Fodboldens krav til kommunale stadionfaciliteter - et institutionelt perspektiv.

Resumé

Fodboldens krav til kommunale stadionfaciliteter – et institutionelt perspektiv (Danish pro-football’s demand for bigger stadiums: an institutional perspective)

Although attendance figures in Danish football’s first tier are not in line with the Danish FA’s stadium requirements, the municipalities, which to a large degree fund the stadiums, comply with the stadium requirements and assist the clubs in obtaining their necessary league licenses. Taking on an institutional perspective, this study answers the question of why Danish municipalities follow these requirements and fund professional football stadiums that have a much bigger capacity than their regular attendance demands. The findings of the study can be summarized in three parts. First, coercive isomorphic processes are present within the homogenization process Danish stadiums are facing. As it is believed to be necessary to enhance facilities in order to keep Danish clubs competitive at the national and international level, the Danish FA, the Danish league, as well as the clubs, have been successful in realizing their demands for bigger stadiums. Second, it is also possible to discern mimetic isomorphic processes in the study. The competitive situation between municipalities, along with a conception of the clubs’ significance in the new experience economy, have contributed to the Danish municipalities’ compliance with the stadium requirements. Thirdly, although the municipalities have complied with the stadium requirements and funded the facilities, the analysis reveals a municipal opposition towards the requirements. However, the power balance between the clubs and municipalities seems to indicate that the clubs have the advantage, as the municipalities, despite their opposition, have conceded to making investments on the basis of the FA’s requirements.