Being at the heart of the business community is key to a football club's success
By Rich Wilcock
21st Mar 2023 | Sports and Recreation
Staying at the heart of the community is the key to the success of a football club, the commercial manager at Crewe Alexandra has said.
Running a local football club is not easy; it cannot be managed like a normal business, as most do not depend on what happens on the pitch every Saturday afternoon.
Football clubs need to make money to contribute to their on-pitch fortunes, and they have to find ways of making both parts of the club work in harmony.
In the middle of this, is the commercial manager. Their job is to generate revenue from commercial streams to ensure it enhances the prospects on-field.
Crewe Alexandra plays in League Two and are the only football club from Cheshire playing in the Football League. It's been at the heart of the town for 142 years.
James Beckett is the head of commercial at the club, which is the only football club in Cheshire which plays in the Football League and one that's been at the heart of the town for 142 years. And it's a role which makes him responsible for ensuring that Crewe stays in touch with local businesses, working hard to promote the club and providing viable commercial opportunities for their sponsors and businesses within the local area.
And it is a varied role.
"The difference with football clubs is that it is a lot of businesses in one. We're a football club primarily, and our sponsorship packages are driven towards that, and that's a big part of my role, but we have a retail side, an events side, a hospitality side, and a management side, so it is pulling it all together and getting it to go forward as one", James says.
As football clubs have evolved as businesses, so has the way sponsorship works. And Crewe is no different. They looked at the role sponsorship has for the club and where they could improve their ties with the local community.
James adds: "We have evolved our sponsorship model and asked ourselves, 'why do companies want to be involved?'
"I think the days of a company sponsoring an advertising board on the edge of the pitch and then speaking to them a year later are long gone, companies have a genuine desire to engage all year round and we can offer them that opportunity."
He said that by communicating with companies and sponsors in the local area, they understand what companies want to get out of being involved with the club.
When they sit down with a potential new sponsor, the club will ask what it means for them to be involved with the club and understand what they are trying to achieve. That way they can tailor their package and provide different ways of putting it across to fans and the wider community.
"If a company wants to sponsor us, and it is part of their corporate social responsibility strategy, and to enhance their local reputation, we have an excellent media team that can tell that story, through various different ways," he said.
He continued: "With Mornflake, they have been a big part of the town for a very long time, and they want to give something back, and sponsoring their local football club is part of that, but we want to make sure that their story is heard, and our fans know why Mornflake care about Crewe.
"So, we have social media activation, press and media and sponsorship geared towards the purpose of that sponsorship.
"Of course, there are financial benefits for both, but I think we present a much better package for companies now."
Being a local and a fan of the club, James knows what the club means to locals. And for all sponsors, no matter how large or small, he believes that investing in sponsorship at the club is investing in the local community.
Putting the club at the heart of the community means that it can offer more opportunities for networking.
The club offer events for companies throughout the year, where local sponsors can network and create connections through the club. They host a sponsor's football match each year at the Mornflake Stadium, alongside networking dinners and events, all with the idea of helping their sponsors and continuing to build local connections.
The club host these because as James says "we want to be that hub for local businesses, where they can grow their connections."
He adds: "If one company meets another company at our events and they do business together, without me doing an introduction, that's the dream for me."
Another part of James's role is to look after corporate hospitality. The club offers multiple different packages, including seasonal hospitality which is designed for companies to use all season, as a benefit for staff or suppliers, which given how challenging the recruitment market is, is important for companies.
James sees this as another part of their strategy to keep engaging with the local community, providing opportunities for businesses to connect with their local club and offering another avenue for networking.
He says: "If a company wants to work with us in many different ways, the hospitality packages are a great way of keeping regularly in touch with the club and offering a genuine benefit to their staff."
So, running a commercial department at a football club is very different, with a huge number of different variables and other items affecting the way it is run. But for James, he's loving every minute.
"I know it is cliché, but I genuinely love coming to work, being here and doing this job. It's challenging but seeing us grow and doing some of the stuff we are doing with our partners and sponsors, is genuinely incredible."
If you would like to talk through any sponsorship packages or corporate hospitality opportunities at Crewe Alexandra for your business please email: [email protected]
Got a business story? Email [email protected]
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