Regrettably, my mobile phone bill is another! Mobile telephony and football.
So straight to the point. The European football market alone is worth thirty billion pounds1, and as such, this is an industry that clearly needs to embrace the concept of branded MVNOs sooner rather than later. Country Football Associations and their clubs are in the utmost unique position to leverage their strong, emotionally based brand identity to create fantastic mobile services for their loyal local and traveling fans. In the UK alone, a broad fan survey found that over 60% of a club’s supporters attend at least 15 home matches during any given season, with 67% (yes, 67% -- amazing stat) taking the long road to away games at least once yearly.2 Furthermore, the advent of Brexit has meant that British fans must incur roaming fees when supporting their teams in European competitions. It begs the question: Why pay the MNO for roaming when you could be contributing directly to the player transfer fund of your beloved football team instead? After all, a new world-class centre-back will not come cheap!
In Spain, Real Murcia and Real Betis have entered the MVNO market, collaborating with network providers such as Yoigo and Orange. Real Madrid Mobile is on its way to entering this market as a logical commercial next step. Real Madrid Mobile vision is to rapidly gain subscribers and boost revenue with exclusive club-related content while at the same time attracting its global fan base via the provision of digital services like second screening, where fans use their devices to interact in real-time while the game is in process. Barça Mobile is FC Barcelona's MVNO venture in the works, looking to engage fans with unique offers while promoting Catalonia’s very distinctive culture and history. Last year, FC Barcelona chose local MVNO Parlem for the provision of corporate communication services as well as mobile telephony, following the example set by Girona FC.3
Next, AC Milan’s Connect4. The Italian club’s football MVNO offering SIM plans named after some of the biggest feats in their illustrious history while connecting fans to the club’s award winning Connectverse. This is a must see!
Last, but not least, is football mad South America. In Brazil, the passionate loyalties of ‘torcedores’ make it natural to extend a team’s brand into mobile services. In recent years, MVNOs launched by Fluminense4, and Gremio have experienced varying levels of high success. The Luis Suarez effect proved massive for Gremio, with Fluminense’s recent international success serving as a launchpad for their ever-steady increase in subscribers since 2022.
Dr. Pablo Suarez Saona, former Women’s Director of Football at Club LDU in Ecuador (Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito), one of the most successful South American clubs of the 21st century, and current president of Leonas del Norte, told us that “women’s football continues to experience significant growth and must become a prominent feature in all leagues and for all sponsors. To achieve this, novel resources such as football brand-based MVNOs will play a crucial role, not only in increasing revenue but more importantly, in promoting and raising awareness of women's football initiatives globally.”
This confirms that this strategy not only boosts fan loyalty and interaction but also opens new revenue streams for the clubs. It could facilitate all sorts of cross-promotional opportunities, gender equality in sport, and even provide affordable roaming services around the vastness of South America that directly benefit the club’s coffers.
The explosion of football-based MVNOs in Brazil, Italy, and Spain attests to the financial appeal of this strategic business model. While exact subscriber numbers and revenue figures can be proprietary and not always public, the trend shows that football club MVNOs can be successful if executed with a focus on fan engagement while leveraging the unique brand loyalty of the clubs. These initiatives not only provide additional revenue but also deepen the connection between the clubs and their supporters. Future developments might include more advanced integrations with digital platforms, discounted eSIM and roaming rates for away matches, women’s football MVNOs, augmented reality (AR) experiences during matches, and enhanced data-driven insights into fan preferences.
My trip to Euro 2024 with my son was a once in a lifetime, magical experience. La felicidad es el fútbol, indeed! Nothing will ever take anything away from that. But I did have to stop and think of what my roaming bill would look like once I returned to Scotland.
The rise of football MVNOs marks a significant shift in how sports teams in general are looking to further interact with their fans, and it is here to stay.
Implementing Football MVNOs with Lifecycle Software’s Nexus
Lifecycle Software’s Nexus platform can play a pivotal role in implementing Football Club’s MVNOs strategies and vision by providing robust and flexible solutions tailored to the unique needs of sports teams.
Here are 4 Reasons Why Football Clubs Should Invest in a Mobile Brand:
📈 New Revenue Streams
Leverage your fan base to maximise revenue opportunities. Subscription plans can generate a significant income to supplement traditional revenue from ticket sales and merchandise.
📱Enhanced Fan Engagement
Customised apps and services can offer exclusive content, updates, and interactive experiences that keep fans connected and invested in the club.
🎟️ Cross-Promotional Opportunities
Clubs can bundle match tickets, merchandise discounts, and exclusive content with mobile plans, creating compelling packages that enhance the value proposition for fans.
🤝 Brand Loyalty and Retention
Fans using the club's mobile network are more likely to feel a closer connection to the club, increasing retention rates and encouraging long-term support.
Introducing Nexus, our Football Club-ready MVNE Suite
MVNOs operate by leasing wireless capacity from established mobile network operators (MNOs) and reselling it under a unique brand. For football Clubs, this is where Lifecycle Software’s Nexus comes in; facilitating the provision of the tools required to successfully manage and operate mobile services that will always be intimately tied to their brand, always keeping the well-being of the fans at the forefront of everything we do.
1. End-to-End MVNO SolutionNexus offers a comprehensive suite of tools that covers every aspect of launching and managing an MVNO. This includes customer management, billing, analytics, and service delivery. Football clubs can leverage these tools to seamlessly integrate mobile services with their brand.
2. Customer Management and EngagementThe Nexus platform enables sophisticated customer relationship management (CRM). Football clubs can use these capabilities to manage fan subscriptions, offer personalized services, and maintain direct communication with their fan base. This helps in delivering exclusive content, match updates, and special promotions directly to the fans’ mobile devices, enhancing engagement and loyalty.
3. Billing and Revenue Management
Lifecycle Software’s billing solutions are designed to manage complex pricing models and service bundles. For football clubs, this means they can easily offer customized mobile plans, exclusive discounts, and bundled offers that cater to the specific needs of their supporters. The flexibility in billing ensures that teams can introduce new revenue streams while keeping fans satisfied with tailored packages.
4. Analytics and Insights
Nexus provides powerful analytics tools that help football clubs understand fan behaviour and preferences. By analysing usage patterns and engagement metrics, teams can make data-driven decisions to optimize their offerings, sometimes in real-time. This insight is crucial for continuously improving the fan experience and introducing new features that resonate with the community.
5. Scalability and Flexibility
The platform’s scalability ensures that as the MVNO grows, the infrastructure can easily manage increased demand. This is particularly important for sports teams, as they may experience surges in fan engagement during peak times such as match days or major events. Nexus’s flexible architecture supports seamless scaling without compromising on service quality.
6. Integration with Digital Platforms
Nexus allows for easy integration with existing digital platforms, such as team apps, websites, and social media. This integration ensures a unified experience for fans, who can access mobile services alongside other digital content related to their favourite teams. Future enhancements, like augmented reality (AR) experiences during matches, can also be incorporated into the MVNO offerings.
7. Regulatory Compliance and Security
Lifecycle Software ensures that all services provided through Nexus comply with relevant regulatory standards and security protocols. For football clubs, this means they can focus on fan engagement and service innovation without worrying about regulatory and security issues. We take care of that!
Conclusion
Lifecycle Software’s MVNE Nexus platform offers the necessary tools and capabilities to successfully launch and manage any MVNOs. More specifically, by leveraging Nexus, football teams can create a tailored mobile service that enhances fan engagement, loyalty, and retention, while uncovering adaptive, cross promotional opportunities that open new revenue streams. The comprehensive and flexible nature of Nexus makes it an ideal solution for men’s and women’s football teams from around the world looking to revolutionize their fan connectivity through MVNOs.
An article written by
Xavier Lopez
Business Development Specialist at Lifecycle Software