Scoring Big: 10 Ways Your Football Club Can Rise as a Social Champion
In recent articles, I have aimed to highlight a number of off the field initiatives that can help foster club growth and development. All of these are written with the intention that small actionable changes can be undertaken regardless of club size or structure.
The depth of impact all football clubs, from amateur grassroots through to professional, and sports clubs more generally can have on their communities both on and off the field affects their current membership and future generations to come.
As such, the importance of becoming a social champion is higher than ever and clubs can make small changes, or start new initiatives, to improve their social impact and ultimately help to increase their membership database.
With that in mind, I’ve listed 10 ways your football club can become a social champion. It is in no particular order of importance or impact, the key message is to just start somewhere. One small change could make a huge difference!
- Support Local Charities & Non-profit Organisations: This can be achieved by making donations, organising fundraising events, or participating in charity initiatives. Examples include dedicating each match day to a particular charity, donating a team's shirt sponsorship to your local charity or even collecting food parcels for local distributors.
- Encourage Youth Development in the Community: Your club can invest in youth outreach programs such as supporting local schools and other sports clubs, providing coaching and training opportunities, or hosting youth events and festivals such pre-season tournaments. Free school visits during national initiatives such as Women & Girls week or National Volunteer Day are also a great way to get involved.
- Promoting Environmental Sustainability: Your club can take steps to promote environmental sustainability such as reducing its carbon footprint, investing in renewable energy or promoting environmentally-friendly practices to fans and supporters. E.g applying for grant funding for solar panels or having a waste management plan including recycling facilities on site or even something as small as swapping to energy-efficient lightbulbs.
- Supporting Diversity & Inclusion: Your club can support diversity and inclusion by promoting equality, diversity and inclusiveness and working with organisations that are committed to these values. There are various resources, templates and supporting documents available on why and how to do this, such as Sport New Zealand.
- Consider your Clubhouse food offerings: Being socially responsible with your food menu involves taking into account the impact that your food choices have on various stakeholders, such as the environment, workers, animal welfare, and public health. Additionally, offer plenty of healthy options by providing menu items that are nutritious and promote public health, such as plant-based options and dishes that are low in added sugars and unhealthy fats. You should also aim to reduce food waste by implementing practices to reduce food waste in your sports clubs, such as composting and utilizing surplus food in other dishes.
- Foster Fan Engagement: Your club can encourage fan engagement by creating opportunities for fans to get involved in community initiatives such as volunteering or participating in charity events. This could be through club events such as working bees, or out of club events, such as watch parties or going to major sporting events as a club.
- Offer additional sporting and well-being opportunities for your members and wider community: Run additional fitness or sports classes for your members in the local community, such as walking football for seniors or sports exercise classes for other community groups. Outside of the sporting sphere, you could offer your clubrooms to a local community group for their local event, become a community beacon during times of need or even just providing a safe space for your community to be in throughout the week.
- Encourage the use of public transport to your club for training and match days: Clubs should know and promote your local bus and train routes regularly on social media channels. This will even save your members money when you weigh up the cost of fuel vs. the cost of public transport. Cycling to the club is another great alternative (though be sure to offer safe and secure bicycle storage). Not only will this help keep cars off the road, but it could also alleviate some congestion in the club car park/surrounding streets whilst encouraging an active lifestyle for members and visitors. These initiatives may even gain support from Regional Sports Trusts and other key partners.
- Employ Ethical Business Practices: It seems obvious but it’s worth saying that the club should ensure that it operates in an ethical and responsible manner, by adhering to fair labour practices, inc. contracts where necessary, transparency and accountability in business operations, and by avoiding actions that may have negative impacts on the local community and environment.
- Devise a plan to attract and retain talent using these initiatives: A club that is committed to social responsibility is likely to be more attractive to potential players, staff, and partners such as much needed sponsors. Players and staff are more likely to want to be associated with a club that demonstrates a commitment to social responsibility and has a positive impact on the local community. At a time when trying to reach and recruit new members, this could be a reason why people choose to join support and advocate for your club over another.
To summarise, a club that demonstrates a commitment to social responsibility is likely to be viewed more favourably by its supporters, fans, and the local community. This can help to improve the reputation of the club and increase its visibility, which can lead to greater support and loyalty from fans, members and everyone else connected with the club.
All of the above will need to form part of the overall club strategy, with this engagement needing to be well-considered, deliberate and planned out. With the potential direct and indirect benefits this will have on the club, both on and off the field, it will be well worth the investment of time, energy and resource.
Where will you start? What have you tried? Comment below with your suggestions. You never know who you might help!
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