Analysis of the impact of changes in the rules and format of current European football on content consumption and global stakeholders’ interests

Details

Supervisors

Belleflamme, Paul

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

This master thesis analyses the consumption of content and tensions between stakeholders in the world of football in the field of strategy, human resources, entrepreneurship and business planning (STOR), focusing on the impact of potential well-chosen changes in rules and formats on this consumption and these tensions. The rigorous and thorough literature review paved the way to the understanding of the current situation in the world of football. First, understanding the influence of digital platforms on football content consumption led to the realization that the current format of games and competitions may no longer reflect current fans’ preferences. The factors shaping fans’ football game demand, such as uncertainty and competitive balance, as well as the evolution of formats and breakaway leagues and fans’ reactions towards these changes made it possible to derive well-chosen new rules and formats that could positively affect audiences and have an impact on the stakeholders ecosystem. Finally, by understanding the different objectives of stakeholders in football, it was possible to map and understand the tensions that might exist between them. In this study, the aim was to understand how potential rule and format changes might affect the consumption of football by fans and non-fans. Thanks to the results of this survey, it was possible to understand how these rule or format changes would affect tensions between stakeholders and to understand the financial impact. The aim is therefore to find the most effective solution in terms of tensions and profits, depending on whether the interests of a domestic league or those of FIFA/UEFA are considered. This study also has some limitations including a lack of relevance in some of the articles, the complexity of the financial analyses, a simplified model, the survey and the focus only on the top 5 leagues. It is important to be aware of these limitations and challenges to best advise potential domestic leagues or institutions such as FIFA or UEFA. In conclusion, this research presents an approach and a solid basis that could enable a domestic league or institutions such as FIFA or UEFA to increase their revenues while maximizing the utility of their stakeholders. Indeed, the implementation of new rules or formats could increase fan consumption and have these consequences.