Introduction
The various names football, the game also imply football codes. Just like other ball games, football can be traced back to Ancient Greeks and Romans although the true origin is not clear.
Football was viewed as peasants’ game in ancient times although it has developed through history to become one of the most valuable and best paying games. This paper will examine the growth and development of football in England and its impact on both social and economic culture of the people.
Objectives
This paper will study the various impacts of football both on the social life of people and on the economy of the country. It is evident that football in England is well developed and its impact is material to both people and the economy.
The main objective of the paper is to examine the impact of football on both the fans and the country’s economy at large. It will also highlight the various positive and negative impacts through qualitative research methods.
Review of Literature
History of Football and its Social and Economic impacts on England
England is renowned as a country where football was developed and codified. However, it is believed that Romans brought football to England in ancient times for it to be developed later. The earliest form of football in England was referred to as mob football and was played between members of neighboring towns and villages.
The game back then involved an unlimited number of players playing with an item such as an inflated animal’s bladder. They aimed to get the item to a selected geographical point such as a school or church on either side. The game took place in the open space between the targets. The game was played during special gatherings as a form of entertainment (Szymanski & Andreff, 2006).
Over time, there have been major developments including governing bodies being formed such as the Football Association and FIFA to govern the game. The Football Associations of England was formed in 1863. This symbolizes how old this game is in England. Football has had an influence on people’s culture in countries where it is most popular such as in Brazil and England.
There have been major positive and negative effects on people’s social life and the country’s economy. Many people in these countries view football as a way of life rather than just a sport, i.e., they have developed an addiction to the game.
Football has developed in England and has become a fundamental pillar in the lives of many people in England. The game has effects on the values of the society since its popularity, and universal nature has made it be watched by the majority of the people in the country. Society gains something both positive and negative from football. For instance, football brings people together and promotes the sharing of ideas.
As people cheer a common team and share tactical information, they develop a mutual friend in the process that in turn creates harmony. Harmony is always a desired value in society, and anything that can bring harmony is always highly desired.
Football has influenced children in their studies and social life. Most children long to go to school and play like their favorite football players during the physical exercises period. Most schools give children this opportunity to help them to grow well mentally and physically. As they either watch football games on television or live in stadia, they are influenced by certain players to the extent of idolizing them.
Through watching football, many people also learn great values that can help them both in their social life and work life. For instance, some people learn and appreciate teamwork by watching a team whose players play well as one team. This value has great importance especially in the workplace (Social Issues Research Centre, 2013).
Furthermore, most people also learn values from great managers who manage the teams effectively to earn the victory. For instance, Sir Alex Ferguson has been at the helm of Manchester United for quite a long period, and he has achieved a lot. Managers can look at his style and learn a few skills that might help them in their management duties.
Research by the Social Issues Research Centre showed that there is a great relationship between sporting success and workplace success in the United Kingdom. 63% of men and 52% of women admitted in the research that if their team won and the great feeling is transferred to the workplace making them perform better.
The report also showed that major sporting events such as the Olympic event that was held in the country promoted communication and social bonding (Social Issues Research Centre, 2013).
Football activities also influence the performance of the UK economy. According to a report by the Football Industry Group, about 3,000 full-time vacancies have been created by the football industry in the Merseyside alone. This is in addition to 1,400 part-time jobs created during match days despite the region having only two outstanding clubs, i.e., Everton and Liverpool football clubs. Clubs also influence the economy around them.
A percentage of the revenue collected from the gates is given to the local authority. Fans who attend the games also support the businesses around the stadiums. Among the businesses that benefit heavily from the activities are pubs and hotels (Sam, 2013).
Methodology
There are various methodologies that can be employed in this paper such as qualitative and quantitative. The study will involve qualitative method with data being qualitative. This will enhance understanding of the impacts of social and economic impacts of football on England. Data will be obtained through detailed qualitative methods that will include a case study approach where semi-structured interviews will be conducted.
One-on-one interviews will be applied on players, students, business owners and other members of the public. Business owners will comprise those near football stadiums and businesses that are far away.
Since it will be impossible to question for instance fans in the whole stadium, random sampling will be conducted to select only a small representative sample of the entire population. This will include students, business people, stadium staff, managers, and random members of the public from various regions. Sampling will, however, vary depending on the probable variation in the impact of football which itself also depends on various factors.
Collected data on the impact of football will be analyzed thematically, and a report generated about the findings. Thematic analysis will enable understanding of social impacts of football on all societies living in England and are involved in football in one way or another.
References
Sam, J. (2013). The football Business and the Merseyside Economy, Football Industry Group. Web.
Social Issues Research Centre. (2013). The impact of sport on the UK workplace. Web.
Szymanski, S. & Andreff, W. (2006). Handbook on the Economics of Sport. Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing House Ltd.