Sponsoring in a Finnish Women's Football Club : Case: Pallokissat Kuopio Ry
Mikkonen, Marjukka (2017)
Savonia-ammattikorkeakoulu
2017
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201701241595
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201701241595
Tiivistelmä
This thesis studies the challenges of sponsoring in Finnish female football. The aim of this research was to examine the challenges women’s football clubs face in sponsorship management and suggest improvements for sponsorship management of Pallokissat Kuopio ry. Pallokissat plays in Naisten Liiga and is one of the biggest football clubs for girls and women in eastern Finland. This research focuses on the viewpoint of the sponsored party but in order to receive relevant and applicable data some viewpoints of sponsors are included. The results of the research are utilized by creating concrete development suggestions for sponsorship management for Pallokissat.
The research was implemented by using qualitative methods. Theme interviews were arranged for two Naisten Liiga football clubs and two sponsors. Both parties of a sponsoring contract are interviewed to get objective results about the research topic. All the interviews were individual interviews. Validity and reliability have been ensured by describing practical implementation and progress widely to help the reader to follow the phases of the research. The interviews and interview frames including possible further questions were well planned and the interview situation was practiced beforehand. All interviews were recorded and transcribed.
The research indicated that main difficulties in sponsorship in women’s football clubs are lack of time and personnel responsible of sponsor management, difficulties of finding the right person from the sponsor company in the recruitment phase and attracting and satisfying sponsors. Cost-effective employment, for example an intern was found as a solution. This extra position would also aid in continuous development of sponsor management. Communication was valued high by the sponsors. By improving communication with regular email briefings, the already existing sponsorships can be developed. The sponsored party must be willing to develop constantly new equivalents for the sponsor in order to differentiate from other organizations. The more the sponsored party can offer for the sponsor, the more resources the sponsor can provide as support.
By researching this topic with larger number of interviewees national generalizations can be made. In addition, comparing sponsorships in Finnish women’s football to another those in Nordic country new viewpoints and development possibilities could be found. Another interesting view point for further research would be to study how the ‘third party’, the audience and people connected to women’s football, affects sponsorships.
The research was implemented by using qualitative methods. Theme interviews were arranged for two Naisten Liiga football clubs and two sponsors. Both parties of a sponsoring contract are interviewed to get objective results about the research topic. All the interviews were individual interviews. Validity and reliability have been ensured by describing practical implementation and progress widely to help the reader to follow the phases of the research. The interviews and interview frames including possible further questions were well planned and the interview situation was practiced beforehand. All interviews were recorded and transcribed.
The research indicated that main difficulties in sponsorship in women’s football clubs are lack of time and personnel responsible of sponsor management, difficulties of finding the right person from the sponsor company in the recruitment phase and attracting and satisfying sponsors. Cost-effective employment, for example an intern was found as a solution. This extra position would also aid in continuous development of sponsor management. Communication was valued high by the sponsors. By improving communication with regular email briefings, the already existing sponsorships can be developed. The sponsored party must be willing to develop constantly new equivalents for the sponsor in order to differentiate from other organizations. The more the sponsored party can offer for the sponsor, the more resources the sponsor can provide as support.
By researching this topic with larger number of interviewees national generalizations can be made. In addition, comparing sponsorships in Finnish women’s football to another those in Nordic country new viewpoints and development possibilities could be found. Another interesting view point for further research would be to study how the ‘third party’, the audience and people connected to women’s football, affects sponsorships.