Connecting Brands, Fans & Sport. Roemer Posthumus, Sports Partnerships & Business Development, sports marketing and sports sponsorship
Roemer Posthumus
Sports Partnerships & Business Development | Connecting Brands, Fans & Sport
Hi, I am Roemer Posthumus, 22 years old and a Sports Economics student at Fontys in Tilburg. I build commercial partnerships in sport and turn ideas into projects that really deliver, such as UP Plan and the sponsor collective Made in Tilburg.
What drives me in sports business? Discovering opportunities, connecting people and developing ideas into something that really works in practice. To create commercial growth, I prefer to combine data, experience and sport.
UP Plan is a planning app that creates schedules automatically and takes work off entrepreneurs’ hands. Made in Tilburg brings local talent and Tilburg’s business community together. That is how I turn the opportunities I see into projects in practice.
Curious about my projects, or can we do something for each other? Feel free to get in touch. I like to think along and I am always happy to talk further.
Worked on
How I add value
Value is not created by one party, but by connecting things in the right way: sport as the stage, fans as the audience, community as the link, data as the proof and brands as the partner. Then the fan gets a better experience, the brand a measurable result and the club a stronger partnership. Click a topic to see what each one adds.
Brands
Brands bring the budget, the goals and a message. Without a brand there is no commercial foundation under a partnership, and without a clear goal it stays a logo on a board. A brand that knows what it wants to achieve, and turns that into an activation, is what makes working with sport truly valuable.
Fans
Fans are the reason it all works. They give sport its value, and with that the reach brands pay for. Fans spend money on passion, not on advertising, so a partnership has to add something to their experience. No fans means no audience, no emotion and no return.
Sport
Sport is the stage where everything comes together. It delivers emotion, stories, rituals and a loyal community that no other market reaches as fast. That gives brands a place where people don't walk away from the message, but want to be part of it.
Community
A community turns separate moments of contact into a relationship. Think of hospitality in a business club where entrepreneurs find each other and do business, or a fan base that thinks along and joins in. Without a community a partnership stays a one-off; with one it grows and gets renewed.
Data
Fan data makes the whole thing measurable and smarter. It shows who your fans are, what your partners want and what works, so choices aren't made on gut feeling. Without ROI measurement you don't know what a partnership delivers, and you can't adjust it or prove that it pays off.
- Know your fan
- Know your partner
- Know your market
- Measure the ROI
Select a topic above.
Featured article
Identity can't be bought
Multi-club ownership is growing fast, but many networks lose their identity and share their debt. What clubs can learn commercially from Wrexham and Estrella.
On the road in sport
Visiting matches, stadiums and events is how I get to know the industry: what fans experience, what partners see and where the opportunities lie.
Q&A
Questions and answers
What makes a sponsorship partnership truly successful?
That both sides get real value from it. Not the logo along the touchline, but a role in the fan's moment and a result the sponsor can prove. That is why I always start with the brand's goals, not with the package.
Why do standard packages work less and less?
Because every brand has different goals. A board, a logo and two tickets are enough for one and invisible to another. A tailored proposal with a business case fits better and leads to renewal more often.
What makes a business club valuable?
No entrepreneur pays for a buffet and a seat. Members invest for growth: new customers, suppliers and knowledge. A club that actively brings demand and supply together beats a club that mainly has a big network.
How do you turn fan knowledge into commercial opportunities?
By bringing ticketing, merchandise, app and CRM together in one fan profile. Then you see who your fans are, what they value and which partner fits. That is how data becomes a commercial proposal.
What should a sponsor look at before signing?
On three things: which target group do you really reach, are there agreements on activation and not only on visibility, and how is the result measured? Sponsorship is a multi-year investment, so the collaboration after signing counts too.
Which sport do you watch the most yourself?
Almost every sport, but mostly a lot of football, cycling and Formula 1. In winter I watch long track speed skating and short track. When I travel, I always go to the sport that is popular in that country, like basketball in Miami. That variety helps in my work: every sport has its own fans, its own experience and its own way of sponsoring.
Experience
Independent Business Development Partner
- Creating commercial opportunities within sport
- Connecting companies, sports clubs and athletes to each other for new partnerships, sponsorship and collaborations
- Focus on business development, acquisition and commercial propositions that create value for both partners and sport
Co-owner
- Planning tool that fully automates company scheduling
- Responsible for commercial activities and sales
Commercial associate
- Responsible for partner relations
- Networking and reaching big names
- From start-up to serious revenue
Want to know more?
Click to copy the email address