Från identitet till varumärkesstrategi : En kvalitativ studie om varumärkesarbetet i Allsvenskan och Superettan

Sammanfattning: Studies has shown that sports organizations have become increasingly commercialized and professionalized, which have led them to work in a manner like a company and a profitable business. Allsvenskan and Superettan in Swedish elite football for men is no exception. Between the leagues there is promotions and relegation, and reports shows that the financial conditions in Superettan is worse. To attract stakeholders and not being dependent on the sporting success, a sport organization should build a strong brand. Corporate social responsibility is considered to create legitimacy and a good reputation for companies that work with it. The question was if sports organizations actively work with their brand and if CSR is a part of it. In a case study conducted on French football organizations, it shows that it is possible for a specific brand building model and that the sport organizations identity and position lead to the brand strategy. Based on this, the purpose of the study was created to compare how sports organizations in Allsvenskan and Superettan work to strengthen their brand. Interviews were made with three sports organizations from Allsvenskan (Djurgårdens IF, Kalmar FF and IK Sirius FK) and three sports organizations from Superettan (AFC Eskilstuna, Halmstad BK and IFK Värnamo). The interviews were then analysed by a thematic analysis. The result of the study showed that there are similarities and differences between sports organizations in Allsvenskan and Superettan in their work to strengthen the brand. Sports organizations in the middle category regarding the number of employees appeared to be taking advantage of the Swedish elite football (SEF) than the larger and smaller sports organizations as the number of employees. Everyone had CSR work connected to their business. The result also showed that the model for brand equity is not to applied to Swedish sports organizations in Allsvenskan and the Superettan, because it was only Djurgårdens IF that made it full today. The model is not full filed and should be develop and link CSR as part of the identity of the brand building of a sports organization.