Business Case Studies & Business Publications

Tottenham Hotspur: Fielding Controversy

Hagerty, Serena, C...

Case

Tottenham Hotspur: Fielding Controversy

Hagerty, Serena; Cian, Luca; Klopfenstein, Amy; Kalogeropoulos, Demitri

M-1058 | Published August 27, 2025 | 10 Pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

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Set in mid-October 2023, the case places students in the shoes of Donna Cullen, executive director of the London-based Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. In collaboration with the club’s chair and CEO Daniel Levy, Cullen needed to decide whether to issue a statement in response to Hamas’s October 7 attack against Israel. Tottenham Hotspur had a longstanding connection with the Jewish community and employed the only Israeli player in the English Premier League. The executives knew that their Jewish fans expected them to issue a statement in support of Israel. However, they also knew that such a statement risked alienating other portions of the club’s fan base. The executives had to decide whether to issue a statement in explicit support of Israel or a neutral statement mourning the loss of life on both sides of the conflict. Alternatively, they could decide not to issue a statement at all. The case explores the challenges that arise when brands take positions on social issues and would be suitable for courses on branding, marketing, and business and society.