Football League ‘must embrace marketing to survive’ says study

A report released by management consultancy Deloitte Touche suggests the Football League must become a marketing-led body to ensure its survival.

The report stresses that the 109-year-old organisation should change from an administrative body to a marketing one and should employ a marketing director.

An insider from the consultancy says: “There is a need to bring commercial know-how to the highest levels of the League. There needs to be someone at director level responsible for marketing.”

The League, which comprises 72 clubs from the First to the Third Division, has no overall marketing or commercial director.

The report also proposes that the Coca-Cola Cup becomes a one-game knockout. This is to cut down on a crowded fixture list and to keep Premiership clubs interested in the competition since the winner no longer qualifies for the UEFA cup.

Both Coke and BSkyB are understood to back the proposal.

The report also advocates expanding the League to 88 clubs by including Vauxhall conference clubs and turning Division Three into a regional North/South division.

Club chairmen will decide on the proposals at the AGM in June, but some are already saying that the regionalisation proposal will limit the scope of the League. But an insider at Deloitte Touche says: “We see these proposals as a package, not a list to pick and choose from.”