Euro 2020, the major football tournament that marked history for England, galvanised the country’s spirit but ended in heartbreak for the nation when they fell just short at the final hurdle. The competition was supposed to take place in 2020, but the unprecedented times, due to COVID-19, meant the campaign was postponed to the summer of 2021. The Three Lions reached their first final at a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup victory. Unfortunately, they were beaten on penalties to a strong Italian side and finished runners up in a blockbuster final at Wembley Stadium.
This dissertation explores the power social media possesses concerning England’s European Championship run in the summer of 2021. It will explore how the Three Lions employ social media to their advantage and why they choose to use it in the way they do.
I was fortunate to interview Greg Sullivan, the brand marketing manager at the Football Association (FA) who spoke to me about the experiences he and his marketing and communications team faced during the Euro 2020 adventure. He shared how England approached the major tournament from a marketing perspective and what social media strategies they implemented during the tournament.
Chapter one engages with relevant sports marketing material, identifies England’s marketing strategy that was put in place months before the event and distinguishes key decisions made by The FA.
Chapter two analyses what the Three Lions did during the Euros on social media to keep supporters entertained and how they made them feel closer to the players through projects such as; Lions’ Den and The Official England Podcast.
Chapter three discusses the racial abuse three black England players received after the final, the way in which social media platforms can cause discrimination towards footballers and how the team and players dealt with this type of abuse.