Facility design and management
Sector Description
The sector of choice is soccer as a professional sport currently run at a high specificity level of management and investment across the globe. In view of the appropriate facilities needed in a modern soccer club, highest possible standards are needed for the management and design of facilities for the ideal club. With professional soccer stars around the world gracing the sport and attracting huge investments into the sector, growth in soccer resonates well with its following around the world. As a leading industry, soccer clubs businesses are modern business ventures where sport science and commercial activities meet to bring out the best results. Despite the presence of competition from certain sports as lucrative business opportunities, soccer empires continue to thrive around the world with enticing entertainment attributes attached to its following. The efforts behind the success can only be attributable to excellent and accurate sport facilities design and competent management both as a business and as a sport (Aman, Barghchi and Omar, 2009).
Growth and Advancements in Soccer Club Facilities
Although Europe sets the yardstick of success and sustainability of soccer, variously referred to as football, there is growth of the sport around the world as an important entrainment and business venture. As an illustration, the UK has one of the oldest soccer traditions deeply enshrined in its national culture and the oldest tournament is celebrated in the country. Soccer clubs in England are among the oldest, with some of the most decorated clubs around the world having a history dating back to the late 19th Century. With such a historical background, his facilities at the disposal of the clubs have had a tremendous evolution and perfection over the years, assisted by continued innovation and increased investment. Initially, soccer was not a professional sport but its evolution has seen dramatic changes in its management as a socioeconomic tool around the world. Today, growth has witnessed mammoth investment making soccer clubs among the most powerful brands. Professional players are multi-millionaires thanks to the remuneration that the entertainment industry on which the soccer sector is currently built on.
Case Study
In a specific consideration of a modern soccer, club with state-of-the-art facilities, investment and management, London’s Chelsea Football Club fits the bill. Established in 1905, Chelsea is one of the top English clubs and the current UEFA Champions League holders. A decade of excellent results at Chelsea since 2003 coincides with the commercial takeover by the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, which underscores the importance of investment towards efficient management.
Major Changes since 2005
The year 2005 marked a major event at Chelsea, having attained a century of active sports in the national league. Contribution of expertly composed team with improved sporting facilities and programs proved successful for the club as it won domestic cups and excelled in European highest stage of competition. In 2007, Chelsea built an excellent facility for the team’s sporting programs to accommodate the best scientific trends that the world of sports can offer. Cobham training centre world-class facilities include over 30 high quality soccer pitches for training, revolutionary undersoil heating system, artificial indoor winter training pitch, 17m long swimming pool, hydrotherapy systems with video recording enhancement, sedum grass roof observing green policies, biometric entrance technology for players, several restrooms as well as ample parking space (ChelseaFC, 2007a).
The design of Cobham training facility makes the best possible impression of sport management at the Chelsea Football Club facility. Rehabilitation facilities of the cob ham complex are perhaps among the best in the UK, with modernized therapy, fitness, and recovery facilities on offer. A medical zone with modernized medical section, doping control section, treatment section, medical studio, performance, recovery and nutrition facility, emergency attendance section and doctor’s room paint the medical image of the Cobham training complex (ChelseaFC, 2007b).
Management of affairs at Chelsea Football Club is mandated to the Management Board headed by the Chairman assisted by the CEO. Various management attributes that make Chelsea Football Club a top club in the UK and Europe is perhaps the adherence to the basic principles of sporting success (Bingham et al., 2008). Financial support at Chelsea has been an important pillar of organization since the arrival of the owner in 2003, from when top coaches and managers as well facilities have been mobilized. Policy development at Chelsea also illustrates the undying ambition with strict achievement criteria. Talent identification and nurturing using the facility and a network of scouting around the world always pays off at the club. Training facilities at Cobham and an efficient coaching system compliments outlined goals at the club. Participation at the highest European competition has been the primary agenda at Chelsea and despite having performed well for close to a decade without winning at that level, the club can now reap the fruits of hard work, management, and dedication. Scientific research and embracing of technology at the facilities offered to the playing staff is a top-level experience. As mentioned above, soccer across Europe and indeed around the world is a thriving business embracing commercial tenets guided by sport science principles. A club such as Chelsea FC shows that the possibility of reaching success in entertainment and investment can only be through proper management and controls.
However, the financial situation at several soccer clubs in Europe leading to their bankruptcy has led to an outcry by the European football governing body, UEFA. The introduction of financial fair play rules targeted at ensuring that clubs are sustainable in their business is perhaps an important cautionary approach to protect the game from irregular commercialization at the expense of the sport (FFP, 2012). Several clubs have gone under receivership in the UK for instance Portsmouth FC and Rangers FC. Difficult economic times in Europe for instance have led to sudden lean revenues and inability to meet ordinary bills. In future, clubs will be restricted to certain budget limitations to avoid liquidation for the sake of the sport. Continued cooperation between financial management, sport science, and sport management will lead to better experiences in soccer industry. The control of the multi-billion entertainment industry attracting stadia entry revenues, television rights revenues, shirts/ jerseys sales revenues, sponsorship and other commercial partnership revenues require expert intervention (Tulley, 2011). Chelsea FC is an example of a rising sport investment and sport management outfit with modernized facilities, yet troubling financial environment poses a threat that could suddenly kill the (Roman) business empire within a short time.
References
Aman, M. S., Barghchi, M., & Omar, D. (2009). “Cities, Sports Facilities Development, and Hosting Events,” European Journal of Social Sciences, 10(2):185-195
Bingham, J., De Bosscher, V., De Knop, P., Shibli, S., & Van Bottenburg, M. (2008). The global sporting arms race: an international comparative study on sports policy factors leading to international sporting success, Oxford, UK: Meyer & Meyer Verlag
CFCnet (2009). “Cobham, A World Cass Facility,” Retrieved from: HYPERLINK “http://www.cfcnet.co.uk/2009/03/20/cobham-a-world-class-facility/” http://www.cfcnet.co.uk/2009/03/20/cobham-a-world-class-facility/
ChelseaFC (2007). “Cobham in Depth: A Building to Meet All Needs,” Retrieved from: HYPERLINK “http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~1068030,00.html” http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~1068030,00.html
ChelseaFC (2007). “Cobham in Depth: The Medical and The Media,” Retrieved from: HYPERLINK “http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~1068031,00.html” http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~1068031,00.html
FFP (2012). “Financial Fair Play- The Future of Football,” Retrieved from: HYPERLINK “http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/” http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/
Tulley, W. (2011). “”The Evolution of Sports Facilities,” Retrieved from: HYPERLINK “http://www.articlesbase.com/outsourcing-articles/the-evolution-of-sports-facilities-5264144.html” http://www.articlesbase.com/outsourcing-articles/the-evolution-of-sports-facilities-5264144.html
