRONGS DO MAKE A RIGHT MESS OF UK SPORT - PART 1
As a fan, it was very easy to get frustrated when the announcement was must made that the planned October reintroduction of fans into sports (mainly football) stadiums is now on hold, amid an increase in Covid-19 infections. Pilots for September have also been paused. You could see it coming. The virus is spreading more […]
Read moreTHERE'S NO SHORT CUT TO GETTING FANS BACK
At the end of the latest Jurassic World movie, Jeff Goldblum – after years of trying to warn people against meddling with science – tells a select committee that we are going to have to get used to a new kind of normal now, where the dinos and humans co-exist on earth, rather than having […]
Read moreHOW CLUBS CAN SURVIVE & THRIVE post-COVID
Who’d want to own a football club right now? Well, probably most people if that club was in the Premier League. But what about if that club wasn’t part of the elite; wasn’t one of those clubs that can withstand the financial pressures more than most because they have many more income streams available - […]
Read moreCreating Great Fan Experiences: The Missing Link in the Women's Game?
The news that the Premier League is set to support the top two tiers of English women’s football with £1 million will be welcomed with open arms at every one of the 21 competing clubs. The money is being provided to help the FA start next season’s competition by funding Coronavirus testing: an unexpected cost […]
Read moreDo We Need New Rules Of Engagement?
In December, at our Rules of Engagement event at Manchester City’s Football Academy, we shared our story. We presented a mix of films, interviews and talks to illustrate everything we’ve learned about fan engagement and league / club growth over the past 17 years. And it’s all about FOCUS. Put engagement at the top of […]
Read moreCulture At Clubs Doesn’t Just Come And Go
Before the lockdown curtailed all travel plans curtailed, I was at a meeting in Switzerland with a group of people described as the ‘leading European minds on the subject of the football fan experience’ and we tackled ways to improve the match day at stadiums and thus, encourage more fans to attend games in countries […]
Read moreA Non-League Club Is For Life, Not Just For Non-League Day
Every autumn we celebrate Non-League Day: an opportunity to celebrate the huge community contribution made by small volunteer-run local community clubs and a chance for supporters of professional clubs at the top of the pyramid to re-engage with football in its purest form. The principle of this special date in the calendar is to use […]
Read moreYou Only Win When You're Singing
The football authorities have a serious decision to make when it comes to COVID-19. Most associations, leagues, clubs (except West Ham), managers and players want the current campaigns to be completed, but with restrictions and social distancing measures unlikely to do anything but get stricter in the coming weeks and maybe months, the resumption of […]
Read moreNarva-Ending Story
Mark is a regular contributor in FC Business magazine. He set up The Fan Experience Company in 2005, and they now assess over 400 games each season. They say travel broadens the mind. But if your travels involve fan experience assessments then I’m afraid they’ll broaden your waist too. Having attended 20 Danish Superliga games […]
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