How Crowdfunding has Helped Soccer Clubs Survive
Crowdfunding at Soccer Clubs
Figure 1 Some smaller clubs have shut for good
The fans have always been the lifeblood of English soccer clubs. But in recent years the amount of money involved in the sport has left some of the smaller teams behind. While the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City bring in millions, those further down the pyramid have suffered.
While many people, from all walks of life, have turned to sites like ours to help with their own personal sporting goals, soccer clubs have also used crowdfunding as a way of raising income. Sports betting firms have been increasingly involved in sponsorship deals but it is the work of the fans that have really kept some of these old clubs alive.
Troubling Times
If the wealth gap between the biggest clubs and the rest was not bad enough, the last few years have been very challenging. A global pandemic that forced entire nations and continents to lock down resulted in many soccer clubs falling deeper into debt.
With no match day income, it was increasingly difficult for these clubs to pay any contracted players. Just keeping a club afloat was hard enough and there were some that were forced to give up – sometimes after being around for over 100 years. Raising money started to become absolutely vital.
Raising Money
Smaller clubs outside the top English professional soccer structure still faced an uncertain future even after soccer returned. This was down to the ban on fans in the early months. Without the limited funds that come in on a match day, some clubs and leagues decided that it was better not to come back at all until the fans could as well.
But it was during this time that many clubs and fans took to crowdfunding to raise some much-needed income. Virtual events were particularly popular, but there were all kinds of events staged and arranged to bring in some money from the fans eager to help their clubs.
Keeping Afloat
It was these crowdfunding efforts that helped the majority of non-league clubs to keep going throughout lockdowns. They are now reaping the rewards of the work done by the fans when they were needed most. Facilities were improved in some places, while simple acts such as bills being paid were possible in others.
There is no doubt that many more clubs will have dissolved without the crowdfunding efforts of the fans and volunteer officials. This should give anyone the inspiration to complete their own crowdfunding goals and succeed in their own projects.
Figure 2 Small soccer clubs rely on the hard work of their fans to survive
Fans Never Leave
If it wasn’t already well known, the crowdfunding work carried out by everyday fans of smaller clubs proved that they are the real beating heart of the clubs they support. That is not to say that the biggest clubs don’t have fans that would do the same. It is just that these smaller clubs have come to rely on the fans to keep them going.
It is a mantra repeated by supporters up and down the country – ‘fans never leave’. The multi-millionaires of the world will always be attracted to the teams playing in the Champions League. But there is also always a worry that they will one day get bored and take their money with them. That is never an option for the real fans.
The Future of Soccer and Crowdfunding
It is a real shame that we are even at a point where the fans of soccer clubs are crucial to their teams in a financial sense. They have always lent their support vocally on match days, but now many are forced to crowdfund projects for their very survival.
One positive out of this situation is the growing involvement of fans in the running of clubs. These kinds of projects have led to more fans becoming part of the decision-making process – and the development of community clubs. It may have been a particularly rough few years for small soccer clubs – but the fans’ crowdfunding efforts have been part of the solution. It could even be a sign of the future.
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