Swedish elite football continues to grow. Attendance figures are rising. Interest is increasing. Revenues are growing. This is clear from the latest report from EY, which shows Swedish elite football continuing to develop as a market, generating billions. But the report also reveals something else. That growth in itself is no longer enough.
While revenues are increasing, costs are also rising. Furthermore, revenues remain unevenly distributed among clubs and parts of the market. This puts greater pressure on commercial operations. And that's where we believe the next major development in the sports business will occur.
For many years, large parts of the market have relied heavily on exposure, visibility, traditional sponsorship arrangements, and long-standing relationships. This has created value. But today's companies expect more from their investments in sports.They want to understand which target audiences they are actually reaching. What effect the investment creates. How the investment is used in marketing. How content and activation perform. And what business value the partnership drives over time. This also means that the demands on rights are changing.
The real difference going forward will likely not be in who simply sells the most exposure. It will be in who succeeds in creating relevant partnerships, strong content, clear activation, better audience understanding, and long-term impact. That's why data is becoming increasingly important in sports marketing.
Previously, many decisions in sports were largely based on relationships, tradition, and gut feeling. But as investments grow, so does the need for insights, analysis, follow-up, and clearer impact measurement. This applies to both companies and rights holders. Because today, sport is significantly more than just exposure. It is one of the few environments where people still choose to be fully engaged. Where attention is already present when communication arrives. This makes sport more powerful than many traditional advertising channels.
At the same time, there's another important dimension. Unlike many traditional media buys, investments in sport also remain within the sport itself. In community clubs. In the development of future athletes, leaders, and operations. This makes sports marketing something greater than mere visibility. When used correctly, it can both create business value and contribute to the long-term development of Swedish sports.
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