ARU students help CUFC think outside the box
U’s to act on student suggestions on how to grow attendances at the Abbey
ARU business students and academics at the Cledara Abbey Stadium
Students from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) have been helping Cambridge United to think outside the box to increase attendances at the Cledara Abbey Stadium.
Business students took part in a consultancy project with the football club as part of the new ARU Business Clinic, an initiative designed to offer free business consulting to local businesses and communities while empowering students with practical experience.
The goal of the collaboration with CUFC was to use digital platforms to grow the club’s attendances during this season by attracting more city-based students.
Having conducted business observations and analyses over three months, the student consultant teams recently shared their recommendations, some of which will be adopted by the club.
In particular, the club is keen on introducing student ambassadors and Cambridge influencers to better connect with audiences currently not reached by the football club. The students also analysed existing commercial partnerships and suggested ways to use these relationships and platforms more effectively to engage the student market.
The Fair Game Index recently recognised Cambridge United as the best-run club outside the Premier League, ranking it in the top 10 in the English Football League in all four categories: financial sustainability; fan and community engagement; good governance; and equality and ethical standards.
Head of Commercial at Cambridge United FC, Neil Rowe, said: “Each group invested significant time and effort into understanding the club’s operations and identifying opportunities, using their own experiences as students living in Cambridge. Their ideas were original, creative, and gave us valuable new perspectives on our current strategy.
“The project was a great success, offering clear benefits to both the club and the students involved.”
Student Mingzhi Xu said: “This was my first real consulting task, and I’ve learned a lot from it. One of the biggest takeaways for me is that being a consultant means putting the client at the centre of everything. Our focus should be on addressing the client’s pain points and concerns, rather than trying to persuade them to accept a fixed idea.”
Ran Cao, project leader and Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Strategy at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) said: “Working with Cambridge United gave our students an exciting opportunity to work with a large organisation deeply rooted in its community.
“We’re so proud to see our students conduct analyses and create innovative suggestions all from scratch, driven by their passion to make a real-world impact.
On behalf of the senior management team of ARU’s Faculty of Business and Law, Dr Christopher Kerry said: “The ARU Business Clinic provides our students with invaluable experience, while offering local organisations practical, research-informed solutions. We are delighted to see the clinic gaining recognition and continuing to grow in reach and reputation.”
As Cambridge United’s Education Partner, ARU is working closely with both the football club and the Cambridge United Foundation to improve health and wellbeing, and raise aspirations, across the city.
To find out more about the ARU Business Clinic, email [email protected]