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Clubs talk a lot about data. But for many, it still lives in spreadsheets, outdated systems, or disconnected tools.
At the FBIN Marketing Excellence & Next-Gen Stadium Summit 2025 in Prague, MK Dons, SC Paderborn 07 and Data Talks shared how mid-sized clubs are finally turning fan data into real revenue with modest budgets and lean teams.
The Starting Point: More Data, Less Direction
Fan data isn’t scarce. Every club gathers it through ticket sales, newsletter subscriptions, merchandise purchases, and digital interactions. The challenge is turning that data into something operational, something that leads to measurable income.
At MK Dons, even basic details from matchday buyers weren’t centrally stored. Data lived across systems, from the stadium and hotel to the club’s event business, creating blind spots and missed opportunities. SC Paderborn 07 faced a similar problem. Until 2021, its departments operated in silos, each using separate tools.
Instead of pursuing custom-built platforms, both clubs implemented off-the-shelf CDP solutions that offered integration and usability. The focus wasn’t on the technology itself, but on systems that supported the club’s ability to act.
❝The biggest waste I see is clubs spending half their budget building tech and then not using it. Start simpler and act faster.❞
Stefan Lavén, CEO, Data Talks
❝We had good people and good ideas, but the systems didn’t support them. Fixing that was the first step.❞
Alexander Wahler, Managing Director, SC Paderborn 07
What Changed When Clubs Took Action
Once the infrastructure was in place, both clubs shifted from collecting data to activating it.
Timing played a critical role. SC Paderborn launched a jersey campaign just minutes after a striker’s 200th match appearance. The spike in sales showed the value of linking campaigns to emotional moments.
MK Dons focused on consistency. The club published four to six content pieces a day, ranging from match previews to community news. This stream of content kept the audience engaged and ready for action, without heavy dependence on paid media.
One club also saw strong returns from reactivating dormant fans. Supporters who hadn’t made a purchase in 8 to 12 months responded well to personalised messages. This group quickly became the second most valuable customer segment.
❝These fans aren’t lost. They’re just waiting for the right message.❞
Stefan Lavén
Another key learning came from testing assumptions. At Paderborn, internal belief had long favoured weekends for campaign sends. But data showed that Friday morning emails outperformed everything else, prompting a shift in scheduling strategy.
Segmentation That Delivers, Even With Small Teams
This was not about sending more campaigns. It was about sending smarter ones.
Both clubs moved away from calendar-based emails in favour of automated, behaviour-driven journeys. When a fan missed matches, they received a check-in. When someone made a purchase, they were offered a relevant follow-up. Solo attendees were prompted with hospitality upgrades.
❝There’s no magic post. It’s about being part of a fan’s day, every day.❞
Neil Hart, CEO, MK Dons
❝When you personalise at scale, people notice. It feels like service, not marketing.❞
Alexander Wahler
These journeys reduced manual workload and made relevance achievable even for lean teams.
Knowing What to Measure, and What to Ignore
Click rates and opens are easy to measure, but they don’t always show true value. The clubs on stage focused instead on metrics directly linked to revenue.
Key KPIs included revenue per supporter, idle-to-active conversions, and campaign-level ROI. Fill rate, not just attendance, was tracked to identify and target unused inventory.
❝If it doesn’t move revenue, it doesn’t stay in the plan.❞
Alexander Wahler
This mindset helped both clubs prioritise campaigns based on commercial performance, not assumptions.
Budgets That Don’t Get in the Way
Neither MK Dons nor SC Paderborn 07 hired large teams or built expensive platforms. Instead, they worked with existing resources, trained internal data champions, and focused on measurable outcomes.
❝Having a small team means we don’t waste time. We prioritise what makes money. That mindset has actually helped us.❞
Neil Hart
What made the difference wasn’t technology. It was the commitment to act.
Starting Points for Any Club
For clubs looking to take similar steps, the roadmap is clear.
Start by mapping where your data lives and who owns it. Choose a CDP or CRM that connects easily to your existing tools. Define a few revenue-based use cases, like kit launches, reactivating lapsed fans, or hospitality offers. Then automate the core journeys, assign someone to oversee delivery, and track results based on income, not engagement.
Avoid overcomplication. Focus on consistency over scale, and segmentation over saturation. Even modest steps, applied consistently, can unlock measurable results.
Final Word: It’s Not About Having Data, It’s About Using It
Every club has data. What separates those who generate revenue from those who don’t is the ability to act on it – clearly, consistently, and with purpose.
MK Dons and SC Paderborn 07 didn’t wait for a perfect setup. They focused on tools they could use, people who could manage them, and campaigns that made a financial impact.
🎥 Want to see how they did it?
Watch the full panel discussion from the Marketing Excellence & Next-Gen Stadium Summit 2025
