Nicos L. Kartakoullis

Internet marketing in football clubs: a comparison between English and Greek websites

Worldwide use of the Internet by business and commerce has recently increased dramatically. Indeed, many commentators now claim that the Internet is leading to a new period in marketing. Sports, and especially football clubs which have become increasingly commercial in recent times, have not been unassailable to such rapid developments and they utilize the Internet as a marketing medium through which clubs can communicate with supporters, establish relationships with them and sell products and services. The purpose of this essay is to examine website content of the football clubs of two leagues (English and Greek) from a marketing perspective. Initially, it examines the growing body of literature in the area of sports marketing, Internet marketing and football clubs. This leads to the detailed examination, from the perspective of marketing, of 12 websites (six from UK football clubs and six from Greek football clubs). Finally, an attempt has been made to make a comparison between the two leagues. The authors found that there are many differences between the two leagues’ websites. The Greek websites are lagging far behind the UK ones, the former being poorly developed, unsophisticated and lacking strong links with the marketing activities that the Internet can offer. On the contrary, the UK websites are more sophisticated than the Greek websites and have better developed the marketing opportunities that the Internet offers, although however, there are some crucial issues that they too have failed to address.

The Use of Anabolic Steroids and Other Prohibited Substances By Gym Enthusiasts in Cyprus

The use of prohibited substances in sport does not solely concern athletes, but it is also quite common among other categories of the population: people who do not engage in competitive sports but use doping substances for a number of other reasons. This article is based on a survey that was administered to 532 people of both sexes, aged 14 years and above, in 22 gyms around Cyprus. The respondents engaged in one or more sports with a very small percentage (6%) participating in competitive sports. The results showed that 11.6 percent of the respondents had used or were using prohibited substances in order to improve their performance. The use of prohibited substances seemed to be higher among certain interviewees sharing common characteristics, that is, gender, age, education and socio-economic status. Doping was common among body-builders. The research also examined the reasons for the use of prohibited substances in relation to: the reasons for exercising; the nature of the sport; smoking and drinking habits; and the level of use within the wider environment.

Contemporary Marketing Communications Framework for Football Clubs

Sports marketing communications (MCs) theories have stemmed from orthodox marketing concepts; and though they have naturally adapted to the differentiators of their very nature, they increasingly portray elements of stagnation. The sport core product is still being regarded as essentially on-location or media entertainment, limiting researchers and practitioners to a correspondingly pre-defined MCs approach that fails to incorporate the true spectrum of sport value offerings. This paper provides an innovative perspective on sport MCs, through an extensive review of classical theories and their infusion with contemporary consumer-focused MC research. The findings indicate a need for a more holistic and value-based approach to MCs, with an expanded range of both elements and processes.

Cyprus: a football crazy nation?

Given the popularity of football all over the world, it is no surprise that people address football as the ‘Universal Language’ on many occasions. The results of a recent survey by Lamprecht and Stamm SE BAG were impressive in indicating how ‘big’ football is worldwide. This essay addresses the issue of how big football can be in a small island state like Cyprus. Is football still big in a small country where money for football is limited, where there are no big contracts or the glamorous element of star players? The main objective of the study, based on research conducted in Cyprus, was to measure and record the perceptions of adult Cypriot men on basic issues concerning football in the country. The results show that 77% of men between 21 and 70 years support a football club and that indeed football has assumed tremendous significance in such a small island. However, as the results indicate, football in Cyprus has to face major issues and challenges as well.

Is Sport (Football) a Unifying Force or a Vehicle to Further Separation? The Case of Cyprus

In recent years studies have shown that sport can serve as a means towards conflict resolution. Since the time of British colonialism in the 1950s, and after its 1960 independence, Cyprus has experienced conflict between its two main communities – the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots. The de facto division of the island in 1974 caused community isolation of the Turkish Cypriots who, for political reasons, have been excluded from participating in international sports competitions. This situation is more visible in football (soccer), the most popular sport on the island. In the last two years the two sides have been trying – so far unsuccessfully – to reinstate the Turkish Cypriots as members of the Official Cyprus Football Federation. This paper gives a background on what has preceded these attempts and discusses whether football is a means of reuniting the two communities, or whether it is used as a vehicle to further separation.

Strategic resource planning for football clubs

The paper provides a multi-perspective analysis on strategic resource planning for football clubs. Towards this aim, financial planning, fundraising and sponsorship are examined, and their strategic marketing aspects are presented and interrelated. The paper rests soundly on scientific theoretical and secondary data research, and incorporates literature on football, sports and generic strategic marketing and finance subjects. The findings underline the need for strategic resource management that is methodically planned, implemented and evaluated. Furthermore, individual components should not be viewed in isolation, but comprehensively and in conjunction with each other. Merging of resources into a unified and value-based system is proposed, in which resources are not measured in terms of pure financial terms, but holistically evaluated in terms of the value they offer in a multi-dimensional and a multi-directional way. Finally, strategic resource planning must be integrated with strategic marketing planning to ensure alignment and commonality of both means and ends.

Football facility and equipment management

The paper investigates the subject of football facility and equipment management to present the key success factors and planning elements for consideration. The work is based on secondary data analysis and literature review, and the findings include both descriptive and prescriptive elements. The findings construct a theoretical basis for further development and provide football managers with explicit and practical advice on the subject. They further indicate that topics pertaining to football facility and equipment management are not and should not be viewed as independent tasks under a common umbrella. They are all part of a larger system with all aspects interrelated both at the planning and the operation stages. Moreover, they are found to be inextricably linked with the wider strategic and marketing processes and constitute a significant part of the value proposition of the club to its immediate customers, implicit customers, industry associates and wider society.

CYPRUS: A Small Island Country, Full of History and Passion for Sport

Cyprus is a small, but a rather unique island country. Due to its location at the crossroads of the cultures and civilizations since antiquity, the island of Cyprus carries a significant history of greatness but also tragedy. In respect to the latter, undoubtedly the most recent is the division of the island that took place in 1974 with all the related consequences. Despite this troublesome situation, the Republic of Cyprus is a modern, developed country in which sport is considered a basic part of the culture, economy and society. It is worth noting that the sport tradition in Cyprus traces back to the years of the ancient Greek civilization and nowadays, Cyprus is a small, but a rather active part of the international sport community. On the same note, the recent international successes in football, sailing and other sports show that Cyprus is improving in sporting terms. The main characteristics of sport in Cyprus are the central administration from the Cyprus Sport Organisation on the one hand and the state funding on the other. Additionally, the voluntary sector is the backbone of the national sport structure, as 80% of the members and personnel that belong to clubs and federations are volunteers. Eventually, the private sport sector is not that significant with regard to other European countries. Nevertheless, there is a recent growth in the sporting goods industry, in fitness and recreational services and in sport tourism. On the whole, Cypriots are good consumers of sport services and products while there is also a growing number of foreign tourists who visit Cyprus for the sake of sport every year. All things considered, the challenge for the future of sport in Cyprus is to become more financially independent and to strengthen the mainly voluntary nature of sport with professionals and also enhance the role of the private sport sector.

Are there honest intentions in the fight against doping? The case of Cyprus

Abstract Doping and the use of prohibited substances is one of the major issues that sport is facing currently in Cyprus. The fact that an increasing number of athletes tested positive on the island over the last couple of years raised additional concerns and the issue became even more contentious. In this climate of controversy and concern regarding doping and the use of prohibited substances by athletes in Cyprus, the Cyprus Sport Organization took a radical decision in 2008 in which the Cyprus National Anti-Doping Agency, which had been operating for over 20 years as a branch of the Cyprus Sport Organization, would cease to operate by May 2009, giving its position over to the Cyprus National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO), as prescribed by the international anti-doping agencies. The aim of this paper is to examine one basic issue: Are there honest intentions or not in the fight against doping in the case of Cyprus? The cause for this research paper arose from the experiences gathered during the process of the transformation of the Cyprus National Anti-Doping Agency to a National Anti-Doping Organization, and especially from the resistance that evolved from the top sports administrators in the National Sports Federations in Cyprus. What are the true intentions of sports administrators, then? Do they honestly wish to fight doping or not?

Utilizing sport to build trust – the case of Cyprus

Abstract The Republic of Cyprus became an independent state in 1960. It has been de facto divided since 1974. Efforts over the past 30 years to solve the Cyprus problem and reunify the island have not yet been successful yet. Various attempts have been made at different levels from politicians, professionals and the United Nations to bring the two communities on the island together but again these attempts have been without success. Sport has never been utilized in these attempts. Sports carry specific rules, norms and values that are in many instances more flexible than the ones adapted in general in social settings. Sport has been perceived as being a great socialization agent. The code of ethics in sports allow participants to interact at a different level, thus developing trust that can be transferred to other areas of life. Thus, the organization of summer camps through the “Doves Olympic Movement” presents the first attempt on the island of Cyprus to utilize sport and related activities to build trust in Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot children. The purpose of the project was to enhance favourable development and relationships between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot youths from the two communities in conflict. This paper examines the impact that the summer camps had on the children and instructors who participated in the camps, and how this participation managed to change their perceptions in relation to specific issues.