What does Playmakers do?

Playmakers helps sports clubs run like e commerce by using structured fan data to drive ticketing, hospitality, merchandise, and sponsorship revenue. We implement the tech stack, build segments and journeys, and execute always on campaigns.

Who is Playmakers for?

We work with C level leaders in sports organizations, typically CEOs, CFOs, and CCOs, plus Heads of Marketing and Commercial. Our work fits clubs that want a pragmatic path to digital growth without adding heavy internal headcount.

Do you provide software or operate our tools?

We are a SaaS operator, not a SaaS vendor. We make sure your stack is right, connect the tools, and operate them day to day, including campaign execution.

What results can we expect?

Typical outcomes include higher matchday revenue, improved repeat purchase, larger average order value for merchandise, and better sponsorship activation through targeted fan segments. We report on revenue, conversions, and engagement by segment.

What is an Ideal Fan Profile?

An Ideal Fan Profile is a unified view of a fan built from your data, used to target the right message at the right time across email, app, and other channels.

What is a fan journey in your model?

We map before, during, and after match touchpoints and set up always on messages for each stage. Examples include pre sale warm up, last minute push, post match thank you, and early bird renewal.

Do you integrate with our existing ticketing and email tools?

Yes. We work with common ticketing providers, ecommerce, POS, CRM, CDPs, and email platforms. If a connector does not exist, we add one or design a lightweight workaround.

How long does it take to get value?

Most clubs see first wins within 4 to 8 weeks. We start with discovery and data connections, then launch priority segments and always on campaigns.

Can you execute campaigns for us?

Yes. We do both setup and execution. Our team plans, builds, and runs segmented email and app campaigns, then optimizes based on performance.

How do you price your services?

Pricing depends on scope and campaign volume. We offer fixed retainers and performance based options. In some cases we combine a base fee with a percentage tied to incremental revenue.

How do you handle data privacy and security?

We follow GDPR and industry best practices. We work within your systems, limit data movement, and use role based access with clear data processing agreements.

Where do you operate?

We work with clubs in Europe and North America. Engagements are remote first, with onsite sessions when helpful for workshops and alignment.

What makes Playmakers different?

We focus on revenue outcomes, not hours. We combine strategy, tooling, and hands on execution so clubs move from collecting data to activating it.

How do we get started?

We begin with a short discovery to confirm goals and data sources, then run a focused pilot with clear success metrics before expanding.

PLAYMAKERS | CAROLINA CORE FC

● CASE STUDY · MLS NEXT PRO · THE TRIAD, NORTH CAROLINA

How Carolina Core FC built a measurable fan-growth operation

Across the 2026 home season, Carolina Core FC connected ticket-buyer data, email activity and paid social within one recurring operating and measurement rhythm.

~16%

directional estimate of tracked ticket revenue associated with matchday email engagement

~40%

of email-attributed revenue came from merchandise

87%

of Meta-attributed ticket purchasers had no previous purchase in the consolidated home-game database

Usable data. Relevant activity. Measured response.

THE OPERATING MODEL

● THE OPPORTUNITY

A real fan base, and no system connecting it to the next sale.

Carolina Core FC had ticket buyers, merchandise customers and growing interest across the Triad. But buyer records sat in 15 separate exports, merchandise activity sat in Shopify, and email engagement sat in HubSpot. There was no shared view of who a buyer was or which activity produced a measurable response.

Does the Triad know it has a professional soccer team?

Carolina Core FC players and supporters celebrating after a match

● WHAT PLAYMAKERS CHANGED

Four changes to how the club operated

Playmakers consolidated the ticket-buyer data, set up the measurement approach and ran paid social. Carolina Core FC retained responsibility for strategy, products, pricing, data governance, fan relationships and final commercial decisions. The club continued to send its own email.

A usable buyer base

Fifteen home-game exports were consolidated into 5,882 named buyer records, then organised into more than eight behavioural segments.

A refreshed email audience

The email operation moved from HubSpot to Klaviyo. Unengaged contacts were suppressed and replaced with opted-in leads, increasing active subscribers by 50% while total list size stayed broadly unchanged.

Matchday communication with a purpose

Emails moved to one clear call to action, personalised offers and an advised matchday cadence instead of being sent only when there was news.

Conversion-led paid social

Paid social moved from reach and traffic to ticket-purchase objectives, supported by a configured sales pixel, warm audiences and prospecting in Greensboro and Winston-Salem.

Carolina Core FC United to the Core campaign creative

● HOW IT WAS BUILT

How the operating changes were measured

The work followed a clear sequence: consolidate the buyer records, refresh the list, give each communication a clearer purpose, then measure the response before adjusting paid-social spend.

01 · CONNECT THE BUYER RECORDS

Build one usable buyer base

Fifteen ticketing exports were consolidated and deduplicated into 5,882 named buyers with more than eight behavioural segments.

02 · REFRESH THE LIST

Replace unengaged contacts with active subscribers

Unengaged contacts were suppressed and replaced with opted-in leads from website, lead-ad and matchday capture. Active subscribers increased by 50%.

03 · IMPROVE CONTENT AND CADENCE

Give each email one job

Campaigns moved to clearer calls to action, personalised offers and a matchday rhythm advised around the commercial objective.

04 · MEASURE AND LEARN

Review response every week

Ticket, merchandise and paid-social activity were measured through two stated attribution tracks, with creative, audiences and budget reviewed against the response.

● REPORTED RESULTS

What was reported across the 2026 home season

AUDIENCE, EMAIL AND COMMERCE

~40%

of email-attributed revenue came from merchandise

Reported through the native Shopify and Klaviyo integration. It is platform attribution, not proof of incremental revenue.

~16%

directional estimate of tracked ticket revenue associated with matchday email

A calibrated engagement-to-purchase match, not native attribution or proof that email caused the purchases.

5,882

named ticket buyers in one database

Consolidated and deduplicated across 15 home games. The figure counts named buyers, not every attendee.

EMAIL AND PAID-SOCIAL RESPONSE

87%

of Meta-attributed ticket purchasers had no previous purchase in the consolidated home-game database

New to the 15-game buyer database, not proof that these people had never attended or purchased elsewhere.

45.4%

weighted average open rate across 174 Klaviyo campaigns

The previous platform was reported at 10% to 20%, but the comparison is not like for like because the audience was cleaned and refreshed.

1.6x

Meta-reported blended return on ad spend

Reported across 1.2 million impressions using Meta’s default seven-day click and one-day view window.

● THE OPERATING MODEL

One repeatable operating rhythm, and a clearer view of what to do next

Buyer records, email activity and paid social were reviewed within one measurement rhythm. Playmakers consolidated the ticket-buyer data, set up the measurement approach and ran paid social. Carolina Core FC kept responsibility for strategy, pricing, data governance and the fan relationship.

Usable data.

Relevant activity. Measured response.

Could your club get more from the fan data it already has?

Playmakers provides managed execution across email, lifecycle automation and paid social for defined direct fan-revenue objectives.

Discuss your club’s fan-growth activity

How Playmakers works

More cases and football marketing insights

ABOUT THE RESULTS

Results are based on Carolina Core FC’s ticketing exports, Klaviyo, Shopify and Meta reporting across the 2026 home season. Playmakers managed paid social from 1 June to 8 September 2026. The approximately 16% ticket figure is a directional association estimate, not native attribution or proof that email caused purchases. The approximately 40% merchandise figure is platform-attributed and does not establish incremental revenue. Meta used its default seven-day click and one-day view window. The 87% figure identifies purchasers with no previous purchase in the consolidated 15-game database, not people proven never to have attended or purchased elsewhere. The 5,882 figure counts named buyers, not every attendee. Open rates may be affected by mailbox privacy features, and the before-and-after comparison is not like for like because the audience was cleaned and refreshed.