A report commissioned by Sky Sports at the start of the 2021/22 domestic football season shows a more diverse fandom now following the game.
Dr Martha Newson‘s research centres on group bonding, ritual, and community. She currently leads research on how major football clubs can help tackle reoffending in partnership with the Twinning Project, Her Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service, and the Ministry of Justice.
Commenting on the report by Sky Sports, Dr Martha Newson a Future Leaders Fellow and self-identified ‘Socialiser’ said,
“Football is now more representative than ever of the British public. Football is more than what happens on the pitch, it is entrenched in our day-to-day beliefs, embedded in our conversations and shaping society and community behaviours.”
“Football tends to go far deeper than attending games or keeping up with the fixtures; it’s about social connections and how we present ourselves to the world – be it likes on social media, wearing the ‘right’ trainers, or knowing the words to a song. For some fans, celebrating football manifests in how we shop and the brands we align with.”
Expert comments from Dr Martha Newson on the changing face of football fandom have been receiving extensive media exposure published across numerous news outlets including Sky Sports, Yahoo, Variety, Sporting Excitement and The Sun to name a few.