Beyond the Match - Our Insights into the Future of Sports Business

An Industry with Unique Characteristics

One of our most important takeaways from the project was how the sports industry differs from many other industries. The relationship between a sports club and its supporters goes far beyond a traditional customer relationship. It is built on identity, community, and loyalty that is often passed down through generations.

This became particularly clear during our interviews with representatives from Swedish football and ice hockey clubs. We realised that commercial development in sports requires a deep understanding of each club's culture and values. Business models and strategies that work in other industries cannot always be directly applied to sports.

What particularly surprised us was that supporters' engagement is not primarily driven by financial benefits. Our research indicated that the opportunity to contribute to their club's development is often a stronger motivation than e.g. personal discounts. This gave us a new perspective on how commercial initiatives can be designed to create value for both clubs and their supporters.

Significant Potential in Existing Relationships

Throughout the project, we explored how sports clubs manage their relationships with supporters and commercial partners. One of our key observations was that clubs already possess two highly valuable assets: engaged supporters and established business networks. Despite this, these relationships are often managed separately.

We therefore identified significant potential in creating stronger connections between these two parts. By better understanding supporters' needs and developing more relevant offerings, clubs can both enhance the supporter experience and create new business opportunities for their commercial partners.

Another important insight was that digitalisation involves much more than technology. Many clubs already have access to valuable data, but this information is often fragmented across different systems and not used to its full potential. At the same time, limited resources, established ways of working, and organisational challenges can make development more difficult.

One of our main conclusions was therefore that data is a fundamental foundation for long-term business development. By collecting, structuring, and using existing information more strategically, clubs can create better conditions for both stronger supporter engagement and commercial growth. At the same time, it is essential to adapt development initiatives to each club's unique circumstances and test new ideas on a smaller scale before making larger investments.

A Valuable Collaboration with Stratigo

Working with Stratigo gave us the opportunity to put our theoretical knowledge into practice and address real business challenges. Through interviews, discussions, and a matchday visit to Västerås, we gained valuable perspectives from clubs, supporters, and commercial partners.

We particularly appreciated the dedication Johan and Kaveh showed throughout the project. As our group came into the project with different levels of experience and interest in sports, it was especially valuable that they took the time to introduce us to the industry and explain its unique characteristics. Their experience, openness, and willingness to share their knowledge gave us a deeper understanding of both sports business and the challenges clubs face in practice.

Above all, we take away the insight that Swedish sports clubs have significant potential to develop their business models by making better use of the relationships and resources they already have. The project also showed us the importance of combining commercial thinking and data-driven development with respect for the passion and sense of community that make sports unique.

A big thank you to Johan and Kaveh at Stratigo for an inspiring and rewarding collaboration!

Elsa Spiik, Elsa Winqvist, Finn Bollow, Stella Dahlin, Tilda Meldgaard & Will Carmont

Stockholm School of Economics