Supporters Direct
| Supporters Direct | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Formation | January 2000 |
| Location | London |
| Region served | United Kingdom |
| Chief Executive | Brian Burgess |
| Website | www.supporters-direct.org |
Supporters Direct are an umbrella organisation set up originally by the United Kingdom government (with cross-party support) to provide support and assistance for its member trusts to secure a greater level of accountability and deliver democratic representation within football clubs and within football's governing structures. More recently, Supporters Direct has begun the same representation for other sports, most notably rugby league.
Amongst other things, Supporters Direct provides advice to supporters' trusts on how to organise and acquire a collective shareholding in their football and rugby league clubs on a not-for-profit basis for re-investment.
Existing as an Industrial and Provident Society, Supporters Direct is owned by its members and funded by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund - the partner organisation of the Football Foundation - and in Scotland by the Scottish government. Its work in rugby league is funded through an arrangement with The Co-operative Group, the Rugby Football League and Supporters Direct's own reserves.
Supporters Direct deliver advice and guidance on governance and financial accountability to its members and to play a valued and responsible role in the running of their clubs, improving communication and building a better relationship with the local community.
Contents |
[edit] Mission Statement & Key Objectives
[edit] Mission Statement
Supporters Direct mission statement[1]:
“"Our goal is promote sustainable spectator sports clubs based on supporters' involvement & community ownership".”
[edit] What does Supporters Direct do?
Supporters Direct has the following listed on its website [1]:
- Supporters Direct campaigns for the wider recognition of the social, cultural and economic value of sports clubs
- Sports clubs and competitions are increasingly being put at risk by short-term vested interests, poor financial management and inadequate standards of governance; we are the UK's leading body working to ensure that clubs are run responsibly and are financially sustainable
- Supporters Direct aims to create the conditions in which supporters can secure influence and ownership of sports clubs
- Supporters Direct provides guidance and support to groups in more than 16 countries throughout
- Supporters Direct promotes the value of supporter ownership to sports fans, empowering them to set up supporters' trusts or become members of existing
- Supporters Direct is a community benefit society, owned by its members
[edit] Facts and Figures
The trust movement has grown considerably since the introduction of Supporters Direct as the following facts and figures present[2]:
- Growth: Supporters' trusts have now been established at over 150 clubs.
- Membership: Over 250,000 people are members of supporters' trusts.
- Finance: Supporters' trusts have now brought in well over £25 million of new finance into football.
- Ownership: 26 clubs are in ownership by supporters' trusts
- Partnership: 110 supporters' trusts now have shareholdings in their clubs.
- Boardroom: Over 45 supporters’ trust directors at clubs. Over 50% of these are directly elected by the membership of the trust.
- Reach: Supporters of nearly 70% of clubs in the top five divisions of football in England and the top four divisions in Scotland have established supporters' trusts.
[edit] Supporters Direct Cup & Shield
Supporters Direct also sponsor the The Supporters Direct Cup and the The Supporters Direct Shield which are annual pre-season trophies competed for by supporter-owned clubs.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Supporters Direct Mission and History". http://supporters-direct.org/page.asp?p=1988. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
- ^ "Supporters Direct Headline Achievements". http://supporters-direct.org/page.asp?p=2225. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
