Supporters Direct Scotland Survey 2011 scores early

Supporters Direct Scotland have launched the second annual survey of football supporters with questions about:

-        league structures

-        television revenues and their distribution

-        season starts and winter closedown

-        supporter representation on club boards

-        supporter representation on national football issues

-        support for a Scottish Football Supporters Network

Last year’s survey caused a storm when fans indicated they were at odds with Scottish Premier League plans for restructuring. This year there are more questions and a specific section about establishing a Scottish Football Supporters Network as a voice of the fans body.

Alan Harris, Chair of the Scottish Council of Supporters Direct commented:

“It’s really important that football supporters the length and breadth of Scotland have their say on the topical issues of the day affecting the game they love and support. Last year, our first survey showed that football fans were at odds with the SPL’s plans for restructuring. This year we are asking more questions and on a broader range of subjects, including whether fans would support a Scottish Football Supporters Network and what they would want it to do. The survey is open until the end of December and I want every football supporter to respond this year and so that we make the voice of fans loud and clear.”

ENDS

Issued by Grant Thoms, MacThomais PR on 07708949934 (grant@macthomais.com) on behalf of Supporters Direct in Scotland

Note to Editors:

1. Supporters Direct Scotland is the democratic subsidiary of Supporters Direct UK with an elected Scottish Council independently chaired by Alan Harris. Alan Harris can be contacted on 07958 303692 for further comment if required.
2. More information about the Supporters Direct Scotland Survey is available at: http://www.supporters-direct.org/home.asp. The Survey is open until 29 December 2011.
3. The Supporters’ Survey direct link is available here:https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LWDRPV8 and on the Supporters Direct Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/supportersdirect
4. The 2010 Supporters’ Survey results of 4931 Scottish football supporters are summarised here:http://clients.squareeye.net/uploads/sd/SDInterimPresentation191210Final.pdf
5. The Supporters Direct Scotland Survey 2011 asks the following questions:

What is your preferred size of top league in Scotland?

• 10
• 12
• 14
• 16
• 18
• Other (please write in)

The SPL have recently signed a new £80 million TV deal based on there being 4 Old Firm matches each season. They claim that any reduction in the number of Old Firm games would reduce the value of any future TV deal. Taking this into account what would be your preferred size of top league in Scotland?

• 10
• 12
• 14
• 16
• 18
• Other (please write in)

If Scottish football was reorganized into bigger leagues of perhaps 16 or 18 clubs, this would mean that there will be some clubs surplus to the two top levels. If this happened what would be your preferred plan for these clubs?

• Set up another, smaller national league below level 2 with the remaining clubs
• Elect the required number of new clubs to a national league to ensure that the level 3 league is the same size as levels 1 and 2
• Organise the remaining clubs in a regional league set up
• Other (please write in)

Do you support or oppose the creation of a pyramid structure for Scottish football?

• Strongly support
• Support
• Neither support or oppose
• Oppose
• Strongly oppose

Do you support or oppose distributing revenue raised by leagues centrally, such as TV income or league sponsorship, more equally than now?

• Strongly support
• Support
• Neither support or oppose
• Oppose
• Strongly oppose

What impact do you think distributing income more equally would have on the overall level of competition within the league?

• make it more competitive,
• make it less competitive,
• make no difference

If the teams in Scottish football were more competitive with each other (for instance as a result of distributing resources between clubs more equally), would this make you more, or less likely to attend matches more regularly?

• More
• About the same/ make no difference
• Less

Do you support or oppose an earlier start to the season in July?

• Strongly support
• Support
• Neither support or oppose
• Oppose
• Strongly oppose

Do you support or oppose a winter break during the season?

• Strongly support
• Support
• Neither support or oppose
• Oppose
• Strongly oppose

Would you support or oppose the introduction of a summer season to Scottish Football (league to run between March and November)?

• Strongly support
• Support
• Neither support or oppose
• Oppose
• Strongly oppose

Would you support or oppose clubs having to include (e.g. through club licencing) at least one fans organization representative on the board of directors?

• Strongly support
• Support
• Neither support or oppose
• Oppose
• Strongly oppose

Do you think that fans should be consulted on decisions to be taken about Scottish football?

• Yes
• No

If yes, how should fans be consulted on decisions to be taken about Scottish football? (indicate all that apply)

• By fans having access to a national fans organisation representing their views, for instance by the creation of a process to consult fans directly on proposals that will affect football, football clubs and/or its fans (e.g. through regular surveys such as this one)?
• By fans having representation on the most senior SFA Committees
• By fans having representation on the most senior SPL/ SFL Committees
• By making their views known through media outlets (e.g. on the BBC or in newspapers)

We would be interested to learn of any innovative ideas that you have that would enhance competition within the game. Please describe these in the box below. (Write in)

What age are you?

• Under 18
• 18-34
• 35-54
• 55+

 Which gender are you

• Male
• Female
• Prefer not to say

Which team do you support?

In the SPL

Aberdeen

Celtic

Dundee United

Dunfermline

Hearts

Hibs

Inverness

Kilmarnock

Motherwell

Rangers

St Johnston

St Mirren

In SFL 1

Ayr

Dundee

Falkirk

Hamilton

Livingston

Morton

Partick Thistle

Queen of the South

Raith Rovers

Ross County

In SFL 2

Airdrie United

Albion Rovers

Arbroath

Brechin

Cowdenbeath

East Fife

Dumbarton

Forfar

Stenhousemuir

Stirling

In SFL 3

Alloa

Annan

Berwick Rangers

Clyde

East Stirling

Elgin

Montrose

Queens Park

Peterhead

Stranraer

• A team in the South of Scotland, East of Scotland or Highland Leagues
• A team in Junior football
• A team playing in Amateur football in Scotland
• No particular team in Scotland

In the last 12 months, can you tell me which of the following you have done (please tick all that apply)?

• Purchased a season ticket
• Attended at least 10 matches in Scotland
• Attended fewer than 10 matches, but at least 1 match in Scotland
• Watched a Scottish match on Sky or ESPN
• Watched a Scottish match on the BBC

Are you a member of any of the following supporters’ organizations (indicate all that apply)?

• A Supporters Trust
• A Supporters organization such as a fan or travel club
• Scotland Supporters Club and/or Association of Tartan Army Clubs
• Other supporters organization (please write in)
• None of these

The Scottish Government is keen to ensure that the views of Scottish fans are represented and to that end Supporters Direct Scotland are setting up the Scottish Football Supporters Network. The aim is to make Supporters Direct more widely representative of Scottish Football fans and thereby to ensure that there is a productive dialogue between football supporters and all key stakeholders in the game including the Government, football authorities, clubs, communities and other public authorities.   To enable us to do this, we need contact details for Scottish football fans and would ask you to leave your email address at the end of this questionnaire. By leaving your address you will become an individual member of SFSN at no charge.  We will use this address to contact you in the future when we are conducting further surveys of fans’ views. Please note that we will not, under any circumstances at all; share your email address with anyone else – not the government, not the football authorities or any club. No one. Guaranteed. Period. But, if in the future, we are to establish the range of views held by fans, and if you would like to participate, please leave your email address. (Write in)

What do you think should be the priorities for the Network? Please put in rank order all those you consider important, starting with most important.

• Represent fan opinions to the Authorities, such as the SFA, SPL and SFL, but also to the government on initiatives they take that affect the game and/or the fans.
• Organize regular surveys of fan opinion on current issues
• Organise meetings or web space for fans to discuss issues affecting Scottish Football.
• Campaign for improved rights for fans (cheaper ticket prices, working with Clubs / Stewards / Police to promote good practice in working with fans).
• Campaign for better facilities at matches (e.g. better stewarding, safe standing).
• Promote fan ownership.
• Produce policy papers to be presented to Football Authorities highlighting good practice across Europe.

END