Aims

(ii) Strong Links With The Local Community: The post-ITV Digital era has served only to highlight once again the problems associated with football clubs being financially over-reliant on one person or a small group of people. As a result, an increasing number of clubs are beginning to look at an alternative business model, one which fully utilises the club’s prominent position in the local community as a means by which to enhance its long-term sustainability. We feel that the adoption of such a model would much enhance Rovers’ long-term prospects.

One of Rovers’ key strengths is its history and its position as a central part of North Bristol life for more than a century. In addition, the club has the ability to generate levels of civic pride that few other organisations or institutions can. These factors mean that the club name is both recognised throughout the area and appeals to a wide variety of organisations looking for a way to promote their services and activities to a diverse local audience. This is a hugely marketable commodity that can be used to drive sponsorship and advertising from local businesses.

An increasing number of clubs are recognising that their stadium’s facilities provide natural capacity for local community activities and are seeking to utilise this by transforming them into joined-up community spaces which act as hubs for activities such as culture, sport, education, enterprise, health and community.

This type of joint working provides benefits to both the local community and the club. In the case of the former, local organisations can exploit the brand of the Football Club to promote their services and reach the wider community. In return, the Football Club plays an active and the valuable role in the local community and also enjoys the significant benefits of widening the support base of the club and boosting loyalty to it. It also raises the possibility of attracting revenue streams from a range of agencies who are not normally associated with football.

About The Trust
Objectives