The sports journalists up against the communication model of football clubs in Spain: the case of Real Madrid CF in the 2011-2012 season.

Football clubs are benchmark sports organisations for public opinion and society that have become official sources for the media. Communications management at the Communications departments of football clubs is crucial for sports journalists, as it determines both the quantity and the relevancy of the information produced, which is required and demanded by the media. This paper analyses the sports journalists' perception of the Real Madrid CF communication model during the 2011-2012 season and their positioning within the information ecosystem that has been developed by this organisation to keep in contact with its strategic target audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]