This module aims to:

Equip students with the tools to apply key economic principles;

Enable students to apply critically a range of economic theories to develop an in-depth understanding of the football industries;

Enable students to employ basic analytical tools aimed at testing the relevance of economic theories and their relevance within football;

Provide students with the skills to model and predict the demand for sport as required in management practice;

Inspire critical thinking and the ability to draw on economic concepts to develop a critical understanding of management practices and decision-making.

(LO1) Students will be able to evaluate critically key contemporary issues regarding football business and associated industries based on economic data and analysis.

(LO2) Students will be able to use economic theory and data analytics to inform management practices in the football business.

(LO3) Students will be able to use secondary data and economic principles to suggest and justify alternative courses of football business practice.

(S1) Quantitative/statistical analysis and interpretation of economic data
There will be lectures and tutorials explicitly devoted to this skill.

(S2) Research skills (secondary data collection and synthesis)
There will be sessions devoted to this in which students will be guided through the process of data gathering, data management and analysis.

(S3) Academic writing
Students will be provided with guidance on academic writing and reporting analytical results to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

(S4) Problem solving skills
Developed through discussion during sessions.

(S5) Commercial awareness
Developed through discussion examining the commercial relevance of analytical results to the football industry and associated sectors.

The module will primarily be delivered through a series of e-lectures, delivered through a variety of methods, covering key topics, theories and case examples. These will be supported by individual online tasks such as: case studies; blogs; collaborative tasks; and discussion boards, which will be used to develop and apply learning. These activities will be moderated by the module instructor. Students will also be directed to key academic and practitioner readings to further develop their learning.

Unscheduled Directed Student Hours: 30 hours
Description: The asynchronous e-lecture and interactive class activity will equate to 5 hours per week over 6 weeks.
Attendance Recorded: Yes – tracked via the learning platform.

Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 5 hours
Description: The synchronous seminars will equate to 5 hours in total over 6 weeks.
Attendance Recorded: Yes – tracked via the learning platform.

One scheduled synchronous sem inar of one hour will be delivered in week 1, with the remaining two synchronous sessions scheduled during weeks 2 to 6. The dates and times of the seminars will be confirmed at the start of the module (if there are issues with time zones another session will be provided). Peer discussion and questions will be encouraged. These sessions will be recorded and moderated by the module instructor.

Self-Directed Learning Hours: 65 hours
Description: This will involve directed and independent reading, and independent research into management theories and practices relevant to the module syllabus, aims and learning outcomes.

Demand for and the supply of football;
Stadium attendance demand;
Broadcasters’ and television audience demand;
Modelling consumer demand;
Competitive balance and outcome uncertainty;
Big data;
Analysis of players' and team performance;
Causes and consequences of managerial change;
Contemporary issues in football.