Swedish elite football continues to grow. Attendance is increasing, interest is rising and revenues continue to climb. This is clear in the latest report from EY, where Swedish elite football continues to develop as a market with revenues in the billions.
But the report also shows something else: growth alone is no longer enough.
At the same time as revenues increase, costs are also rising. Revenues are also still unevenly distributed between clubs and different parts of the market, which puts greater pressure on the commercial side of the business. And this is where the next major development in the sports business is likely to happen.
For a long time, much of the market has been built on exposure, visibility, traditional sponsorship models and strong relationships. That has created value, but companies today expect more from their investments in sports. They want to understand which audiences they actually reach, what effect the investment creates, how it can be used in their own marketing and what business value the partnership drives over time.
That is why data, activation and content are becoming increasingly important. Going forward, the difference will not only be about who can sell the most exposure, but about who can create relevant partnerships, clear audience insights and long-term effect.
Because sports today are about much more than visibility. It is an environment where people are already engaged, where attention is there from the start and where brands can become a relevant part of something that matters to many.
At the same time, investments stay within sports. In clubs, in the development of future athletes and in organisations that create value far beyond individual exposure. When sports marketing is used in the right way, it can therefore create value in several directions: for companies, for rights holders and for Swedish sports.
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