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The Application Of The Business System Concept To The Analysis Of ...

ISSN 1392 – 2785 Inzinerine Ekonomika-Engineering Economics(3). 2009
COMMERCE OF ENGINEERING DECISIONS
The Application of the Business System Concept to the Analysis of Football Business
Tomas Karpavicius, Giedrius Jucevicius
Kaunas University of Technology

K. Donelaicio str. 73, LT–44029 Kaunas, t.karpavicius@ubig.lt, giedrius.jucevicius@ktu.lt

Since ancient times, sport is considered as one of the
analysis of their importance. These aspects can be better
necessary elements underlying the harmonious functioning
addressed by employing the business systems perspective.
of society. It plays an important part in shaping the
In this article we seek to structure football business by
political and economic image of the nation and its using the business system perspective. The outcome of this
perceived global competitiveness. For this reason, sports
article is a more or less universal structure of football
sector is often treated not only as a tool for improving the
business system that enables a more thorough conceptual
physical and emotional well-being of the society, but also
analysis of the football business (and, to some extent, the
as a tool in the international area for promoting sport business as a whole).
investment, developing international business linkages and
socio-cultural relations between different cultures, as well
Keywords: business system, football business, systemic
as enhancing the political role of the nation. The growing
approach.
economic attractiveness of sports makes it increasingly
exposed to the participation of private business structures,
Introduction
which are interested in generating positive cash flows. In
this context, the sports sector gradually evolves from being
Sport business has been systemically analyzed by
solely a public activity towards becoming a business Vrooman (1995), Hoehn and Szymanski (1999), Smith
sector, where the main role is played not by the athletes
(2004), however, most of the researchers in the sport
who strive for sportive goals, but business representatives
business limit their focus of analysis to fragmented aspects
who aim for an economic benefit.
of this business. In most cases, they concentrate upon the
In the analysis of football business – one of the most
economic foundations of sport business (Quirk, Fort, 1992;
commercialized sports nowadays – the systemic approach
Ksenne, 1996; Vrooman, 1995; Rapp, 2004; Noll, 2003;
should be adopted. The relevance of systemic approach
Garcia, Rodriguez, 2002), the specifics of labor market
relies on the assumption that in the sport business, benefit
(Noll, Zimbalist, 1997; Kesenne, 2000; Gius, Johnson,
can only be achieved in close cooperation of various sport
2000), the specifics of competition (Zimbalist, 2001;
business subjects. Their linkages lead to the emergence of
Humphreys, 2002; Fort, Maxcy, 2003) or the relations
a certain business system. If sport is regarded as one of the
between the sport business and the mass media (Turner,
business sectors, then the application of business system
1999; Helland, 2004; Baimbridge et al, 1996). It should
methodology can be fully justified.
also be noticed that the sport business is very often
Football remains the most popular team-game in the
analyzed in the context of one sport. For example,
world, which creates huge income flows in the most American researchers tend to limit their research to
developed “football countries” and is a prospective business
baseball, American football or basketball, whereas European
area in the emerging “football countries”. At present,
researchers mainly focus on football business, which is
economically strong football systems exist only in the regarded as the most developed sport business in the world.
developed countries, first of all - in Western Europe. In the
The economic aspects of football receive increasingly
less economically advanced countries, the developers of
more attention in the contemporary research literature;
football face the challenge of football’s economic however, in most studies of this field a lack of literature of
assessment problem, which appears from not enough direct relevance to football business can be noticed.
developed football business environment. The interest to
Among the publications in football field dominate the
create strong football business system calls for the search
topics of athletes training, reasons for sport results
of the ways of popularizing football and boosting the
researches of sport clubs and individuals athletes, the
economic potential of its participants.
search of advantages and disadvantages between different
In the research literature, the analysis of football football leagues, etc.
business is based on the presumption that it is a strong
Togler (2004) notes that the originator of research in
business sector, which is able to generate income and
football as a business sector is Sloane (1971), who
whose participants have the ability to perform at profit.
analyzed the economic aspects of football. Today, football
However, such studies tend to ignore the business business has become quite a common object in the
processes within the sports business. Besides, the systemic
scientific research. This can be proved by plenty of
approach in football business is usually limited to presenting
scientific books about football business (e.g. Dobson and
the structural elements of the system and the superficial
Goddard, 2001; Szymanski and Kuypers, 1999), the

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interest of European Commission in this sport (the as suppliers, which supply professional football players for
consultative document of 1999, in which the European
various football leagues.
model of sports is analyzed on the basis of football
Customers, as a standard element of micro-
business system). However, one could notice a lack of
environment, in the football business turn to fans /
systemic approach, which would cover not the fragmented
spectators, who are the users of product that is made in
aspects of football business, but the entire football business
football business – the specific form of leisure time
in the light of the business system concept.
spending. Football players in football business can also be
The aim of the paper is to present the conceptual
the customers and it is specifically relevant in amateur
structure of football business system, which would define
football business, where a football player becomes the
the elements of football business and their relations main source of sponsorship for the football club. In the
between each other and external environment.
professional football the role of player as a customer
The paper mainly relies on the method of the analysis
becomes less important, but the player still remains one of
of scientific literature (Dobson, Goddard, 2001; Szymanski
the users of the product that is created in the football
Kuypers, 1999; Vrooman, 1995; Hoehn, Szymanski, 1999;
business system (players must be interested in playing
Smith, 2004; Rapp, 2004; Noll, 2003; Andreff, 2000; football, so there must be used promotion tools for them).
Brown et al, 2004; Grundy, 2004, and others).

The specifics of football business system
Suppliers
Players / football
Society regards football first of all as one of its most
schools
popular sports, strong clubs, fan-bases and national teams.
Competitors
However, the sport aspect is only one part of the football
Groups of
Football club /
Other sports / other
club structure. Another important part that is often missing
interests
league
football clubs
in public considerations is that of football as business.
Infrastructure
As already mentioned, the idea of football business
Infrastructure for
system remains underexplored. Business system can be
Customers
football match
briefly defined as a specific business form, which is based
Spectators, fans /
on close cooperation of individual organization for joint
football players
objectives. Systemic viewpoint to management and

economic processes is one of the new management
theories, which in most cases are striving for profound
Figure 1. Micro-environment elements of football business
viewpoint to processes of management and their

administration‘s principles (Karpavicius, Cvilikas,
The role of distributors in football business is played
Gatautis, 2008). R. Whitley (1992) describes business by the football business infrastructure, which can be
system as particular arrangements of hierarchy-market divided in two main groups:
relations which become institutionalized and relatively
• The services that guarantee the football match
successful in particular context.
performance (football stadium and its supplements).
The specific of football business system is reflected by
• Football business administration activities, which
the structure of football microenvironment. Various
are necessary for the functioning of the entire
authors (Porter, 1998; Kotler, 2003; Pranulis et al, 2000;
football business system.
Vijeikis, 2003; Simkin, 1997; Stanton, 1991) emphasize
Competitors in football business can be divided into
the links of business unit with other business partners
two levels:
through the perspective of microenvironment, which
• On the level of individual football club, the
consists of a variety of stakeholders (customers, suppliers,
competitors are other football clubs that participate
distributors, competitors and groups of interests) who
in the same league. There’s a permanent
depend on company’s performance in reaching its goals.
competition for the spectators in order to increase
In football business, every element of the micro-
the income of the club as much as possible. The
environment is specific only to football. The specific of
economic results of this competition are tightly
football business is first of all reflected by the coherence of
related to the sport results of the club (the
football business processes. Most of the elements in
proportion of wins and losses in the league).
football microenvironment are usually treated as elements
• On the level of the football league or association,
of sports and only the actors of football business (clubs,
the competition between different forms of sports
associations, federations, etc) emphasize the business
and even between different ways of spending free
aspect. The possible elements of football microenvironment
time can be noticed.
are shown in Table 1.
Every business is related to various groups of
Suppliers in football business are football players who
stakeholders. Some stakeholders are the corporations that
are the main factor that influences the existence of football
represent the corporate interests (e.g. cartels, associations),
club or league. The interest of football players to others may represent specific public orders. There are also
participate in football business and their professional skills
distinctive groups of interests in the football business. First
influence the success and profitability (the ability to of all, the football associations / federations should be
generate income that corresponds to the expenditure) of
mentioned, which not only organize the sports activities,
football club or league. Football schools can also be treated
but also represent the interests of football clubs. Other

- 87 -
interest groups are the external organizations, which like most other sports, is divided into the dimensions of
usually confront the participation of football business age, gender, professional skills, and game type (Table 1)
system’s units (e.g. consumerism services). In any case,
that represent not only the level and specifics of football as
football clubs must take into account the interests of those
a sport game, but also the attractiveness and possibility to
stakeholders, because they often have strong authority and
generate income.
influence in the society or business. As Juscius and
Table 1
Snieska (2008) state, meeting the requirements of
consumers the interests of other groups and members of
Structural dimensions of football, as a sport game
the society must be considered, so it is necessary to find
(made by the author in accordance to: FIFA, 2007; UEFA,
out about these interests during the interactions with
2007; LFF, 2007)
stakeholders. The tension between business and society is
Age
Gender
Professional
Game type
obviously unprofitable for both sides, thus its prevention
dimension
dimension
skills dimension
dimension
and elimination are very important strategically.
Kids
Men
Amateurs
Hall
In the systemic analysis of football business one
Juniors
Women
Professionals
Field
should distinguish two dimensions of the football business
Youth
system: (1) horizontal, which is based on joining of
Adult
football clubs to collaborative structures (associations,
Senior
leagues) into the joint activities and (2) vertical, which is

based on single football business system’s collaboration in
For example, the men’s football generates much more
the higher level structures in the regional, continental or
income than women’s football and, for this reason, in most
global context.
countries men football is much more popular than women
Football business existence is mainly based on the
football. Of course, this income–popularity relationship is
horizontal integration – the consolidation of football clubs
mutually reinforcing.
for the collaborative performance using joint business
The analyzed specific of football business system
structures. Football as a sport is based on the competition
enables us to distinguish the main elements of football
between clubs to achieve better sport results – Szymanski
business system, which conditions the functionality and
(1999) states that this is the main reason for spectators’
development of the entire system.
interests, which generates income for the sport clubs. It
means that individual performance of football club may
The structure of football business system
guarantee only minimal income (e.g. from the sales of
souvenirs) and for a limited time (e.g. if club does not
In this part of the article, the conceptual structure of
participate in any competition, its souvenirs will become
football business system will be provided and the relations
worthless for the football fans). The football club that
among its elements will be discussed. The football business
wants to earn has first of all to make its name famous.
system can be characterized by two main aspects:
From the marketing point of view, popularity of the
• The integration of vertical and horizontal football
football club and its image are the main elements that
business actors into one integrated system.
contribute to the efficiency of the economic activities of
• The relations between the football business system
the club. In this case, the sport results serve as an
as a single structural element (or single football
instrument for shaping the positive image of the club. Any
business system’s elements) and internal environment.
club that is interested in economic efficiency must
Those two main aspects allow us to distinguish the
participate in various sport events (most often – in football
role of football business system and its actors in the
leagues of particular scale). In the development of football
business environment and make linkages with other actors,
business, the matches between football clubs became which contribute to the emergence and development of
formalized, strictly controlled by formal structures, which
football business system.
existence is conditioned by the necessity of football clubs
Two different approaches to business system lead to an
cooperation (Howie, 2004). The legal forms of those assumption that football business system can be treated as:
structures may be of several types, but most often they are
• an integrated whole of subjects of all levels, where
the associations of football clubs and are responsible for
the central figure is football club;
the administration of football business system, which
• an undividable entirety, which contacts with
consists of the founding clubs. The football association
environment elements and the results of this contact
guarantees the income generation for its members by
impacts the structural elements of system.
organizing football matches.
Our model of football business system relies on the
The above mentioned viewpoint reflects the vertical
second approach, where most attention is paid to the relations
integration of football business system’s elements. between the business system and its external environment.
Depending on its size, goals and state in the context of
However, the first approach is also taken into
other analogous structures the association may organize
consideration in order to determine the relationships
leagues of various types, where football clubs are divided
between the football club and football association. In this
by their sportive and economic power. In the analysis of
case, the football association is treated as mother
football business system it is important to assess the fact
cooperative structure of football clubs, which is responsible
that football, as the form of sportive activity and the form
for the existence of entire football business medium (football
of business system, is structurally heterogeneous and can
clubs and their representative cooperative organization’s
be divided into various dimensions. Traditionally, football
business interests). It is graphically represented in Figure 2.

- 88 -
In the presented figure the dual football clubs relations
significance of income generated by the football game
with football association are presented. Firstly, the football
spectators. He considers this source of income to be the
association is established as an agreement of various relict of the past. Such view is criticized in the research of
football clubs and is the ruling body for football business
Brown et al. (2004) and Grundy (2004), who emphasize
system.
the importance of stadium infrastructure to the business

success of the sports clubs. Brown et al (2004) have made
a comprehensive analysis of the investment by the
professional American football clubs into the stadium
Subordination
infrastructure. Their analysis leads to a conclusion that
Football
links Football
numerous possibilities exist to boost the income from
association
league
ticket sales by expanding the number of VIP lodges in the
stadium and by offering additional services (food, extra
Cooperation
shows before / after the match or during the breaks),
links
enhancing the comfort of seats in the stadium, etc. In this
way, income from the ticket sales may become only one of
Football
Football
Football
club
club
club
the sources of income.
Another criticism of the income sources presented by

Andreff (2000) is the underestimation of the role played by
Figure 2. The structure of football business medium
the public sector and its organizations. Andreff (2000)
Therefore, the clubs are in a way subordinated to the
presents corporations that sponsor football clubs or leagues
association. But, according to Bougheas and Downward
as the core football business income sources, but he
(2003), the establishment of football association is based
ignores the case when the football clubs or leagues are
on the cooperative interest of the football clubs, so the
supported by the public sector. This aspect of financing is
links between the clubs and the association can de thoroughly analyzed by Michie and Shraddha (2007) and
described not only as hierarchy, but also as cooperative
Long (2005) who emphasize the fact that quite often
partnership. These cooperative links are implemented by
football clubs tend to disregard the importance of material
organizing the football league, which is the basis for benefits offered by the local government institutions (e.g.
producing the ultimate product in the football business
the privilege to use public infrastructure – stadiums, etc.).
system. Football league is organized by the efforts of
The analysis of scientific publications allows
association, which implies that there are certain distinguishing such sources of football business income:
subordination links between the association and league.
• Media that usually generates the largest share of
The presented structure of the football business
sport income via TV or radio emissions.
medium is regarded as the background for football
• Globalization, that enables the emergence of
business system. Other elements of football business
international football business structures capable of
system are deployed around the football business medium
guaranteeing a greater income for the football business.
by their particular business relations. In the presented
• Trade, which covers the market of the consumer
model of football business system all its elements are
products / souvenirs of the football club or
interrelated by the dual links of the financial flows, which
association, as well as the additional income from
are described as income and expenditure links.
stadium infrastructure.
The flows of football business system are formed by
• Corporations, which are treated as the main sponsors
using the football business financial flows’ researches
of football clubs or leagues in football business.
performed by Andreff (2000), Grundy (2004), Leonard
• Capital, which is linked with the involvement of
(1998), Bourg (1999) and Rapp (2004).
football club in a stock market.
The modern football business income structure is
• Spectators, who create the specific income source –
conceptualized by Andreff (2000). According to Andreff
income from ticket sales.
(2000), the modern structure of football business income
• Players, who can be regarded as a valuable asset or
sources consists of five elements: (1) press, (2) globalization,
human resource of the football club.
(3) trade, (4) corporations and (5) capital. Such structure of
All of the above mentioned income flows are oriented
income flows is not thorough enough because it doesn’t
to either football club or football association, or both
cover all possible income sources of football business
directions. Depending on the proportion of the club and
participants. This statement is illustrated by Grundy (2004)
association income flows, the income flows forms in
who carried out the research on strategy and financial
football club medium: the football club pays contribution
management in the football industry. While analyzing the
to the association and the association diverts the income
football club financing sources, the author emphasizes the
into two mains flows: one for performing its own functions
trade of football players as one of the most important income
and the other to support clubs by using a specific mechanism.
sources for the football club. Football players are regarded
Graphically, the income flows of football business system
as an asset or investment of the football clubs, which
are presented in Figure 3.
determines the variable financial value of the club that
The structure of football business income is one of the
depends on the changing level of players’ professional skills.
factors that characterize the football business system and
Andreff (2000) approach to football business income
its links with the external environment. Another factor of
sources is criticized for the fact that the author ignores the
equal significance is the expenditure of football business

- 89 -
system. Its structure shows the relations between the was formed on the basis of business microenvironment
football business system and those environment elements,
elements, presented by Kotler (2003), Pranulis et al (2000),
which do not generate positive financial flows, but require
Vijeikis (2003), Simkin (1997) and Stanton (1991) covers
certain expenditure.
only several environment elements:
The structure of football business expenditure can be
• Those that create the business subject’s
drafted in accordance with the structure of microenvironment
expenditure for commercial performance support
elements of football business, which is presented in Figure 1.
(relations with suppliers and infrastructure subjects)
Such decision is based on the fact that football business
• Business subject’s interests defense (relations with
microenvironment (except the element of customers), which
competitors and groups of interests).

Press
Globalization
Trade
Corporations
Capital
Spectators
Players


a
l
o
ns
ent
rs
ure
n
d
e

i
ng
ni
tio

radi
ation
lish
o
p
m
ruct
slatio
uve
tern
omo
Tickets
TV /
Trade for
players
tran
frast
Pub
In
So
devel
Pr
In
Stock tra
Football
Football
association
Member’s
club
contribution
Income allocation
Football business medium

Figure 3. Income flows of football business system

In this way, the football business microenvironment
public sector and (2) relations with various public
elements, responsible for the expenditure sources of the
groups that can be regarded as the public relations
football business system, can be divided in such groups:
of football business system.
• Suppliers. These are the football schools that
In both – football business income structure and
prepare the future football players, or improve the
football business expenditure structure – some elements
skills of current football players, and contribute both
are related with the individual football club (e.g.
to the sportive and economic success of the club.
investment to stadiums, players, taxes, etc.), while some
Two separate groups of relations with suppliers elements are related to the association itself (e.g. the
should be distinguished: (1) relations between promotion of football sport, the future players’ training
football association and football schools and (2)
strategy formation, etc.). The structure of expenditure
relations between the professional players and flows in the football business system is graphically
football clubs.
presented in Figure 4.
• Infrastructure. It is the infrastructure of material
The analyzed income and expenditure structures of
valuables that is necessary for the successful football business cover all the elements of football
football business performance and administration of
business system external environment, which have an
football business system.
impact on the performance of football business system.
• Competitors. This form of expenditure can be Based on the structures of those two environment groups,
described in two ways. First, it is other sport business
the relations in internal football business system’s
systems that compete with football business system.
environment (i.e. football business medium) are formed
In this competition certain expenditure is necessary to
with two main elements – football association and football
promote the popularity of football among the fans of
clubs. The football business income analysis has showed
other sports. Another aspect of competition-related
that, in the first stage, football business income is allocated
expenditure is the support for national teams, which
between the association and the club, while in further
is oriented to improving the performance of the
stages the internal reallocation of income is taking place.
national team in international arena.
The income obtained by the association is allocated to the
• Groups of interests. Football business objects always
clubs on the basis of agreed principles. Those principles, as
contact with various public groups, organizations and
Forrest (2002) and Kesenne (2000) note, usually depend on
the public sector. Those relations can be distinguished
the relations between the activities coordinated by the
into two types: (1) economic relations with the football association.

- 90 -
In the analysis of football business system four determines the allocation of income across the football
dimensions of football business system were determined:
clubs. For this reason, the football structural dimensions
age, gender, professional skills and game type. The role of
become the main factor for income allocation across the
those dimensions in particular football association clubs in the proposed model.

Competitors
Groups of interests
Suppliers
Infrastructure
Other sports
Government, associations,

Infrastructure for football
Football
Players
public organizations, etc.

match
schools
s


in
,


’


t
to
ion
e
a
m
sport
l t
,
public
tions
fans
Football
Taxes
promotion
Football
rela
Football
football
players
training
promotion
Trade for
players
stadiums
between
promotion
Nationa
society
Investmen
Administrat
Football
Football club
association
Member’s
contribution
Football business’ medium

Figure 4. The expenditure flows of football business system

It can be seen in Figure 5, where the scheme of football
football business systems, these two shares may strongly
business system income and expenditure allocation is differ depending on various factors.
presented. In this scheme, the relations between the external
In the economically most developed business systems,
and internal environments of football business system are
a major part of income belongs to the association, which is
described by using the intermediate elements: income delegated to represent the football clubs in negotiations
allocation mechanism and expenditure allocation mechanism.
with TV companies and is responsible for the search of the
The mechanism for allocating income between the
main sponsors. The traditional individual income flows of
association and the clubs determines the share of total
a football club, unrelated to the income sources of
income that belongs directly to the association and the
association, are income from the ticket sales and additional
share of income that is owned by the club. In different
services in the stadiums.

Competitors
Groups of interests

Suppliers
Infrastructure

Expenditure
Expenditure allocation
mechanism

Age
ll‘s
al
o
ns
Football
Sex
t
ba
nsi
Football club
association
Allocation
Professional skils
me
of total
Foo
structur
di
income
Game type
Total
income
Income allocation mechanism
Individual
income
Football business’ medium
Income
Press
Globalization
Trade
Corporations
Capital
Spectators
Players

Figure 5. The scheme for income and expenditure allocation in football business system



- 91 -
The mechanism of expenditure allocation as intermediate
allocation of income is taking place not only among
element of football business medium’s relations with associations and clubs, but also among associations.
external environment defines the football business system’s
The allocation mechanism of European football
interest to minimize total expenditure and to most business system expenditure may be characterized in the
efficiently allocate it between clubs.
same way. According to Hoehn and Szymanski (1999),
Gius and Johnson (2000), Kesenne (2000) and Noll
every structural element in the medium of European
and Zimbalist (1997) note that the rationale behind the
football model has its own expenditure; its structure
expenditure allocation mechanism is based on the need to
depends on their position in football business administration
more or less equalize the financial potential of the clubs
system. The allocation of expenditure is based on the
that belong to the association. Such actions also bring more
cooperative dependence between associations and clubs.
equality to the sportive potential of the clubs, which, in
Reynolds (1999) claims that such way of allocation makes
return, increases the competitiveness of the entire football
football clubs interested in making the cooperative links
business system.
with the association.
In the light of this analysis one should also consider
A different type of income and expenditure allocation
the differences between the American and European sports
mechanism can be noticed in the American football
business systems. The differences of those two types of
business model, which is characterized by the concentration
business systems are reflected by the different approaches
of football business performances in one master
towards allocating the system’s income and expenditure
organization. In such football business model the largest
flows. In the European football business system, the club
share of income and expenditure is controlled by the
may be connected with several different level subjects that
association, which, according to Hoehn and Szymanski
organize football business: regional and national associations,
(1999), can be regarded as an autocratic actor in football
continental and global unions of associations, etc. The
business organization. It has tight and unilateral control
relations between the football club and those organizations
over the football clubs. The main feature of American
are based on the cooperative interests in order to increase
football business system is the exclusive membership of an
the income of football club through the participation in
individual football club to one association, which has power
various football events on different levels and in different
to regulate almost all club’s income and expenditure flows.
geographical markets.
Taking into account the differences between income
Thus, the European business medium covers several
and expenditure allocation structures of European and
independent mechanisms of income allocation, which in
American football business systems, it is important to form
simplified terms can be referred to as football leagues run
the conceptually universal income and expenditure allocation
by different associations. In such a complex football structure of football business system, which guarantees the
business system every element of football business more detailed analysis of football business system. Such
medium has specific income and expenditure flows, but all
universal income and expenditure allocation structure of
those elements are inter-related. For this reason the football business system is presented in Figure 6.


Expenditure
Competitors
Groups of interests
Suppliers
Infrastructure
Expenditure allocation mechanism
Football association
Football
Allocation of total income

Football
club
Football‘s structural dimensions
club
Football
Intermediate managerial
Football
club
organizations
club

Football
Leagues
Football
club
club
Cooperation
Football business’
links
medium
Income allocation mechanism
Income
Press
Globalization
Trade
Corporations
Capital
Spectators
Players

Figure 6. The structure of universal football business system


- 92 -
The income and expenditure allocation structure,
need to combine different viewpoints into entire
presented in this article, takes into account the specifics of
theoretical structure, which would be able to highlight
American and European football business systems:
the main characteristics of football business.
• The income recipients and expenditure centers in
2. The analysis of the specifics of football business
football business system are not specified, because
system in the context of sport business system allows
the presumption is made that income and expenditure
to conclude that football as a business sector can be
structures may be formed on the basis of different
described by the following characteristics: (1) close
principles in different types of football business
relation to various elements of the external environment;
systems.
(2) the specifics of competitive environment; (3)
• No different levels football associations and / or
income centralization and internal allocation; (4)
leagues are emphasized because different football
different regional / cultural principles of business
business systems may have a different number and
organization.
structures of those elements.
3. The structure of a football business system, which is
• In football business medium football clubs are
based on the above-mentioned characteristics, can be
treated as partially dependant on association through
classified into three separate groups of processes of
the cooperative and subordinate links.
football business: (1) football business medium; (2)
• The additional element of football structural dimensions
football business income structure; (3) football business
is included in the internal football business income
expenditure structure. Such structuring of football
allocation – intermediate managerial organizations,
business system allows distinguishing the inter-
which are typical for nearly all European football
relations between the individual elements of football
business systems.
business system and their relations with the external
The presented assumptions and results of analysis of
environment. This, in its turn, enables us to conclude
the income and expenditure structures of football business
that the presented conceptual structure of football
system enables to characterize the common football business
business system properly reflects the processes of
system’s structure, which can be divided in three main
football business, their inter-relationships and
elements:
interactions with the elements of external environment.
• Football business medium, which covers the 4. The football business expenditure and income
characteristics of American and European football
structures can be treated as basement for football
business and outlines the relations between football
business system’s financial flow structuring. This
clubs and the central organization of football business
area of football business system enables to characterize
system, which is treated as a football association.
the commercial links between participators of football
•
business medium and business units in external
Football business income sources structure, where
available income sources and related income
environment.
generating activities are distinguished. The structure
of income sources is related with football business
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Tomas Karpavičius, Giedrius Jucevičius
Įvertinus išnagrinėtų autorių mokslinių darbų rezultatus, išskiriami tokie
futbolo verslo pajamų šaltiniai: žiniasklaida, globalizacija, prekyba,
Verslo sistemos koncepcijos taikymas futbolo verslui struktūrizuoti
korporacijos, kapitalas, žiūrovai ir žaidėjai.
Santrauka
Apibūdinant futbolo verslo sistemą pagl verslo sistemos koncepciją,
futbolo verslo išlaidų struktūra gali būti išskaidoma remiantis futbolo
Ekonominiai futbolo aspektai šiuolaikinėje mokslinėje literatūroje
verslo mikroaplinkos elementų struktūra. Išlaidų paskirstymo mechanizmas,
nagrinėjami vis dažniau, tačiau daugelyje tokio pobūdžio darbų
kaip futbolo verslo sistemos ryšių su išorine aplinka palaikymo tarpinis
literatūros, susijusios su futbolo verslu, trūksta. Futbolo srities
elementas, apibrėžia futbolo verslo sistemos interesus, susijusius su
publikacijose aptartos sportininkų rengimo, sporto klubų ir atskirų žaidėjų
bendromis sistemos išlaidomis ir jų pasiskirstymu tarp klubų. Išlaidų
sportinių rezultatų priežasčių tyrimo, skirtingų šalių futbolo lygų
paskirstymo susiformavimo prielaida yra poreikis užtikrinti kiek galima
pajėgumo lyginimo ir panašios krypties temos. Nagrinėjant įvairių autorių
vienodesnį asociacijos klubų finansinį pajėgumą, kuris daro tiesioginį
publikacijas futbolo verslo tematika, pasigendama apibendrinančio
poveikį vienodam klubų sportiniam pajėgumui, o tai savo ruožtu didina
požiūrio, kuris apimtų ne atskirus futbolo verslo aspektus, bet futbolo
futbolo verslo sistemos konkurencingumą sporto šakų sektoriuje.
verslo visumą, nusakančią futbolo verslo sistemos specifiką, palyginti su
Futbolo verslo sistemos pajamų ir išlaidų paskirstymo struktūra, kuri
bendrąja verslo sistemos koncepcija, ir įgalinančią pritaikyti tradicinio
pateikiama straipsnyje, apima pagrindinius amerikietiškosios ir
verslo sistemos principus futbolo verslui.
europietiškosios futbolo verslo sistemų ypatumus:
Verslo sistemos idėja yra pakankamai nauja, todėl moksliniu
• Nedetalizuojami pajamų gavėjai ir išlaidų centrai futbolo verslo
lygmeniu jos koncepcija dar nėra nusistovėjusi. Verslo sistema gali būti
sistemoje, darant prielaidą, kad skirtingų tipų futbolo verslo sistemose
nusakoma kaip savita verslo vykdymo forma, pagrįsta glaudžiu
pajamų ir išlaidų struktūros gali būti sudaromos skirtingais principais.
savarankiškų organizacijų bendradarbiavimu siekiant bendrų tikslų.
• Neišskiriamos kelios skirtingo tarptautinio lygmens futbolo
Pastaruoju metu verslo sistemų funkcionavimo tyrimams skiriama vis
asociacijos ir futbolo lygos, atsižvelgiant į tai, kad skirtingose futbolo
daugiau dėmesio – akcentuojamas jos tinkamumas konceptualiems
verslo sistemose šių struktūrinių elementų lygių skaičius gali būti
apibendrinančio pobūdžio įvairių verslo formų tyrimams.
nevienodas.
Straipsnio objektas – futbolo verslo sistema.
• Futbolo klubai futbolo verslo terpėje traktuojami kaip iš dalies
Straipsnio tikslas – pateikti konceptualią futbolo verslo sistemos
priklausantys asociacijai, su kuria klubai susiję kooperaciniais ryšiais.
struktūrą, nusakančią futbolo verslo elementus ir jų tarpusavio santykius
• Greta futbolo struktūrinių dimensijų į vidinį futbolo verslo
bei ryšius su aplinka.
pajamų paskirstymą tarp futbolo verslo terpės subjektų įtraukiamas
Nagrinėjant futbolo verslą sisteminiu požiūriu, tikslinga išskirti dvi
papildomas elementas, būdingas visoms europietiškoms futbolo verslo
futbolo verslo sistemos dimensijas: horizontalią, pagrįstą futbolo klubų
sistemoms, – tarpinės valdančiosios organizacijos.
jungimusi į bendras struktūras (lygas, asociacijas) bendrai veiklai, ir
Pateiktos prielaidos ir atlikta futbolo verslo sistemos pajamų ir
vertikalią, pagrįstą atskirų futbolo verslo sistemų jungimusi į aukštesnio
išlaidų struktūrų analizė leidžia apibūdinti bendrinę futbolo verslo
lygio struktūras regioniniu, kontinentiniu ar pasauliniu mastu.
sistemos struktūrą, kurią galima išskaidyti į tris pagrindinius elementus:
Nagrinėjant futbolo verslo sistemą, svarbu įvertinti tai, kad futbolas
• Futbolo verslo terpė, apimanti amerikietiškosios ir
kaip sporto šaka kartu ir kaip verslo sistema, yra struktūriškai nevienalytis
europietiškosios futbolo verslo sistemos savybes ir nusakanti futbolo
ir gali būti išskaidytas į įvairias dimensijas. Tradiciškai futbolas, kaip ir
klubų bei valdančiosios futbolo verslo sistemos struktūros, įvardijamos
daugelis kitų sporto šakų, yra skaidomas į amžiaus, lyties, kaip futbolo asociacija, santykius.
profesionalumo, žaidimo rūšies dimensijas, kurios nusako ne tik futbolo
• Futbolo verslo pajamų šaltinių struktūra, detalizuojant galimus
kaip sporto lygį ir specifiką, bet ir futbolo kaip verslo patrauklumą ir
šaltinius ir su jais susijusias futbolo verslui pajamas kuriančias veiklas.
pajamų k8rimo galimybes. Pavyzdžiui, vyrų futbolas kuria gerokai
Pajamų šaltinių struktūrą su futbolo verslo terpe sieja pajamų paskirstymo
didesnes pajamas nei moterų futbolas, todėl natūralu, kad daugelyje
sistema, kai pirmiausios futbolo verslo pajamos paskirstomos futbolo
valstybių vyrų futbolas yra gerokai labiau išplitęs nei moterų futbolas.
verslo terpės subjektams.
Futbolo verslo sistemą galima apibūdinti dviem pagrindiniais aspektais:
•
(1) vertikalia ir horizontalia futbolo verslo subjektų integracija į vientisą
Futbolo verslo išlaidų krypčių struktūra, apimanti galimas futbolo
verslo išlaidų kryptis ir su tuo susijusias futbolo verslo terpės subjektų
sistemą; (2) futbolo verslo sistemos kaip vieno struktūrinio vieneto arba
veiklas. Futbolo verslo terpę su išlaidų kryptimis sieja išlaidų paskirstymo
individualių futbolo verslo sistemos subjektų sąsajomis su vidine aplinka.
sistema, apibūdinanti visų futbolo verslo terpės patiriamų išlaidų
Šie du pagrindiniai aspektai leidžia konkretizuoti futbolo verslo
paskirstymą atskiriems futbolo verslo terpės subjektams.
sistemos ir atskirų jos subjektų padėtį verslo aplinkoje ir ryšius su
Išvardytos trys pagrindinės futbolo verslo sistemos dalys apima
aplinkos subjektais, prisidedančiais prie futbolo verslo sistemos kūrimo.
visus futbolo verslo ir jo aplinkos elementus, todėl galima teigti, kad taip
Priklausomai nuo dviejų skirtingų požiūrių į verslo sistemos
konceptualizuota futbolo verslo sistemos struktūra nusako visas futbolo
suvokimą, daroma prielaida, kad futbolo verslo sistemą galima apibūdinti
verslo veiklas, susijusias su komerciniais futbolo organizacijų interesais.
dvejopa perspektyva:
Atlikta futbolo verslo sistemos specifikos analizė sporto verslo
• Futbolo verslo sistemą traktuojant kaip integruotą įvairių lygių
sistemos kontekste leidžia teigti, kad futbolo kaip verslo sektoriui
subjektų visumą, kur centrinė figūra yra futbolo klubas, per kurį
būdingos šios pagrindinės sporto verslo sistemos savybės: 1) glaudus
realizuojamas kontaktas su mikroaplinkos elementais.
ryšys su įvairiais išorinės aplinkos elementais, kurių kiekvienas gali turėti
• Futbolo verslo subjektus suvokiant kaip nedalomą visumą, kuri
lemiamą poveikį futbolo verslo sistemos funkcionavimui; 2)
pirmiausia kontaktuoja su aplinkos elementais, o vėliau šių kontaktų
konkurencinės aplinkos specifika, sąlygojanti kooperacijos
rezultatus išskaido struktūriniams sistemos elementams. Tokiu atveju
neišvengiamumą ir sukurianti prielaidas formuotis futbolo verslo
futbolo verslo sistema nagrinėjama kaip vientisas subjektas, atsiribojant
monopoliui makroekonominiu lygmeniu; 3) pajamų centralizavimas ir
nuo pačios sistemos struktūros detalizavimo.
vidinis perskirstymas, užtikrinantis glaudų futbolo klubų
Formuojamo futbolo verslo sistemos modelio pagrindu laikomas
bendradarbiavimą su centrine sistemos valdymo struktūra; 4) skirtingi
antrasis požiūris, kuriame pagrindinis dėmesys skiriamas verslo sistemos
regioniniai / kultūriniai verslo organizavimo principai.
santykiams su išorinės aplinkos elementais. Tačiau, siekiant išsamesnio
Remiantis šiomis savybėmis, futbolo verslo sistemos struktūra
futbolo verslo sistemos apibūdinimo, neatsiribojama ir nuo pirmojo
struktūriniu požiūriu gali būti skaidoma į tris pagrindines dalis,
požiūrio, futbolo verslo sistemoje nustatant futbolo klubo ir futbolo
apibūdinančias atskiras futbolo verslo sistemoje vykstančių verslo
asociacijos tarpusavio santykį. Šiuo atveju futbolo asociacija traktuojama
procesų grupes: 1) futbolo verslo terpę; 2) futbolo pajamų šaltinių
kaip „skėtinė“ kooperacinė futbolo klubų struktūra, atsakinga už futbolo
struktūrą ir 3) futbolo išlaidų krypčių struktūrą. Toks struktūrizavimas
verslo terpės (futbolo klubų ir jiems atstovaujančios kooperacinės
leidžia tiksliau nusakyti atskirų futbolo verslo sistemos elementų
organizacijos verslo interesų visumos) funkcionavimą.
tarpusavio ryšius ir santykį su išorinės aplinkos elementais. Todėl galima
Futbolo verslo terpės struktūra traktuojama kaip futbolo verslo
teigti, kad pateikta konceptuali futbolo verslo sistemos struktūra
sistemos pagrindas, aplink kurį formuojasi kiti futbolo verslo sistemos
struktūriniu požiūriu tinkamai apibūdina futbolo verslo procesus, jų
elementai, susiję su futbolo verslo terpe tam tikrais verslo ryšiais.
tarpusavio sąveiką ir sąveiką su išorine aplinka.
Formuojamame futbolo verslo sistemos modelyje visi futbolo verslo
sistemos elementai susiejami dvejopais finansinių srautų ryšiais, kurie
Raktažodžiai: verslo sistema, futbolo verslas, sisteminis požiūris.
įvardijami kaip pajamų ir išlaidų ryšiai priklausomai nuo to, kokia yra
finansinių srautų kryptis futbolo verslo terpės elementų požiūriu.
The article has been reviewed.
Futbolo verslo pajamų struktūros pagrindu futbolo verslo sistemoje
laikoma W. Andreff (2000) šiuolaikinio futbolo verslo pajamų struktūra.
Received in February, 2009; accepted in June, 2009.

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