State of the Football Nation

The F.A. has published MORI's 'State of the Nation' survey of English football. The survey is the largest of its kind ever undertaken in this country, exploring the key issues facing the sport in 2002 and how they might be addressed.

The study involved research among a very broad cross-section of people, from Sunday morning players to managers of F.A. Premier League clubs, and from police officers to city analysts. The aim of the survey was to discover what those involved in the game believe to be the key issues, and to use the information to help guide future development of football in England.

F.A. Chief Executive Adam Crozier said: "The results of this survey help to give us a focus for future priorities, and to promote an informed debate about how we take the game forward."

Key Findings

• The most pressing concerns about the game and its future relate to the financial structure. Spiralling wage demands at all levels of the professional game, combined with uncertainty about future broadcasting revenues are seen to threaten the survival of many football clubs and the current league structure.
• Most club officials are in favour of major change to combat this issue, with widespread support for a more even distribution of TV money and a player salary cap. The vast majority of groups believe that F.A. Premier League clubs take a disproportionate amount of the money available within the game -- a view shared by many club officials within the F.A. Premier League.
• The quality of football coverage on television is highly regarded by fans. While most believe the right amount of coverage is shown, there is a growing concern from others involved in the game that saturation point is close to being reached. Despite this, fans would generally like to see more football on terrestrial television.
• The quality of pitches and changing facilities varies considerably at a local level, with many amateur players, referees and administrators critical. There is widespread belief that the continued success of English football relies heavily on it thriving at the grass roots. Although there is recognition of increased funding, those involved in the game still desire far greater investment at this level.
• Football clearly has a bright future with high interest among children. In order to guarantee continued enthusiasm among the younger generation, good quality pitches, changing facilities and qualified coaching all need to be more universally provided. In addition, the influence of top professional players cannot be underestimated. Many are now very popular role models, whose behaviour is recognised to have a major influence on grass roots players of all ages.
• Football is now one of the most popular sports among girls, and the proposal of a Women's Professional or Semi-Professional League is welcomed by a high proportion of those involved in the game. Although there are concerns about the financial viability of the proposed league and a different sponsor base is clearly required, its establishment would be supported.
• Most ethnic minority fans think that they have equal opportunities to play football -- but there is still a sizeable proportion who do not. Racial abuse at games also remains a problem. Despite improvements in recent years it continues to discourage ethnic minority fans from attending matches -- to a degree not appreciated by white fans or others involved in the game.
• It is widely perceived that hooliganism is less of a problem now than it was a decade ago. The Police though remain less convinced of an improvement: they see the problem having shifted in nature, and one that is being more effectively managed through use of CCTV, improved intelligence and new legislation.
• While the pressure on referees is recognised, the standard of refereeing in the professional game is widely criticised by club officials, professional players and match spectators. However, elite and amateur referees themselves are united in their belief that the standard is high. There is strong support for the introduction of video evidence in the top leagues.
• There is overwhelming support for the F.A. Cup throughout the game -- including among F.A. Premier League fans and officials -- with the competition being regarded as a vital part of English football's heritage.

For more details about the research please contact Peter Hasler or Simon Duke on 020-7347 3010, or visit the F.A. website at www.thefa.com

Technical details

This survey was conducted by MORI on behalf of the Football Association. The research consisted of two phases, a qualitative element comprising focus groups and depth interviews, followed by a more comprehensive quantitative phase among a larger sample of those with an interest in the game.

The research took place between February and May 2002 and involved interviews among more than 6,500 respondents.

The participants comprised; amateur club and league administrators, players (professional and amateur), financial analysts, club officials (chairmen, chief executives, managers and coaches etc.) MPs, civil servants, local authority sports practitioners, journalists, police officers, referees (amateur and professional), school teachers, match spectators, sponsors, and armchair fans.

MORI would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who participated in the study, for both their time and co-operation.