The Winning Formula: CRM and Marketing for Sports Organisations
The sports world is absolutely booming. Thanks to streaming, social media, and global leagues, more people than ever are tuning in, following players, and joining fan communities. Because of this, sport has this magical ability to get fans out of bed at ungodly hours – (for example, boxing fans who stay up to watch the ringwalk past 12am, we are looking at you), make them care deeply about things that don’t technically matter, and yet somehow feel like they matter more than anything.
It’s the drama, the mastery, the community all wrapped up in one sweaty, glorious package.
For example, golf is experiencing a renaissance, while tennis is drawing massive audiences. Meanwhile, women’s sports are finally getting the spotlight they deserve, and e-sports are turning gamers into stadium-filling superstars. Additionally, younger audiences are driving growth across the board. Yet football (soccer)? It still dominates the global fan base like it always has.
Behind it all, technology is accelerating this shift. In fact, the global sports technology market is expected to reach $40.2 billion by 2026, fueled by AI adoption growing at 17.5% per year. Furthermore, according to IBM, 80% of fans believe AI will fundamentally change how they follow sports by 2027. (Source)
Passion alone doesn’t guarantee loyalty. That’s where smart marketing and CRM make all the difference. It’s the difference between running a sports organisation and running a successful sports organisation. And just like in sport, you can’t wing it and expect to win.
You’re Not Just Competing with Other Sports Organisations Anymore
As we enter 2026, it’s important to recognize that your competition extends beyond other sports organisations or local clubs. In reality, you’re also competing with:
- Netflix (and its 47 new true crime series)
- That influencer teaching golf tips on TikTok
- Video games that let people play virtual sports in their pants!
The bar isn’t just to “be good.” Instead, the bar is to “be so engaging that people choose you over their couch.”
This is precisely where CRM stops being boring and, instead, becomes essential.
The Fan Journey: Every Interaction Matters
Think about all the ways fans interact with your organisation, for example:
- Ticketing systems, when they book courts or buy match tickets
- Merchandise stores (online and physical) where they grab that new club shirt
- Mobile apps for booking, scores, news, and exclusive content
- Social media where they tag you, comment, and share
- Email for newsletters, offers, and updates
- Community events like open days, coaching clinics, or member socials
- Sponsorships and partner offers that they engage with
Each of these creates data. Without CRM, that data lives in silos, your ticketing system doesn’t talk to your email platform, your pro shop doesn’t know what your app users are doing, and your social media team is flying blind.
CRM changes everything by unifying all this data into a single fan profile.
Integrating CRM with the Martech Stack
A modern CRM works alongside the club’s broader tech ecosystem:
- Pulls in ticketing and ERP data to track purchases and understand fan behaviour
- Syncs e-commerce purchases to support fan segmentation and personalised campaigns
- Combines web, app, social, and ticketing data into a single fan profile
- Triggers automated marketing campaigns based on fan behaviour and lifecycle stage
- Tracks key metrics like engagement, ROI, fan lifetime value, and churn
- Uses predictive tools to forecast behaviour and identify high-value fans
With this setup, clubs can run data-driven campaigns, automate fan journeys, and optimise marketing spend across all touchpoints.
Sports Club CRM Segmentation & Lifecycle Campaigns
That said, an often-overlooked issue is the gap between software and strategy. In reality, many sports organisations invest in CRM systems that go unused. Although purchasing the software is straightforward, transforming day-to-day operations is far more challenging.
The most active fans don’t need the same messages as occasional ones. CRM or ESP platforms let you tailor communications, from sending loyalty rewards and renewal reminders to inviting regulars to tournaments and giving families early access to junior events.
Here are some of our CRM segmentation examples to give you some ideas:
| Fan Segment | Who They Are | CRM Campaigns & Personalisation | Recommended Channels |
| New Fans (0–3 months) | Recently signed up fans or first-time attendees | -Automated welcome journey introducing club history, values, and stadium
-How to buy tickets and use the club app -First-purchase merch or ticket discount -Invite to fan events or stadium tours |
-Email (welcome series)
-App onboarding messages -SMS (event reminders) |
| Matchgoing Fans | Regular ticket buyers or attendees | -Early access to ticket sales
-Matchday reminders and travel info -Seat upgrade or hospitality offers -Post-match content and highlights |
-Email
-App push notifications -SMS (matchday alerts) |
| Merchandise Buyers | Fans purchasing kits and club merch | -New kit launches and limited drops
-Personalised product recommendations -Loyalty rewards updates -Birthday or seasonal discount codes |
-Email
-App banners -SMS (offers) |
| Engaged Digital Fans | High engagement on app, email, or social | -Exclusive video content and interviews
-Behind-the-scenes access -Fan polls and voting -Early access to digital experiences |
-App messaging
-Push notifications |
| At-Risk Fans | Fans with declining engagement or spend | -Personalised “We miss you” campaigns
-Ticket or merch incentives -Short surveys to understand drop-off -Flexible ticket bundles |
-Email
-SMS (high-impact) -Paid retargeting |
| VIP / Super Fans | Season ticket holders, high spenders | -Early renewal incentives
-Priority ticketing and booking -Invites to exclusive events -Recognition in club communications |
-Email (highly personalised)
-Direct outreach -In-app exclusives |
The Real Win
Ultimately, sport brings people together. It not only creates moments of pure joy, devastating heartbreak, and everything in between, but also fosters lasting connections. In this context, your job isn’t just to provide facilities; more importantly, it’s to nurture those connections, build community, and give people a reason to keep coming back.
For this reason, CRM is the tool that helps you do that consistently, rather than only when things are going well. After all, at the end of the day, people don’t just want a place to play sports. In fact, they want to belong somewhere, to feel valued, and ultimately, to have experiences that become stories.
Give them that, and loyalty stops being complicated.
Now that’s a winning formula.
Next Steps:
Download our Football CRM Playbook to see how your club can unify fan data and run campaigns that drive revenue.
Book a call to see how a CRM platform can power multichannel fan engagement and loyalty campaigns. Tell us where you are in your CRM journey and what’s working best for you. Let’s chat about how we can support your next steps. We look forward to hearing from you!
