Market orientation and financial performance of English professional football clubs

Abstract

British soccer has become a large, high-profile industry, but it is constantly dogged by accusations of poor management practices at club level. Yet there are few explorations into what kind of management practices would be most suitable for this industry. In this paper, the authors explore the possible financial benefits that have accrued to English professional football clubs that have developed their market orientation. The research estimates market orientation scores for 26 clubs (28 per cent of the population) playing in the Premiership (six clubs) and Nationwide Leagues (20 clubs). It finds that there is little correlation between financial performance and degree of market orientation. No financially successful club has a low market orientation score, however, suggesting that the marketing behaviours measured are necessary, but not sufficient conditions. This conclusion suggests that clubs would be ill advised to go beyond sound marketing operations to develop the full market orientation philosophy.