Everton FC partner with Liverpool Hope University for research push into fanbase development and commercial growth
Everton Football Club have partnered with Liverpool Hope University for a first of its kind research partnership which utilize high quality academic resources to support the club’s efforts across an array of projects including fanbase development and commercial growth.
Liverpool Hope University
The five-year collaboration will see the Premier League club work with university researchers to further develop Everton’s knowledge in corporate and performance spheres, technology development and governance, all of which can be applied to improving fanbase and commercial growth.
In addition to helping strengthen the club’s commercial clout, the partnership will also see the university working with Everton in the Community to quantify and provide detailed evidence of the social impact which the club’s charitable work is having within Liverpool.
Professor Barrett-Baxendale, executive chair of Everton in the Community and director at Everton Football Club, said: “The quality of the support we will now get from Liverpool Hope, which has recently become the third highest ranked modern university in the country and one of the top 50 UK universities, is best-in-class. In order to achieve our ambition, we have a requirement for a dedicated research facility that can work across our organisation to benchmark, test ideas and help us take new initiatives forward.
“Having access to the expertise of Post-Doctoral researchers will give us an advantage in a number of areas, not least in our ability to optimise the life-changing and life-saving work in our local communities.”
Professor Pillay, vice chancellor and rector of Liverpool Hope University, added: “What excites me the most is the impact this partnership could have on our city, and potentially other cities, once the model is proven. At Hope we have many international links and we understand the reach and global profile of Everton Football Club. This makes the opportunity even more exciting.
“Through our initial work with Professor Barrett-Baxendale we have been able to see the impact that Everton in the Community has made in our society. We are excited that both through her role as an Honorary Visiting Professor at the University, and our organisation’s collaboration, we will be able to make further significant progress in this hugely important area.”
In addition to the research element of the partnership, both the University and the Club will benefit from knowledge exchange through guest lecturers, placements and volunteering opportunities.