The Football Association (FA) is launching a campaign to re-engage fans of the men’s national team, following the disappointment of this summer’s World Cup in Brazil. The FA is keen to bring England players and fans “closer together” in the wake of a disastrous tournament that saw the team fail to win a game – its worst performance at a World Cup since 1958.
Wednesday’s friendly match against Norway, which England won 1-0, was attended by just over 40,000 fans, the lowest attendance for an England international since Wembley re-opened in 2007.
To boost interest in the team in the run-up to the European Championships in France in 2016, the FA will roll out a campaign called ‘Together for England’.
The initiative, created by agency Futureproof, will see the FA consult with supporters groups in an effort to help “inspire” fans to get behind the national team.
Speaking last night (3 September), the FA’s head of marketing Russell James said: “Like me, an English football fan and one of 20 million plus in the UK and 800 million we have globally, you were probably a bit disappointed by what happened in the summer and that set us, as the FA, a challenge.
“You could say our half empty stadium tonight is sort of representative of what that challenge is.
“We wanted to find a way to demonstrate to fans that they are integral to our England journey.
“The start of the Uefa Euro 2016 qualification campaign represents a new era for the England team – with a group of young and exciting players that the nation can be proud of.”
In June, the FA revealed plans to enhance the match-day experience at Wembley, including the possible creation of a new “home end” for England supporters during international games.
Source: brandrepublic.com
