13 May 2009Fan behaviour should be 'monetised' by clubs

Football Clubs News | Football Conferences and Exhibitions | Football Supporters News

Football clubs should treat their fans more like paying customers in order to ensure their continued loyalty, a new opinion poll has revealed.

A football survey of senior figures from the European football industry indicated that better understanding and 'monetising' fan behaviour is a top priority for 80 per cent of respondents.

Conducted by Soccerex, the football survey suggested there is a growing awareness in the business that fans will reduce their spending during the recession if they are taken for granted.

"Today's fans are already more like traditional consumers than 'supporters'. If the price isn't right or the product not good enough, they'll walk," one respondent said.

Seven in ten clubs surveyed in the poll also expressed the expectation that they will see a high turnover of football sponsors in the near future, as a result of the economic situation.

Peter Gandolfi, director of Soccerex, suggested that the importance of treating fans like paying customers is at the "top of the agenda" as the industry evolves to keep up with changing economic challenges.

Meanwhile, FIFA president Sepp Blatter was also discussing the potential effects of the global economic downturn this week, suggesting to the Frankfurter Allgemeine that English Premier League teams could be the hardest hit, Reuters reports.

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