The inspiration for The Net Return began during my time as an economics student, when I undertook a university dissertation that combined my passion for football with academic research. My project focused on applying behavioural economics to help Norwich City Football Club boost their matchday revenue; a challenge that required both creativity and rigorous analysis.
One of my proudest findings was that the most effective strategies were often the simplest, such as thoughtful changes to stadium layout, or personalised messaging that tapped into the shared culture of football fans. By quantifying the impact of these adjustments, the dissertation offered fresh insights for clubs looking to improve their financial sustainability while strengthening their bond with supporters.
The study was rooted in academic motivation: I wanted to explore how subtle, research-backed interventions (sometimes called ‘nudges’) could help football clubs better engage with supporters and influence their spending behaviour in ethical, mutually beneficial ways. Due to constraints mentioned in the paper, the dissertation looked at projects from similarly sized clubs and how they could be implemented at Norwich. The aim was to look into how behavioural techniques could be leveraged and adapted to fill the void that a strict financial approach can leave behind.
Launching The Net Return has allowed me to expand these academic themes into broader conversations about sports finance. This site examines the evolving ways data, psychology, and business shape football today – sharing distinctive research, visual analytics, and lessons that reach far beyond matchdays in Norwich.
Click here to view Dissertation Final
The Net Return 