Increasing the Competitiveness of Smaller Football Clubs Financial and Sportive Benefits of Digital Scouting

Abstract

Football analysts constantly work towards value creation for clubs. This is resource- heavy, and with the onset of digitalization, means of automation have emerged for smaller clubs that do not possess the resources to employ a full scouting team. This study sought to investigate the emerging possibilities of digital scouting and how it may help smaller clubs become more financially and sportively competitive. The research was conducted by performing a semi-structured interview study where practitioners and researchers gave their views on the field related to the onset of digital technologies and scouting. The impact of digital scouting for smaller clubs was found to be large and can come to impact four main areas. The first area regards performance in regard to bet- ter youth talent development. The second relates to areas of finance in terms of player evaluations and transfers, as well as an increase in contract lengths. The third regards regulatory influence and governance bodies, where the power balance is an obstacle for clubs below the very top. The fourth regards strategy develop- ment, addressing the challenges and necessities when implementing a new transfer model and a digitalized approach. The findings can allow smaller clubs to better understand the possibilities brought forth by digital scouting within the European football industry, and thus serve as a guiding light for future strategic efforts.