Students’ Gen Z marketing plan boost for football club
A group of University of Bradford students presented their ideas to further broaden the appeal of a football club to younger fans as part of a marketing project.
For their Digital Campaign Planning and Content Management module, 75 students from the University’s School of Management were tasked with creating a marketing strategy to further promote Bradford (Park Avenue) to the public, particularly Generation (Gen) Z.
The top three students presented their marketing proposals to Thomas Ogden, Avenue’s Stadium Operations and Media Manager, and John Sanderson, the club’s Head of Post-16 Education.
Mr Ogden said: “I have taken a lot away from today. It has been a great project to be part of.
“The students have researched into the football club. We can see younger fans filtering through for our games now.”
Dr Rachel Sammut, Associate Professor in Marketing at the University of Bradford, said: “It’s great to bring some of the student’s ideas to life and get actual feedback from industry.
“A live project makes the difference for the students as it allows them to apply theory to practice. These partnerships are so valuable in giving them real world experience.
“The student’s presentations showed they had done their homework. They provided useful insight into Gen Z and a fresh, creative approach into engaging such an audience.”
From left, Thomas Ogden, from Bradford (Park Avenue), students Charlie Britton, Jaideep Dhangar, Halima Wasim, and John Sanderson, also from Bradford (Park Avenue). Images credits: University of Bradford
Background on Bradford (Park Avenue) and the project
Formed in 1907, the football club’s men’s first team play in Northern Premier League – East Division and play their home matches at the Horsfall Community Stadium in Bradford.
The marketing project with the University of Bradford Marketing students kicked off in October 2024 when students were given a tour of Avenue’s home stadium.
This visit provided first-hand insights into the club’s history, values, and ambitions, while club representatives shared additional details about the project’s brief.
What is Generation (Gen) Z?
The generation of people born in the late 1990s or the early 21st century, most frequently defined as being born from 1997 to 2012, perceived as being familiar with the use of digital technology, the internet, and social media from a young age.
Student Jaideep Dhangar gives his marketing pitch on Bradford (Park Avenue). Images credits: University of Bradford
The students’ marketing plans
The three students, Jaideep Dhangar, Charlie Britton and Halima Wasim, gave their marketing presentations to Avenue’s representatives.
The presentations included a re-design of the club’s official website to make it more appealing to potential Gen Z-aged supporters. They also featured targeted aims to improve the club’s number of followers on social media platforms including TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, and boosting matchday attendance and ticket sales by 20 per cent during the 2025/26 football season.
The students argued the club’s biggest stadium was online, so it needed to devise ways to appeal more to a younger audience.
Tapping into the club’s history was also explored by the three students. They suggested the club could release retro football kits and include nostalgic throwback features online.
They also researched Avenue’s current online presence compared to their league rivals and how this could be further enhanced.
The University has partnered with Bradford Literature Festival, Bradford 2025 and Bradford City for similar marketing student projects in previous years.