The future of business clubs in football

Most football club business clubs are behind the times. At many clubs, the offering looks roughly like this:

• Business seats
• Hospitality
• Networking drinks
• Skyboxes
• A handful of business events

Fun and enjoyable? Absolutely. But no company or entrepreneur invests €10,000, €20,000 or €50,000 a year for the buffet, unlimited drinks or a seat in the stands. Companies invest for growth. New customers. New suppliers. New knowledge.

A business club with hundreds of affiliated companies has an enormous network of decision-makers and knowledge at its disposal. But how many clubs truly know what keeps their business members up at night? What challenges they have, what opportunities they're looking for, and how the club can help? That information often goes completely unused, while it's exactly that data that should be the foundation of the business club.

Not just knowing who is a member, but understanding what companies need. That is where the real value is created. With CRM and data platforms, personalised introductions, digital communities, CEO roundtables, knowledge sharing and other initiatives, you can genuinely help companies grow.

So the future doesn't lie in the biggest business network. The future lies in the most valuable community.

One club taking an interesting approach to this is Como 1907. Where many clubs organise their business club around football, Como 1907 positions itself much more as an exclusive business community around Lake Como. Entrepreneurs, investors and decision-makers gather there not just for a match, but above all for access to each other, knowledge, opportunities and unique experiences.

Through data and solid knowledge of their members, they know which companies have a need and which companies within the network can offer a solution. That creates relevant introductions and concrete business opportunities, not just on match days, but throughout the year. That is exactly why companies are willing to invest significantly in such a community: they experience structural value from it.

Football isn't the product there. Football is the occasion. Members of the business club don't just pay more for a drink, an event or a seat in the skybox. They pay for added value.

This is exactly why I'm so drawn to the commercial side of sport: the biggest opportunities often aren't on the pitch, but in the value you create off it.