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Chapter 4

The results of this questionnaire will hopefully indicate that corporate image is important within the football industry and is needed to help the industry prosper. At each question, the result is given with a percentage and graphical indication. Although the questions are in a numerical order, no indication should be given in terms of weighting to any particular question.

Audience total: 92 (total number of football clubs)

Sent out to: 35 (38.04% of total available audience)

1. Do you believe your club has a corporate strategy/image?

Yes, 86.6% [13]

No, 6.7% [1]

Unsure, 6.7% [1] 

This reveals that the majority of football clubs believe that they have a current strategy towards the image of the club. It is therefore feasible to state that corporate image is important to football clubs and is now a serious issue for clubs to think about. This result reveals the whole essence of the dissertation, and there is a clear indication that corporate image has a role to play in football.

2. Has your club currently developed a new 'Corporate Image' strategy?

Yes, 53.4% [8]

No, 33.4% [5]

Unsure, 13.2% [2]

Although not quite as emphatic as the result to question 1, over half of all clubs have developed a new corporate image strategy. However there is much more ambiguity in the responses with a third stating that they have not developed a new strategy and 13% felt unsure about the question or whether they had developed a new strategy.

3. If yes what was this development or if no why was this?

Yes,

Slogan, 16% [4]

Logo, 28% [7]

Colour change, 12% [3]

Mascot, 16% [4]

Other, 8% [2]

No,

Not required, 8% [2]

Already have, 12% [3]

Other, 0% [0]

This result supplements the findings for question one, with 80% of answers answering yes to the development. Only 20% or five responses reveal that a development had not been done, although 12% of these showed that they already had a strategy they were clearly happy with. There was no major outstanding mechanism/tool of corporate image, although logo development offered the most responses with 28%. This is perhaps, because the logo, is seen as the main method of branding a means to offer the clubs identity to the external audiences. Mascot offers a high response rate, this perhaps in relation to the increase in the family nature of football and a way of attracting children back to football:

"There is an increasing emphasis on the family within football...more are visiting matches these days"

(Mintel, 1998)

4. Do you feel a successful corporate strategy/image will complement 'on-the-field' activities?

Yes, 93.3% [14]

No, 1 (6.7%)

Unsure, 0 (0%)

An empathic result which not only reveals that football complements the core product (on the field activities) of football, but also that corporate image is in football and thus once again establishing the fact that corporate image is vital to the football club. It is also ascertained that football clubs have found additional methods of making money, other than the gate receipt income. Therefore using this question in consonance with question 1, it is clear to establish that corporate image has a role to play in the football industry: 

"Corporate image is vital to football clubs in order to promote our club (the brand) to the external audience"

(Leicester City, e-mail interview, 05/04/2000)

5. What are the reasons your club has for creating a 'new' corporate identity?

Attract more supporters, 23.3% [10]

Attract players, 4.7% [2]

Attract sponsorship, 25.6% [11]

Media Attention, 14% [6]

Corporate/commercial

support, 20.9% [9]

Community activities, 11.6% [5]

Other, 0% [0]

The result of this question reveals that there are various reasons behind why corporate image exists within a football club strategy. Nearly half of all responses came in two sections (attract sponsorship and attract supporters), but with another 20% (these three acquiring nearly 70% of all answers) stating corporate and commercial support attraction as the means behind corporate image. Revealing that football club image strategies are fuelled by the means to attract 'support' be that on the terraces, sponsorship or corporate base. Therefore corporate image for football clubs is with the aim of attracting 'supporting' audiences to the football club.

6. On a scale of 1 (badly) to 5 (excellent), rate how you fell your supporters have responded to your 'development'

1 Badly, 0% [0]

2 Poor, 0% [0]

3 No change, 7.14% [1]

4 Very well, 78.57% [11]

5 Excellently, 14.29% [2]

This reveals that the football clubs believe that their supporters have generally responded very well or better to the corporate image changes implemented. However care must be taken over this result, as it is from the angle of the clubs and the supporters may not feel the same. Only 7% have responded with no change and there are no negative vibes offered by the clubs concerning the implementation of an image strategy. It appears that through developing a corporate image, supporters are kept happy by the clubs product offering and helps to give the sense of "togetherness" and builds relationships.

 

7. How have you implemented this strategy? (tick all that apply)

Merchandise, 32.25% [11]

Advertisements/Media, 29.41% [10]

Communications, 35.29% [12]

Other, 2.95% [1] 

As with question 5, there is no one major strategy of corporate image implementation. The result suggests that clubs use a combination of tools to create a corporate image strategy. The major one responded to is 'club communications' but with the spread of results between the three major options being just 5.88% or 2 responses reveal again the integrated nature of a corporate image strategy. Linking to question 6, whatever strategy is employed by the club needs to add value to the core offering and be accepted by the supporter.

 

8. Does the club believe this strategy will reap financial rewards?

Yes, 92.86% [13]

No, 0 [0]

Unsure, 7.14% [1]

Without a shadow of doubt, football clubs believe that through an image strategy extra revenue can be made. Football clubs do not rely as heavily on gate receipts and are seeking alternative ways of making income. So by having a corporate image, clubs are looking at ways to increase their bank balances and the response here reveals this to be true. With no responses as 'no' reveal the significance clubs place on corporate image to produce money.

"Some clubs have been so successful at this gate receipts now only represent around a third of their turnover, with other areas...forming a significant part of their business"

(Mintel report 1998, page 1) 

9. Has your club's logo/badge been adapted at all, in the last 25 years? (i..e since 1975)

Yes, 80% [12]

No, 20% [3]

Unsure, 0% [0]

Image is often portrayed through a symbol and this result confirms the strength football clubs place on their badge. It is shown that clubs often adapt their badge to meet their image change. Sunderland did this and as this result reveals clubs in general have adapted their badge during the last 25 years. Chelsea said that although they had not adapted their club badge, Chelsea Village (the holding company of Chelsea FC) had introduced a badge:

"...the current Leicester City badge was adopted in 1991 with the launch of a new corporate identity...the badge was designed with a more powerful image..."

(Leicester City, Information Brochure 1998/1999, page 8)

 

10. Has your club (during the same period) introduced any 'supporting' logo/badge (of the main club badge) or any other strategies?

From the above there is a clear indication that some clubs have introduced a supporting strategy, external to that of the main club badge, as a means of corporate image. This could be so that the main club badge does not get damaged if the strategy fails. But there are 40% of clubs who feel that the main club badge is sufficient enough for their image strategy and so use that. Clubs like Huddersfield Town has introduced a supporting strategy/badge/logo ('HDONE') so that they can add further to their merchandise portfolio and help build the relationship with the supporter.

It can be announced that through the questionnaires and the interviews (see later section) that the primary research as proved the hypothesis. Corporate image is clearly a business tool clubs are thinking about, creating and implementing as a mechanism to further emphasise their product offerings to all their stakeholders. From the research found here it can be remarked that corporate image is vital to the success of football clubs and thus proving the hypothesis.

(For the questions and answers in full refer to appendices 19 & 20)

Manchester City: Manchester City clearly believes that an image strategy is required and is vital to a football club. They see it as a means of displaying their product to the wider community and supporting the activities of the supporters club network. City has diversified into merchandise areas not traditionally associated with football, but has maintained the traditional approach through their corporate image strategy to their unique customer.

Leicester City: Believe that a corporate image strategy is the tool to "promote the club to the external audience". They say it must be an ongoing process and aim to attract anyone with an interest in the club. As with Manchester City, Leicester also believe that the image strategy will support other initiatives in order to meet the needs of their supporters. They hope to promote the right product to the right audience and so use this image strategy and the research entailed to enforce this need.

Both clubs have successful shown that the hypothesis "A positive Corporate image is vital to the success of English football clubs" is proved.

In the final chapter the conclusion to the hypothesis will be made, after evaluating all the data found in the pervious chapters.  

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