The formalization of club organization in Norwegian professional football

Like professional football in other European countries Norwegian top football has experienced increased commercialization since the early 1990s. This development has been characterised by a growth in turn-over, and the development of larger and more complex organisations. New organizational structures have been introduced to ensure the supply of external resources and to obtain adequate internal resource allocation. In this empirical paper we analyse the recent transition period within Norwegian football. Our discussion illustrate what seems to be an ongoing development towards formalisation of practice and operational procedure, and a pre-definitions of roles within the organisation. Formalization involves clarification of the coordination system of the organization and more explicit principles and procedures for organizational practice. This is related to the development of a governance structure and systems for cost control, and it is also relevant according to the definition of values that are meant to permeate the practices of the organization. In sum, there is a a pressure towards conformity. The dependency of clubs on resources from outside the organization, especially those provided by investors, implies that the clubs have to be aware of their reputation and develop an image of trustworthiness. However, the uniqueness of each club, which is related to the organic character of an organization, restricts this process of homogenisation. Clubs use their specific capabilities when they develop these new organizational forms.