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Surfing in the premier league: key issues for football club marketers using the Internet

The recent use of the Internet by business and commerce world-wide has proliferated dramatically. Indeed, many commentators are now claiming that the technology is leading to a new era in marketing. Sport has not been immune to such rapid developments and is increasingly using the Internet as a medium through which clubs and teams can effectively communicate and establish stronger relationships with supporters. Premier League football clubs in England are a particularly notable example of the scope and sophistication of this net use by sports clubs. Such an observation is especially pertinent in the context of the more professional approach to marketing activities being adopted by these clubs. Hence, this paper focuses on establishing the current extent and nature of Internet use amongst Premier League clubs and uses this as a basis for identifying key issues which football club marketers should consider when using the Internet. Initially, the paper examines the growing body of literature in the areas of sports marketing and the Internet. This subsequently leads into a detailed analysis of the primary research undertaken as part of this study. This involved a detailed examination of the websites of each of the 20 clubs in the Premier League during the 1998/1999 season. From this, it is established that every club in the league has a web presence but the focus, content and scope of these Internet sites differs greatly. The more sophisticated sites provide an array of facilities to users including opportunities to purchase merchandise on-line, engage in football-related chat and access live audio broadcasts. However, some clubs offer few services and little information to supporters via their websites and thus appear to be failing to exploit the medium effectively. The paper provides some indications of what might be considered best practice within the industry.