Case Study Futbalnet.shop

What is futbalnet.shop?

Futbalnet.shop is an ecommerce platform crafted specifically for football clubs, facilitating the purchase of sports equipment and a variety of football-related services. Clubs can choose to make purchases using their own funds or a virtual credit system, enabling them to efficiently manage and utilize grants over designated periods. The platform boasts an extensive selection of products, ranging from sports gear and field maintenance tools to electronics, nutritional supplements, and fuels. Designed with the unique requirements of Slovak football clubs in mind, Futbalnet.shop streamlines the buying process, ensuring flexibility and ease of use for all users.

Visit their website

Our Goals: Transparency and Efficiency

The development of Futbalnet.shop centered on achieving key objectives that would benefit not only the Slovak Football Association (SFZ) but also the clubs themselves. The main goals included:

• Ensuring compliance with legislative requirements while facilitating automatic accounting for public funds.
• Establishing a B2B platform that connects suppliers of sports equipment with football clubs.
• Expanding services for all football clubs across Slovakia and increasing registrations in the SFZ CRM system by 10,000 new users.
• Building partnerships within the Grassroots project to support youth development, currently involving 8 partners.

How Did We Achieve These Results?

Integration with the Information System and Automated Accounting

To meet the public funding and legislative requirements, we integrated the system with the existing grant management platform. This integration enables real-time transparent reporting and automates the accounting of contributions from public funds, simplifying the entire process and reducing the risk of errors.

Eshop business model (.pdf)

Developing a B2B Platform for Partners

We launched a specialized B2B platform that allows suppliers of sports equipment to offer their products directly to clubs. This platform not only facilitates purchasing but also fosters long-term relationships between clubs and suppliers.

Expanding B2C Features

Since 2018, we’ve expanded the online store’s capabilities to include ticket sales for football matches and merchandising, opening up new sales channels for the general public to access products related to Slovak football.

Implementing CRM and Registering New Users

Through the online store and new features like the CRM system, we successfully registered over 10,000 new users. This function enhances customer relationship management and improves communication with clubs.

Development Timeline

• 06/2017 - Project approval by SFZ
• 07/2017 - First supplier integration
• 08/2017 - Public launch of the first version
• 08/2017 - First purchase on the online store
• 05/2018 - B2B platform support added
• 12/2018 - Expanded services to include ticket sales and merchandising

The Results We Achieved

• Legal Compliance: The online store met all legislative and legal requirements, including transparent accounting of grants in real time through the public platform.
• System Usage: More than 70% of all active football clubs in Slovakia (1,254 out of 1,736) regularly use the online store.
• Cashback Earnings: Cashback revenues in 2017 amounted to nearly €45,000.
• Partner Collaboration: We connected 8 partners and suppliers who offer a wide range of products to football clubs across Slovakia

Investments vs. Returns

UEFA Recognition for Innovation

In 2018, the Futbalnet.shop project was awarded the UEFA Grow Award for creativity and innovation in the Revenues category. This success highlights its uniqueness in the transparent distribution of public funds to football clubs through the virtual credit system. The platform, which resolves numerous complexities surrounding funding, has also inspired other national football associations across Europe.