Ws5 finalpresentation-european football fans congress

Bridging a Gap – Supporters Liaison Officers as a Model in Europe

Supporter’s Ombudsman: A Portuguese Experience

JORGE MANUEL AMARAL SILVÉRIO([email protected])

III European Football Fans Congress

Barcelona, 17 July 2010

Portuguese reality

-APA (Associação Portuguesa do Adepto)-Some clubs have an Associates Ombudsman (Sporting, Benfica, Porto, etc.); not a Supporters Liaison Officer.-Since last sportive season (2009/2010) the Portuguese Professional Football League (PPFL) has a Supporter’s Ombudsman.

European reality

-England: between 2002 and 2008 The Independent Football Commission; after 2008 Independent Football Ombudsman.-Germany: all the clubs have a Supporters Liaison Officer.-Other Leagues: some sparse projects mainly related with security.

Society reality

-People more aware of their rights: security, comfort, numerous services such as food, parking and so on.-Strong concurrence of other appealing activities with Football [In Portugal 5,7% of family budgets are assigned to leisure activities - 1000 euros/year (INE, 2006)].

Portuguese Professional Football League

-Great importance granted to the Supporter’s »» Creation of the Supporter’s Ombudsman.-Recognition of the important role played by Supporters to the clubs, the PPFL and the Portuguese Football: economic (ticketing and merchandising); role in supporting his club (home advantage), etc.

Home advantage definition

• “the number of points won at home can be expressed as a percentage of the total of all points

gained” (Pollard, 1986, p.239)

Causal factors that determine home advantage

Crowd factors (among others)• From the studies done so far there is some

evidence that crowd factors have an influence on the home advantage effect. Both crowd size and crowd support are associated with higher-level performances of the home team, more infractions by the away team and more subjective decisions in favour of the home side by referees.

Home advantage

Home advantage exists in the last 15 seasons (since a victory means 3 points) in the Portuguese First League Football ranging from 58 to 65%.

Portuguese Football Ombudsman Main goals

-Recognized partner.-Appeal and help to the following of the rules and eradicate any manifestation of xenophobic behaviour, violence and racism.-Respect to the security measures.-Encourage positive ways to support the clubs.- Encourage ethics and fair-play.- Creation of a goodwill climate.

Portuguese Football Ombudsman Competences

-Receive and evaluate complaints, suggestions and doubts.-Analyse and organize all the complaints, suggestions and doubts.-Emit recommendations.-Promote meetings with supporters groups.-Mediate conflicts.-Encourage all the fans to be positive on their support.

Portuguese Football Ombudsman Competences

-To do informing, enlightening and education meetings and workshops.-To advise about the rights and duties of the supporters as well as about the legal rules.-To make propositions in order that the rights and duties of the supporters be respected.-Meetings with clubs and other institutions.

Portuguese Football Ombudsman

First thing I have done

Meeting with all the 32 Professional Clubs (First and Second league) and ask them to nominate a person which is working in connection with me (embryo of a Supporters Liaison Officer).


What I do

When I have a suggestion/complaint related to that club I talk with this person

Reactions: some clubs respond well to all the people (supporters of their club or no) and other (Ex: a club President said to me that if is going to respond to one supporter he had to respond to all of them!!!)


Difficulties

-Economics

-Mentality

-Clubs Organigrams

-Clear and well defined functions

-Education/training

Portuguese Football Ombudsman: 1 year balance

-1000 interactions-82% of them by fulfilling the form on the website-from all over Portugal and a minority from other countries-39% critics; 23% complaints; 23% doubts; 15% suggestions/proposals-94% men's; 6% women’s


Some examples:-Refereeing: mainly complains…-Security and violence-Prices-Legislation: suggestions, doubts-Game rules-Malfunctions and suggestions related to the website functioning


Some examples:-Suggestions about rules-Help for academic works-Disciplinary measures-Television transmissions-Stadium conditions-Greater anticipation in knowing the games days and hours


Some examples:-Organized supporters groups-Death menaces-Players and coaches offer for working-Offensive chanting’s in the stadium-Mother asking for a video of their child


Some examples:

-Congratulations for my work: a few

-Critics of my work (more than congratulations)

-Games scheduling

-Conditions for disabled people in the stadiums

“Without the passionate supporters in a Stadium the atmosphere is nothing, the game is not the same”

Thomas Weineman (Fan Project of Borussia Monchengladbach)

Documents

Ws5 finalpresentation-european football fans congress