Football information services: fanzines, Match of the Day and the modem Essay Example

determine if they were meeting demand.

Green used a positivist approach and a quantitative method to collect data. The research involved mailing questionnaires to all 92 England and Wales based football clubs and distributing a smaller sample of 72 to football supporters. Although the paper briefly mentions the methodology used, it fails to explain why this methodology was selected and how it was investigated, which is important in a methodology section (Bell, 1993, p155).

The data was obtained through the chosen methodology of questionnaires. This allowed the researcher to ask specific questions and gather data for statistical analysis. The study focused on basic research and was aimed at collecting information rather than solving a problem. The research was conducted in two parts. The first part involved issuing a questionnaire to the 92 league clubs to gather information on their information services and perception towards official and unofficial sources. The second questionnaire was distributed to supporters in London and Manchester, providing a North/South perspective on the results.

A total of 72 questionnaires were distributed, which covered a range of topics, such as the type of information fans use, the services they expect from their clubs, the frequency of seeking information and the cost associated with it. Out of 164 questionnaires that were sent out, 80 were returned, indicating a 48.7% overall response rate. This response rate is considered typical for paper-based questionnaires, as per findings of Baruch (1999) and Dillman (2000). Upon analyzing the returned questionnaires, it was observed that 52 responses were from football clubs (57% response rate) while only 28 responses were from supporters (39%), which is a low response rate according to

Dillman (2000). To ensure credible research, Thomas (2004) recommends seeking additional sources of data.

One issue with the selected research method is the relatively low number of questionnaires distributed in relation to the total number of football fans in England and Wales. According to an earlier study by Bradford and Reeve in 1997, there were over 18 million football fans in the region. To obtain larger samples, a positivistic approach is typically employed (Collis and Hussey, 2003, p55). Therefore, the chosen sample of only 164 individuals is not a significant representation and does not even cover 0.1% of the total fans.

The percentage of UK football fans who participated in the survey is very low, only 0.01%. And if we exclude the 92 questionnaires given to football clubs, this figure becomes even lower. Additionally, the small number of returned questionnaires from supporters (only 28) also weakens the validity of the research, especially since this kind of study usually involves making generalizations from a sample. It's important to note that questionnaires can be used in both positivistic and phenomenological methodologies.

Green seems to have adopted a closed-question approach, which aligns with positivism. Nevertheless, Green has not followed one of positivism's key methods of selecting a sizable sample. According to Collis and Hussey (2003, p155), a positivistic study requires a sufficient sample size that can imply true results for the entire population and meet the investigation's requirements.

The research sample size did not meet the established criteria. Although the researcher focused on all football clubs in the English league, the target audience of football fans was not efficiently reached by only distributing 72 questionnaires in two selected locations. To obtain

a more representative sample in a subject as broad as football, a larger sample could have been easily selected.

Despite not all of the 18 million football fans being fully engaged, it is reasonable to estimate that at least 50% of them regularly participate in watching the sport. Though there are various avenues for increasing the sample size, altering the methodology was unnecessary. Nevertheless, the research's sample size might be insufficient to offer conclusive evidence of its discoveries. In addition, while preparing for the study, the researcher spent time consulting with representatives from both football clubs and the media, yet this approach had its limitations.

In order to create the context for questionnaires, a wide range of people were interviewed, including journalists, broadcasters, freelance writers, football club officials, museum and archive curators, commercial service providers (websites and phone lines), academics, football administrators, supporter association officials, and individual fans. Although combining research methods is acceptable, this phenomenographic research does not appear to have fully utilized available resources. The researcher spent time interviewing individuals and gathering questions. However, it would have been more effective to conduct direct interviews on the subject matter.

Although conducting interviews may seem like a necessary step, it may not be effective in obtaining information on certain subjects, as the questions are already straightforward. It would have been more productive to utilize the interviewing time for data collection instead of generating questions. Additionally, the researchers could have taken advantage of a missed opportunity for wider distribution of the supporters' questionnaire. They could have collaborated with clubs that had already issued the original questionnaire to their audience who are also direct consumers of their merchandise.

For example, the researcher could have requested placing the questionnaire in the club's program on their behalf.

Although not all clubs may have been open to the suggestion, it would have been beneficial to discuss the possibility of expanding the target audience. The main obstacle to this approach may have been the associated expenses. The researchers could have reached out to online users through email campaigns or fan forums, and potentially even included surveys on official club websites.

The researcher should have targeted a larger sample size over a longer period of time to minimize costs and obtain more valid findings. According to Vogt (1993, p196), research design involves planning procedures to achieve valid results. Unfortunately, in this particular case, Green's research plan did not result in the most valid findings and missed out on potential opportunities.

Despite the limited sample size, the researcher's findings are consistent with expectations. The paper is well-organized and features a brief abstract and introduction that outline the study's goals and methodology. Additionally, the statistical information is presented in a practical table layout that is suitable for presenting small data sets (Tufte, 1983, p56).

Although the paper is considered satisfactory, there are specific aspects that could have been enhanced.