marking this hallowed weekend in the football calendar, the 3rd Round of the world’s oldest domestic knock-out competition - The FA Cup.
The results have been widely reported in the media and thanks to all FFC members who took part.
Key findings from the survey include;
- Football supporting parents see football grounds as the best place to bond with their children -77% of parents believe watching football with their children gives them the very best opportunity to enjoy quality time as a family.
- The relaxed environment of a sporting occasion often provided parents with a forum for bringing up other more ‘difficult’ matters that they know their children find awkward to discuss, almost half (49%) of parents said that whilst sitting inside a football ground they had initiated conversations about school performance, attitude to life and even values and ethics.
- 65% of parents now attend weekend football matches accompanied by sons or daughters.
- 85% see football grounds as safe places for children to visit.
- Only 12% said that they never take their children to watch a match.
- With the growing concerns over the price of admission to football matches, the majority (98%) of parents surveyed welcomed moves by top clubs to reduce ticket prices for early rounds of the country’s main knock-out competitions.
- 83% felt that football helped bridge generational gaps – giving grandparents subject matter with which to engage their grandchildren and sometimes even their own children.
Martin Perry, a sports psychology expert, and the resident sports psychology expert for Four Four Two magazine, commented on the results saying:
“Supporting the same football team is an excellent way to bring families together – both in triumph and defeat. It creates bonds that hold for years; talking points; and a focus for family activity. It would be a shame if the economic climate and high ticket prices started to erode this very positive tradition...
...Spectator sports like football can play a huge role in strengthening family ties, values and promoting harmony, amongst family members...The type of “David versus Goliath” match that you witness in the FA Cup can have an extraordinary effect on pulling people together in support of the underdog. In the same way that such matches unite whole towns, a game such as Barrow versus Middlesbrough, can have a similarly positive effect on a family unit.”
In an age when time is at an increasingly high premium, the study showed that for many (44%), going to a game was the only occasion that larger family groups could manage to get together outside of Christmas, Easter and major family events.
Former footballer, FA Cup runner-up and now TV pundit, Jamie Redknapp, commented: “Football has played a huge part in our family for as long as I can remember. What with both Dad and me so involved in the game we could banter about it for hours.”
FFC member Trevor Hill (54) from Dartford talked about the importance of the role football plays for his family. Trevor has been following Charlton Athletic since the late 1960s. These days he attends games with three generations of Charlton fans - up to eight family members including his daughter Louise Mason (31), sons-in-law Mark Mason (33) and Lee Harman (37) and his grandchildren Chloe Harman (9), Brooke Harman (6) and Taylor Mason (4):
“Going to football together has definitely made us a stronger family group..I have a closer relationship with my daughter, sons-in law and grandchildren because of the time we spend at The Valley. ..Lee (my son in law) often likens pitch goings-on to playground incidents. He’s always keen to point out to Chloe when players shake hands and walk away from a clash...Football can really be a useful way to explain some of life’s lessons...
...I think I see a lot more of my grandchildren than other grandparents that I know. We don’t just meet up at the ground, we meet at someone’s house before the match and travel there and back together. Spending four hours with my grandkids every other Saturday gives me a great chance to catch up with them and learn a lot more about their lives.”
Phil Boas, Head of Sponsorship and Events at E.ON, concludes: “Whether it’s going to the ground or watching the game on TV, the FA Cup has always brought families together. Our research shows just how important it is for this tradition to continue and for cup matches to remain a major event on the family calendar."
To help bring football and families together, E.ON is giving away hundreds of free family ticket packages to FA Cup matches all the way through to The Final in May 2009. E.ON is also letting fans get their hands on the famous trophy itself and creating bespoke areas at FA Cup matches and shopping centres where the whole family can take part in football themed fun including penalty shoot-outs, football family portraits and football skills sessions.
For more information on the E.ON: Families & Football visit http://www.familyfootball.co.uk/
Research was conducted by the FFC amongst a representative sample of 2,955 adults between 6-7 December 2008. Of the sample, 1005 were parents with children of school-going age.
To join the Football Fans Census and have your say on football click here.
