WHAT IS THE FEASIBILITY OF A SupporterS Direct europe? full report LONDON, JANUARY 2009 prepareD for UEFA by SupporterS Direct Contents Acknowledgements 3 Executive Summary 4 A Main Reports 22 Belgium 22 Czech Republic 35 France 44 Germany 59 Italy 85 Spain 108 B Additional Reports 125 Austria 125 Croatia 126 England 126 Greece 126 Northern Ireland 127 Republic of Ireland 127 Israel 128 Portugal 129 Sweden 130 Scotland 131 Wales 132 C Remaining UEFA Member Associations 133 © Supporters Direct 2009 ISBN 0-9549773-2-7 Acknowledgements We want to thank all those who have assisted us in researching, writing and Our thanks also go to UEFA for promoting this research and in particular to editing this report. Our first thanks got to Pau Martrat, who undertook the Alex Phillips, Diederik Dewaele, Giorgio Marchetti, Marc Esselink, Andrea research on France and Spain and assisted with the Belgian report. Traverso, Sefton Perry, Patrick Gasser, Robin Hourican and Thomas Junod. We would also like to express our appreciation to UEFA President Immense thanks must go to the representatives of supporters groups, Michel Platini, whose support for supporters’ involvement in clubs and initiatives and fan projects in Europe who kindly agreed to assist us. Some within UEFA was instrumental in the launching of this study. groups and individuals spoke to us on a condition of anonymity and so we cannot thank them individually here, but we thank them collectively. We Our task was made easier by following in the footsteps of academics, can, however, thank Ashley Green and Carlo Balestri from Progetto Ultrà, writers and researchers and we would like to thank all the authors referred Unsere Kurve, especially Mathias Scheurer (Fan–und Foerderabteilung to in the report, in particular Stephen Morrow, Patrick Mignon, Umberto Eintracht Frankfurt e.V.), Andreas Birnmeyer, Christian Reichert and Lago, Wladimir Andreff, Jiri Novotny and Thomas Kupfer. We also owe Oliver Scheel (HSV Supporters Club), Thomas Weinemann (FPMG a debt of gratitude to the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law, which has Supporters Clubs), Martin Endemann (BAFF), Michael Gabriel (KOS), contributed immensely to this report and to Eleanor Glitch for undertaking Dirk Vos (Supporters Federatie Profclubs), Guido Poppelier (Open the initial editing. Stadium), Luc Houman and Stefaan Leroux (KV Mechelen), Pavel Landa and Antonín Jelínek (Bohemians Supporters Trust), Tomáš Carnogursky In addition, a project with the breath and scope of this study could not have (Fanprojekt Liberec), Federación de Accionistas y Socios del Fútbol been completed without the advice, contacts and knowledge of a various Español – FASFE, in particular José Ángel Zalba (Real Zaragoza), José unaffiliated individuals who have shown unstinting support for our goals and Luis Sánchez Ayuso (Señales de Humo, Atlético Madrid), Camilo Puerto our work. In particular, Michael Volkovitsch, Stefano Faccendini, Evelina (Betis), Mr Galiacho (Albacete), Moira Boyd and Emilio Abejón (Señales Pecciarini, Stuart Dykes, Giambattista Rossi, Catherine McLeod and de Humo) and Francisco López (Sevilla CF), Pepin Braña (Sporting de Stephane Lievens all provided critical support at various times. Gijon) and Pepe Hidalgo (Villareal CF) from Aficiones Unidas: Asociación de Federaciones de Peñas de Clubes de Fútbol – AFEPE, Ola Soler (MFF Sincere thanks should also go to my colleagues at Supporters Direct, in Support), Pedro Miguel Silva (Associação de Adeptos Sportinguistas) particular Dave Boyle and Kevin Rye for their support throughout the project; and Shay Golub (Israfans), Daniela Wurbs and Kevin Miles (FSI), Anthony Laura Knewstub, Vicki Goodfellow, James Mathie, James Proctor, Tom Weatherill (Federazione Italiana Sostenitori Squadre di Calcio (FISSC)) Hall, Elaine Millar, Christiana Fakeye and Jacqui Forster, who all helped in and Laurance Durand (FAS). various ways from editing, organizing travel to providing a supportive and stimulating environment in which to undertake this report. I would also like We are grateful to the help of the Football and League Associations, to pay thanks to several Supporters Direct Board Members for their support: other football authorities and government officials. In particular Gerald Brian Lomax, Sean Hamil and Steve Powell and to Philip French, who was von Gorrissen (DFB), Thomas Schneider (DFL), Heidi Deridder (Attaché CEO of Supporters Direct at the time this survey began. Football Unit, Security and Prevention FPS Interior, Belgium), Filip Van Doorslaer (Koninklijke Belgische Voetbal Bond (KBVB/ - Union Royale Finally, I want to thank Georg Rulffes, Jean-Robert Saintil and my family Belge des Societes de Football-Association (URBSFA)), Philippe Diallo for their support. (Union des Clubs Professionnel de Football), André Ramon (Fédération Française de Football (FFF), Jean Patrick Pierre (French Ministry of Youth and Sports), Nathalie Paoli (Olympique de Marseille), Nicolas Blanc, Lukáš Peřybil (Bohemians 1905), Ondřej Zlámal (SK Slavia Praha), Tomáš Křivda Antonia Hagemann (AC Sparta Praha) and Carlos del Campo (Liga de Fútbol Profesional ). Project Manager ExEcutivE summary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY LONDON, JANUARY 2009 “Let’s recognise supporters as an essential part of the identity of clubs.” Michel Platini, election programme, The Future of UEFA “In an ideal world football clubs would be legally structured and governed in ways that prioritise sporting objectives above financial aspects. Moreover, all clubs would be controlled and run by their members – e.g. supporters – according to democratic principles.” UEFA, strategy document WHAT IS THE FEASIBILITY OF A SupporterS Direct europe? EXecUtiVE SUmmARY | LONDON, JANUARY 2009 This Executive Summary summarises the full report: “What is the Background feasibility of a Supporters Direct Europe?” The full report is the Supporters Direct in the UK is funded in England by the Football result of a study commissioned by UEFA to investigate the feasibility Stadia Improvement Fund and in Scotland by the Scottish of extending the work undertaken by Supporters Direct within the Government. UK across the remainder of UEFA’s members associations. On the initiative of the UK Presidency of the European Union, The factors underpinning the development of Supporters in 2005, José Luis Arnaut was commissioned to undertake what Direct in the UK were specific to the economic, cultural and became known as the Independent European Sport Review. social circumstances of British football. It was clear that these One of his recommendations directed at the football authorities circumstances would not apply to other European countries with was for them: “to examine the feasibility of a European Supporters differing sporting and legal systems. Direct body”. Even so, one can make too much of cultural difference and UEFA liaised with Supporters Direct in the UK to address ignore the commonalities. In the European Sports Model, fans this recommendation and funded a 12-month feasibility study, watch players play for clubs, who compete in national leagues and managed by an independent researcher (overseen by Supporters cups and the top clubs in each country play cross-border matches Direct UK) that commenced in July 2007. in competitions organised by UEFA. The creation of the club, the league and the national association as the basic units of spectator football is a shared inheritance across the continent that provides one with a vital common starting point. The sheer passion that exists for football across Europe is another commonality. The growth of the trust movement in the UK is evidence of the desire of football supporters to play a part in the ownership and governance of clubs. This desire is the most central issue, as this is the fuel for the trust movement. Without it, all the policies, reports and support cannot make any impact at all. In assessing the feasibility of a Supporters Direct Europe, it was necessary to answer several related questions. Supporters Trusts in the UK are a grassroots movement, and so the priority was to look at grassroots fan groups and see what their stance was on issues relating to ownership and governance. Did they want to become involved? Had they tried to become involved? What support did they need? The next issues were – assuming a desire existed – how could fans become involved? Looking at their clubs, were they able to become formally involved in ownership and governance, and how could they go about that? Did opportunities exist for them to buy shares or did national legislation or football regulations enable them to become involved as of right without reference to shareholdings? the wide spectrum of fAn cultures In most of the countries studied, several different groups with This is not to say that all Ultras are reluctant to engage with their differing aims and objectives were indentified and the relative clubs on a formal representative level. There is evidence (in Italy popularity of these different cultures varied from country to country. especially) of groups and individuals within the Ultra movement There is a spectrum covering, on the one hand, fans who value who recognised the benefits of becoming more involved. independence and non-involvement and, on the other hand, fans In other countries, groups often covered a variety of issues, who wish to become more involved with the clubs, the league often relating to the core experience of supporters in travelling and the national association. In Italy and France, for example, to and watching matches,