1. FCB Page 72-73 10/16/09 11:28 AM Page 1
72 Research Partner
Hammering out a growth plan
By Jon Busk
N ow more than ever clubs
need to get closer to
their customers if they
are to survive, never mind grow.
That is the stark message from
The Football Fans Index certainly
provides a revealing portrait of West
Ham fans. Far from a chirpy cockney
salt of the earth stereo type, West Ham’s
fans are as diverse and as upwardly
Tim Gentles, who heads up the mobile as they come. They are behind
Football Fans Census, the
industry’s only bespoke
marketing research company,
“West Ham’s only Portsmouth and Fulham in the
Premier League table of the average
fan’s personal income. Attitudinally they
It’s a message that is beginning to sink
in – with West Ham United being the
fans are as are 15% more likely than the average
fan to pay more for organic food, 19%
latest high profile club to sign up the
Football Fans Index as clubs seek to diverse and more likely to pay a premium for quality
wine, 23% more likely to buy from the
keep their heads above water in the internet and 30% more likely to have
current choppy economic waters.
“Maybe in the past clubs were in bit
as upwardly three cars in their household.
Their top ranked car brands are Jaguar,
complacent in terms of marketing to
and understanding their fans and mobile as Mini and Saab, their favourite airline is
British Airways and they are 21% more
customers…but not anymore. They are
they come.
likely than the average to be educated
seeking out more rigorous ways of at degree level. Humble Minty from
understanding their customer base, Eastenders they are not.
much like any other blue chip
organisation. And the Football Fans They are It’s clearly a resource that the
management at West Ham have taken
Index represents the most sophisticated
research resource yet for the football
industry.”
behind only to heart. Alaine McNamee, the
Hammers’ Partnership Manager
comments “FFI data has enabled us to
The Football Fans Index joint venture
with TGI is the FFC’s response to the Portsmouth get a better picture of our fans – who
they are, their purchase behaviour, their
demand for more information, offering
clubs the largest available database of
fans’ consumption patterns,
and Fulham media consumption habits and also
what they do in their spare time,
allowing us to tap into their mindset and
demographic profile and brand affinity
on a club by club basis. in the fully engage with them…. In the current
economic climate, having FFI data is
Advertising guru Bill Bernbach once
said ‘Know your audience better than
they know themselves’ and the index
Premier essential for us to drive new revenue
and also defend existing partnerships.
Advertisers need reassurances that they
seems to have taken the principles to
heart. The survey brings to life the fans League table are spending money with the right club,
and FFI data provides these.”
of every club, from brands to
demographics to attitudes
consumption. Information that can
to of the While a cross promotion between
Jaguar, BA and Laithwaites wine might
inform decisions on what sponsorships
to engage in, what brands to sell space average seem far fetched, clearly West Ham and
the Football Fans Index will change the
to, what products and merchandise to way Hammers fans are marketed to.
market.
West Ham are the latest advocates of
fan’s Just don’t mention it to Minty.
the value of the index, according to Ian
Tompkins, Head of Corporate Affairs. personal For more information on
football research please
“FFI data represents a giant leap
forward in the data we have available, income.” contact Tim Gentles on
+ 44 (0)20 7665 4127
enabling us to market the club more tim@footballfanscensus.com
effectively, both in terms of marketing to or Russ Budden
our existing fanbase, but also +44 (0)20 8433 4094
identifying potential partnership
Russell.Budden@BMRB.Co.Uk
opportunities across many different
categories.”

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