The Revenue You’re Missing Starts With Fans You Already Have

The Revenue You’re Missing Starts With Fans You Already Have

Three questions for sports leaders planning for 2027.

A supporter in Jakarta wakes up at 3 a.m. to watch your club.

They follow the players, wear your shirt and are raising their children to support the same team.

What can you offer that family next Tuesday?

That question deserves a place in your 2027 planning.

The relationship already exists. What could you build around it that supporters value and that generates meaningful revenue?

After 11 years of building HYPE and working with sports organisations and technology companies, I keep returning to three questions.

1.⁠ ⁠What would your fans value enough to pay for?

“Monetising our global fanbase” sounds good in a strategy presentation. Making it work requires specifics.

Which fans? What do they need? What would make them renew?

For that family in Jakarta, it could be a junior membership with content in their language, access to players and experiences they can share locally.

Start with a defined audience and an offer worth paying for. Then measure participation, repeat use and renewal.

AI can help personalise the experience. The product still needs to earn its place in the supporter’s life.

2.⁠ ⁠What more could you deliver for a sponsor you already have?

Pick one partner approaching renewal.

What is that business trying to achieve next year? More customers? Product trials? Stronger loyalty?

Then ask what you could create together.

A travel partner could help supporters organise matchday trips. A financial services partner could fund a useful membership benefit. An interactive experience could connect participation to a relevant offer.

Agree the outcome and how to measure it from the beginning.

That gives your commercial team stronger evidence for the renewal conversation, and a basis for expanding the relationship.

3.⁠ ⁠Who will turn the opportunity into a result?

At HYPE, I spend time with sports executives defining their needs and technology companies explaining what they can deliver.

I pay particular attention to what happens after the first meeting.

Who owns the opportunity? Who needs to approve it? What must connect with existing systems? What would justify further investment?

Bring those people and questions into the process early.

Also look beyond sport. Companies serving retail, entertainment and financial services have already solved many challenges around subscriptions, personalisation and retention. Some of that experience can transfer into your organisation.

Having built and sold a business before founding HYPE, I know how much time an opportunity can absorb. It needs a clear commercial purpose, someone responsible for delivery and a date for the next decision.

Final Thoughts

Make one opportunity concrete

As you build your 2027 plan, choose one:

• An underserved group of fans with a reason to pay.
• An existing sponsor with room to grow.
• A commercial problem that a proven technology partner can help solve.

Give it an owner, a budget and a measurable outcome.

Your next million in revenue could begin with a relationship you already have.

What would you need to offer to earn it?

With Love for Sports and Innovation,

AR,

CEO, HYPE Sports