The use of research to develop a marketing strategy for Plymouth Argyle Football Club

English Football Club Plymouth Argyle had been in the Third Division, with an unpopular management team and a bleak future. Incoming managers made major changes on and off the pitch and success soon followed. The club also completely overhauled its business plan. Central to this was a major research initiative that included both quantitative and qualitative elements. The research results gave the club the information it needed to implement a new marketing strategy that has seen season ticket sales increase by more than 500 percent and merchandise sales rise by more than 200 percent. The club has been in profit since 2001, a rarity in English football.