Title: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) communications in the G-25 football clubs

Authors: Dimitrios Kolyperas; Leigh Sparks

Addresses: Institute for Retail Studies, Stirling Management School, University of Stirling, FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK. ' Institute for Retail Studies, Stirling Management School, University of Stirling, FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK

Abstract: A key recent theme in the academic literature focuses on the increasing role of corporate social responsibility in the professional sport industry. This study is located within this body of work and examines how CSR communications occur in the professional football industry. This paper answers three key research questions: What kind of CSR-related issues do football clubs address with stakeholders? How do football clubs communicate their CSR efforts, if they do so? What strategies are followed and how do these differ across clubs and national spaces? The paper reviews important aspects of CSR communication across different clubs and football markets, using the G-25 professional football clubs in the world. It proposes a continuum model which adopts an international perspective and sheds light on how CSR communication strategies vary and evolve across different clubs and football cultures.

Keywords: corporate social responsibility; CSR; corporate governance; G-25; football clubs; professional sports; professional football; stakeholders; national spaces; football markets; continuum models; international perspectives; communication strategies; football cultures; cultural differences; sport management; sport marketing; stewardship; sustainability; sustainable development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2011.043612

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2011 Vol.10 No.1/2, pp.83 - 103

Received: 10 Jul 2010
Accepted: 10 Aug 2011

Published online: 21 Feb 2015 *

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