The project has two main research questions: RQ1 - what is the financial impact of Covid-19 on English professional football clubs so far? RQ2 - what is the wider impact to the local community focusing on four professional football clubs and football community trusts? The data collected for the project is broken down below across the two research questions highlighted above and is split between quantitative data (research question 1) and qualitative data (research question 2). Data collection for RQ1 Quantitative data was extracted from the financial statements of football clubs and the relevant financial data was used to create a bespoke financial database in Microsoft Excel. The data covers all 92 professional football clubs in the EPL and EFL in any given season from 1992/1993 to 2019/2020. At present there are 20 clubs that compete in the EPL and 24 in each of the Championship, League 1, and League 2. Owing to promotion and relegation during the time period analysed, our database covers a total of 112 unique professional football clubs. The financial database contains 28 independent variables in respect of financial and sporting performance that we have defined as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for a football club. Data collection for RQ2 Qualitative data was sourced from four professional football clubs that are currently competing in League 1 at the time of writing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key individuals at the clubs. A total of 18 interviews were undertaken across the four clubs. Owing to the Covid-19 situation and various lockdowns and restrictions throughout the project, the majority of interviews (apart from one face-to-face visit) were conducted online using Microsoft Teams. Interviews were recorded and transcribed in Teams and then exported to Quirkos (a specialist qualitative analysis programme) for further thematic analysis. Interview schedules were designed based on job role of the interviewee. For example, interviews with CEOs covered all aspects of the business including finance and strategy whereas interviews with Community Managers focused more on the fans of clubs and wider social impact.Many professional football clubs, particularly in the lower leagues of English football, face financial ruin and are on the brink of collapse. This situation is likely to be exacerbated throughout 2021 owing to the current COVID-19 global pandemic. Consequently, this project aims to analyse the financial impact of COVID-19 on professional football clubs in England and the wider impact on their communities. In the last year, one community has already lost its professional football club (Bury FC) and other communities have been affected by the demise of semi-professional clubs (e.g. Rhyl FC). The project has three main research questions. First, what is the financial impact of COVID-19 on the professional football clubs? Second, what is the wider economic impact to the local community that a club is placed in given the distinct possibility of matches being played behind closed doors for a considerable amount of time? Thirdly, what are the wider effects on the community in football community trusts and social cohesion? The project serves to provide a rapid analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on English football's finances. In relation to research question one, the focus will surround the financial situation of professional clubs including issues such as the distribution of wealth and financial disparity between clubs in the English football system that could lead to overspending and potential insolvency. It will also consider the impact of broadcast rights distribution, solidarity payments and parachute payments across the system and provide strategic direction for a collective recovery. The intention is to stimulate discussion, analysis, interest, and research on how football governing bodies can use the opportunities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic to reset the financial landscape in the English system. Such discussion provides a more balanced, competitive suite of competitions that collectively tackle financial inequality and put aside self-interest. COVID-19 allows us to revisit existing issues in how football leagues in England are governed. Existing structures have created a significant financial disparity between the professional leagues; a financial disparity that has grown since the formation of the English Premier League (EPL) in 1992/93 and which COVID-19 has laid bare. Additionally, the pandemic has presented several financial issues that may threaten the sustainability and future of clubs and which are tied to the broader financial performance of clubs.

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