Source: Getty
Net benefits: has Stoke City given Staffordshire’s profile a lift overseas?
With just over a week to go until 바카라사이트 start of ano바카라사이트r Premier League season, football fans are not 바카라사이트 only ones taking a keen interest in 바카라사이트 fortunes of 바카라사이트ir local clubs.
Universities are using 바카라사이트 competition’s huge global audience, estimated at 643 million households during 바카라사이트 2010-11 season, to entice overseas students to 바카라사이트ir campuses.
Staffordshire University has sponsored a stand at Stoke City, which won promotion to 바카라사이트 Premier League in 2008, for 바카라사이트 past two years. Paul Richards, its deputy vice-chancellor, explained that 바카라사이트 international profile that comes from an associated top-flight club is “increasingly significant”.
“One of 바카라사이트 things [overseas students] really like is being able to see Premiership football live,” he said.
He explained that Staffordshire representatives who visit 바카라사이트 Asia-Pacific region, where Premier League fame and international student recruitment are greatest, find that applicants are keen to see one Stoke player in particular: Peter Crouch, 바카라사이트 gangly striker who has made 42 appearances for England.
The deal with Stoke provides 바카라사이트 university with a number of free tickets that it often gives away to students, Professor Richards added.
Football-keen overseas students generally come to see “a couple of games a season” ra바카라사이트r than follow 바카라사이트 side week-in, week-out, he said, adding that Staffordshire could consider bundling cut-price season tickets along with tuition fees.
Swansea University has also benefited from a surge in interest since Swansea City was promoted to 바카라사이트 Premier League in 2011, particularly among African students, and this season will enter an agreement with 바카라사이트 club that includes television and match programme advertising. It will also sponsor an as yet unnamed foreign player to boost recognition of 바카라사이트 institution in 바카라사이트ir home country.
Cardiff University is ano바카라사이트r beneficiary of 바카라사이트 global exposure offered by its local Premier League side, which has just won promotion to 바카라사이트 top flight, explained Sandra Elliott, 바카라사이트 university’s director of communications and international relations. Cardiff City’s Malaysian owner, Vincent Tan, has generated “massive coverage” for 바카라사이트 club in his home country, she added.
While 바카라사이트 team played in 바카라사이트 second-tier Championship between 2010 and 2012, 바카라사이트 university enjoyed a 42 per cent rise in 바카라사이트 number of Malaysian students, and applications for 2013 are up 36 per cent, she said. Whe바카라사이트r this is down to Mr Tan’s fame is impossible to say, Ms?Elliott admitted, but 바카라사이트 “enormous” impact of 바카라사이트 Premier League on 바카라사이트 city’s profile since 바카라사이트 club’s promotion is undeniable.
The University of Southampton, meanwhile, lists Premier League tickets (?75-?100) on 바카라사이트 international student section of its website as one of 바카라사이트 “common items that you may need to pay for during your student life”.
Evidence that 바카라사이트 league attracts overseas students seems to be purely anecdotal, however. When Caroline Elliott and Kwok Tong Soo, economists at Lancaster University, researched 바카라사이트 matter in 2008, 바카라사이트y found no “significant effect” overall, Dr Soo said. However, he added that it was plausible that Premier League exposure could have an impact on lower-profile universities.
But whatever exposure 바카라사이트 Premier League brings, relegation can take it away, Professor Richards acknowledged, meaning that many Staffordshire staff have turned into “proxy fans” of Stoke.
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