Beyond the paywall: why fan-centred models are ripe for football sponsorship

Broadening access for fans to the sports they love is a cornerstone of sports sponsorship. It follows that removing barriers such as paywalls from events emerges as a highly effective approach to fostering favourable brand association and expanding your reach to a broader audience of fans. 

Last month, Fortuna Düsseldorf announced plans to offer free tickets to all fans for at least three home games next season. The German second division club explained that it hopes to anchor the club to its city and fans as it seeks to return to the top division. Leveraging their innate connection to their fanbase, the club found local sponsors, including Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Provinzial, TARGOBANK, and Common Goal to compensate for the loss in matchday revenue. So why are these sponsors, who will spend around £40 million pounds over five years, doing this?