A NEW CTO JOINS NEVER OFFSIDE✍️

On April 1st, we are welcoming a new face to the Never Offside Family as Kristian Persson officially joins us as our new CTO. Kristian has extensive experience working as a developer for multiple companies, most recently as a Tech Manager at Schibsted and as a CTO at Kundkraft Sverige.

We are excited to welcome Kristian to Never Offside’s fast-growing team. He will play a key role both in our development and technical planning going forward.

In light of the announcement, we asked Kristian a couple of questions to get to know him better:

What made you want to join us here at Never Offside?

"I am extremely happy to be joining an exciting company with a unique product that I look forward to being part of and developing. Never Offside has an interesting future and an aggressive growth plan and the number of clubs using the platform is steadily increasing. Today, around 60 clubs use the platform, which proves there is a real need for the product. As a big fan of football myself, it is extra fun and hopefully also a big advantage that I can identify with a large part of the platform's target group."

You call yourself a big football fan - what is your favourite team?

"When someone asks me what team I support, I usually won't tell them, but I'm from Skåne and my favourite colour is sky blue😉"


When looking at Kristian’s CV and combining his experience with development and his knowledge of the sports industry, there is no doubt he will be a great fit at Never Offside.

We look forward to officially welcoming him in April when he becomes an integral part of our Sweden office as we aim to take both the technical side of our business to the next level.

On behalf of everyone at Never Offside, welcome to the team 🥳🚀

Christer's Corner - December 2022

Soon, we can put an eventful 2022 behind us - a year when the world was not doing so well. A year where many have been impacted by war, recession, higher interest rates and electricity prices. However, 2022 has been a very exciting year for us at Never Offside. In May, we merged Swedish Never Offside with Norwegian The Fan Group and became a joint company under the name Never Offside Sports Tech. The merger has been very successful, and the reception from the market has been curious and very positive.

A few weeks ago we launched our new digital platform (app). The platform is developed using the very latest technology and is modular in order to be adapted to each club's individual needs and to be flexible and dynamic throughout the season. This is not just an app - this is "The App". There are different car brands, and there are different apps, even if they have the same purpose. As a buyer, you must understand what you want out of the app and be able to assess quality and potential.

What we experience as a big challenge is that resources and knowledge about the possibilities of digitization are quite low beforehand. How to be able to implement and work digitally at the same time as managing everything else that happens in a club, appears as a challenge. Our service "Proactive Management", has helped many large and small clubs to solve this challenge and quickly discover new revenue streams. We are now working hard to implement both existing and new clubs on our new platform. Gradually, we will also be able to present commercial and communicative enhancements that we create together with our clubs.

We enter 2023 with partnerships with 3 leagues in Sweden and Norway, nearly 70 clubs in 9 sports - now, also including clubs outside of Scandinavia.

We would like to thank you for an eventful year, and we look forward to kicking off 2023 with you by our side. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christer Haglund,

CEO at Never Offside

Customer highlights 2022

As we put 2022 behind us, we would like to give some attention to some of the efforts and highlights of our partnered clubs. While many have made some great efforts and have drastically improved their amount of users, revenue and sponsor opportunities, the selected four have gone above and beyond to achieve the results they have. Without further ado, here are, in no particular order, some of our favourite highlights.


FAN RATING AND INNOVATIVE SPONSORSHIP

Club: Västerås IK ("VIK")

Sport: Ice Hockey

Country: Sweden

It's been a great year for VIK, having grown its user base and embraced the functionalities in its app to maximise its potential. In particular, we would like to take this opportunity to highlight their efforts surrounding the fan rating/player of the game functionality. Introduced earlier this year, the functionality has given VIK a new way to engage its fans and a new advertising area for its sponsors. VIK in particular sold the rights to the player of the game to one of their partners, Steam Hotel, in Västerås city. As a result, all fans who vote for their player of the game are automatically included in a raffle where they can win a night's stay at the hotel. After introducing the prize, the number of people voting for their player of the game increased massively. This has resulted in increased value both for the club and Steam Hotel.

Read more about VIK's efforts with Steam Hotel (Swedish article):

https://www.vik.se/artikel/j3ugalawg-4a8i1/nyhet-i-appen-vinn-overnattningar-pa-steam-hotel


CSR AND CHARITABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

Club: Frisk Asker ("Frisk")

Sport: Ice Hockey

Country: Norway

Frisk's use of auctions in the APP this year has been both impressive and inspirational. First of all, the sums of money they have been able to get via their fans and partners bidding for their items has been nothing short of amazing. But what is perhaps even greater to see, is what the income is being used for. You see, while many clubs are able to get substantial amounts of money using our auction functionality, we find it extremely inspirational to see that Frisk decides to donate all winning bids to charity. "Bamsefondet", a charity founded by Frisk in an attempt to help less fortunate children participate in sports growing up gets all donations. This is well and truly an amazing CSR initiative and helps the club actively work towards The UN's list of Sustainable Development Goals.

We are proud to be a part of Frisk's initiative by providing them with additional ways to help towards a good cause. 

Read more about Bamsefondet here (Norwegian article):

https://www.friskaskerhockey.no/artikel/zrcpaksu6-254l1/om-bamsefondet


RECORD BREAKING ATTENDANCE

Club: Storhamar ("SIL")

Sport: Ice Hockey

Country: Norway

Storhamar was the first club ever to use the ticketing system developed by Never Offside (then The Fan Group) and has been a key part of developing it over time to ensure the quality we have today.

Covid restrictions have led to difficult periods for all sports organisations relying on fans in the arena in order to keep the club alive. Following these difficult times, it is quite remarkable to see that SIL was able to break the national record for average attendance during the playoffs. During the 2022 playoffs, SIL had an average attendance of 5728 for their home games. The previous club record of 5335 was set back in 2018, a season when SIL won their first cup in 10 years.

We take great pride in being part of SIL's journey and much-needed heights after a challenging time plagued by Covid regulations. Seeing the progress the club has made, and the attendance it has resulted in is inspirational. 

Read more about the record-breaking attendance here (Norwegian article):

https://www.sil.no/publikum-satte-rekord-igjen/


PARTNER SATISFACTION AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH

Club: BK Häcken

Sport: Football

Country: Sweden

BK Häcken started its partnership with Never Offside way back before the merger with The Fan Group and it's been great to see the evolution of how the club works with its partner network.

BK Häcken had a massive 2022 season on the pitch, ultimately, being crowned champions of Sweden at the end of the season. Off the pitch, they showed great progress working with their partners - and they have the figures to back it up. In a survey performed by the club at the end of the season, the overall interest and satisfaction related to our product were, among the partners, up by 30 per cent compared to the same time last year. This shows that working in a dedicated manner yields desired results. 


For us, it is amazing to see the impact our product is making for our partnered clubs and we are proud of how far we have come. Thank you all for your willingness, effort and overall dedication to working with us.

Let's aim for even more progress and new heights in 2023!

Never Offside extends its partnership with Hammarby Fotboll 🥳⚽

A long-term customer and overall great club, Hammarby, are extending their partnership with Never Offside for three more exciting years. We are delighted that the club has decided to continue and extend the partnership as they aim to provide more value to their partners and fans. Furthermore, Hammarby officially becomes the first club from Allsvenskan to join our new platform following the merger with The Fan Group. 

Having used our platform for B2B purposes for multiple seasons already, Hammarby is now ready to take the step into our new platform, with B2C functionality, and offer their fans a way to get closer to the club.

Boasting an impressive average attendance of around 26.000 this season, Hammarby has the largest following of all the clubs in Allsvenskan. Combining this with their social media presence where they have over 300.000 followers accumulated on the biggest platforms, it is fair to say the club’s reach is incredibly large. Naturally, this makes us here at Never Offside quite excited as we become a key part of helping the club grow further and entertain all its fans, followers and partners.

As always, we like to get a statement from our clubs on why they decided to partner with us and how they view the future with us on board. Today is no different, and when asked, this is what Patrik Blomquist, head of sales at Hammarby, said:

“Having worked with Never Offside for multiple years and seeing the success we have had with our partners during that time, extending the partnership has become a natural decision for us. Now, I am excited to see what the platform can offer our fans as well. My colleagues and I have seen demos and designs of the new app, but getting the actual product in the hands of everyone who loves the club will feel special.

I know what Never Offside brings to the table, and there is no doubt this partnership will continue to impress and provide value for all our stakeholders. The addition of B2C functionality and a refreshed design is very welcome and I look forward to seeing the impact it will have.”

“Hammarby is a leading club in more and more areas within Swedish football, and with this step, there is no doubt that they are also taking the lead when it comes to how to meet their partners' demands and wishes. With our product as a part of their new digital strategy, it will be easier than ever to bring fans and partners closer to the club. While most other clubs still spread their messages via multiple digital platforms, Hammarby takes command of their channels and orchestrates them according to their plan”, says, Christer Haglund, CEO of Never Offside.

At Never Offside, we view Hammarby as a partner who has been willing to embrace what our product can offer, and have therefore seen the success it can bring. We are delighted that they have decided to extend their contract for another three years. Now, we are working hard to deliver the new platform to them so they can get to work and truly explore all the possibilities that come with it. 

On behalf of everyone at Never Offside, thank you for your continued loyalty.

TILSAMMANS ÄR VI HAMMARBY


Contacts: 

Christer Haglund, CEO at Never Offside, christer.haglund@neveroffside.com

Patrik Blomquist, Head of Sales at Hammarby Fotboll, patrik.blomquist@hammarbyfotboll.se

We welcome a new member of the board at Never Offside 💫

Today, we are proud to welcome Knut Skeie Solberg as a new addition to the board. Knut is a highly profiled person in Norway and has an extensive background working with communication and journalism within a variety of sports. He currently works as a communication advisor and presenter, while also having his own podcast where he talks to athletes about their careers and achievements.

With all his experience and contacts within the industry, Knut will bring a lot of value to the board, and we are delighted he has joined.

When we asked Knut about his motivation for joining the board, this is what he said:

“A no-brainer!

Never offside simply has the people, the concept, the technology and the opportunities to change, simplify and set a new standard for the way sports work. The combination of knowledge, tools, values, solutions, and understanding of sports' challenges and great opportunities - in two highly competent camps in Sweden and Norway - is unique.

With experience from various roles in sports, it was special both to see and to realise that the platform sits on the solution to many of the biggest challenges sports organisations face. When a platform, in an efficient, time-saving and innovative way, has the tools to build loyalty, create belonging, pride and a stronger sense of identity for the fan base - while facilitating the creation of a steady stream of income everyone strives for - you are close to the core. And when the income stream is about so much more than the unstable variables of sport - and the interaction goes across the organisation, fans, sport and market - there are some possibilities that make the question of becoming part of Never Offside incredibly easy to answer.

The timing to take ownership of your own stories on your own platform has never been better. The fans want to continue where the media stops. The opportunity to build an identity for and together with your loyal fan base, without external filters, is enormous. The access you have as a club and organization is unique and exclusive. This is the platform where such content can be effectively given life and value.

All in all, this is a great opportunity to change the world of sport and create magic together with the rest of the people at Never Offside.”

Welcome to the family, Knut!

Leksands IF becomes the first SHL club to use both Never Offside's B2B and B2C functionality 🏒🥳

Today, we are very excited to announce our partnership with Leksand IF (LIF). LIF plays in what is widely considered the second-best ice hockey league in Europe, the SHL. The club has been a part of Never Offside's Score network for some time but will now also start using the fan engagement functionality that has been added after the merger with The Fan Group. With this partnership in place, they officially become our first partnered club from the league to use our whole platform.

This is well and truly a proud moment for everyone here at Never Offside. 

When asked about the partnership, Patric Skoglund, Head of Markets at LIF, said this:

"For us, this project is about simplifying our operations and making the LIF brand available to our fans and followers at all times. Being a modern sports fan is a 24/7 experience, and together with Never Offside, we feel confident in being able to satisfy that need of our fans. With the Never Offside platform, comes new ways to communicate with our fans - an increasingly important part of running a club in the era of digitalisation. In addition to our fans and followers, our partner network will benefit greatly from this partnership going forward. Enhancements have been made to how we can invite partners to events and highlight special offers for our network. Through this new way of working, we will be able to provide more value to our partners."

LIF's vision and mission are in line with what we want to accomplish here at Never Offside. Having such a highly regarded club as part of our family is a great feeling and it gave us a lot of confidence not only in ourselves but also in the product and our journey as a whole. 

Christer Haglund, CEO at Never Offside, expands on this:

"It is an honour for us as a company that one of Sweden's strongest and most brilliant sports brands is continuing its journey by developing its digital channels and further strengthening its identity in the Swedish market with us as a partner. After first activating its partners mainly in B2B and communication, the journey now continues with increasing its fan engagement and not least connecting partners with supporters and members. We look forward to this and promise to return with progress and success.”

The APP is currently under production and will be made available for everyone who loves LIF as soon as it is ready. 

On behalf of everyone here at Never Offside, WELCOME!

Contacts:

Christer Haglund, CEO at Never Offside, christer@neveroffside.com

Patric Skoglund, Head of Markets at Leksands IF, patric.skoglund@leksandsif.se

Sweden's most successful ice hockey club joins forces with Never Offside

Having been crowned Swedish champions 17 times, Djurgården Hockey is one of Sweden's finest sports brands and all-time most successful ice hockey club. The proud club has now chosen a new path to success off the ice by partnering with Never Offside.

Following the partnership agreement, Never Offside has been made the developer and provider of Djurgården Hockey's new club app. By utilising the app, the club will experience new ways to engage its fanbase and provide value for its partners. Now, we look forward to building the club's digital arena.

"This is great fun and something we've been working on for a while. Djurgården is one of the hockey clubs that has always been at the forefront of development both on and off the ice. Despite experiencing relegation to Hockey Allsvenskan, the club is growing a lot in other areas. I am extremely impressed by the organisation that their CEO, Thomas Kraft, has built since taking the role. Rarely have I felt so secure and excited about a project like I am with this", says Christer Haglund, CEO at Never Offside.

”We have been in close dialogue with Never Offside and followed their development with strong interest, for quite some time. The Fan Group merger was an important factor in our decision-making process - it raises the overall platform potential and makes it more suitable for our total needs.

With our own tailored Djurgården Hockey club app we will be able to establish direct-line communication with all our different audiences - e.g. members, supporters, partners, season ticket holders and shareholders. The club app will be a key component in our initiative to strengthen relationships, increase engagement, improve our relevance and add more value to the entire DIF Hockey community.

We are super excited about this collaboration and can’t wait to get started!”, says Thomas Kraft, CEO of Djurgården Hockey.

Christer Haglund and Thomas Kraft

The app is currently under development and will be released to the public when ready. We are sure this partnership will bring large improvement to the opportunities Djurgården Hockey can offer to both its B2C and B2B network. 

We are very excited about the future with Djurgården as part of our family here at Never Offside.

Contacts:

Christer Haglund, CEO, Never Offside, christer.haglund@neveroffside.com

Thomas Kraft, CEO, Djurgården Hockey, thomas.kraft@difhockey.se

Never Offside 🤝Hockey Allsvenskan

Hockey Allsvenskan, the second tier of ice hockey in Sweden, has agreed to sign a deal with Never Offside for the coming season. We already have ongoing partnerships with three clubs from the league; Västerås, BIK Karlskoga, and Vita Hästen. Naturally, we are now delighted that the rest of the league will be following suit as we build their digital arena. 

Never Offside are long admirers of Hockey Allsvenskan's work and we have great belief in the future of the league. Its values and mission are in line with what we deem important in order to grow and become even more professional.

We are all looking forward to working with the league and the great clubs that represent it. 

The CEO of Hockey Allsvenskan, Gabriel, said this about the partnership:

"I believe Never Offside compliments what Hockey Allsvenskan wishes to accomplish. Furthermore, we share similar values and ideas about how to take the league to the next level. Every day we strive to strengthen the Hockey Allsvenskan brand, and a big part of doing this involves bringing in new opportunities to commercialise the league. Together with Never Offside, we will do just that as we continue our work to become the most liked league in Sweden".

Never Offside CEO, Christer, added to Gabriel's comment:

"We are proud that HA as a league believes in what we do and sees a future for its clubs to gather their target groups in a digital arena. HA is Sweden's third largest league in terms of size and a league with high ambitions and in great need of finding new central and local sources of revenue. Here, we can play an important role in the future of the league".

Gabriel and Christer shaking hands on the deal

Quotes from other HA customers:

Kevin Johansson, Head of Private Markets, VIK:

"Vasterås IK was the first Swedish club to sign a deal with Never Offside and use their consumer platform. After approximately one year of working together, we can safely say that it has been a success and the right decision for our club. Any club or league at the forefront of sports should focus on the "app-first" approach. This is, in large part, what has caused the biggest international brands to be so successful. It's what has made the customer experience for companies like Spotify, Instagram, and streaming services to be as renowned as they are, and it is also what will create long-term digital relations for sports clubs."

Marie Angle, Head of Communication, BIK:

"For a few years now, we have been purposefully investing in and developing our communication in every conceivable way. We have done this in order to ensure that we can reach all our supporters and partners in an effective and relevant manner. Our partnership with Never Offside will be a big part of this and will help us enter the future of communication.”

Jakob Bengtzen, Head of Sales, BIK:

"We have been in talks with Never Offside for quite some time now, and we are convinced they will be a great fit for BIK. We are working hard to increase the loyalty of our fanbase and provide new ways for fans and partners to engage and involve themselves with the club. Never Offside will help to accelerate that process while also enhancing our digital presence and overall digital brand."

Here at Never Offside, we are super excited about this partnership and we look forward to working with more clubs from Hockey Allsvenskan. 


Contacts: 

Christer Haglund, CEO, Never Offside, christer.haglund@neveroffside.com

Gabriel Monidelle, CEO, Hockey Allsvenskan, gabriel.monidelle@hockeyallsvenskan.se

Never Offside enters the world of speedway together with Eskiltuna Smederna 🏍🏁

The team at Never Offside is proud to announce a partnership with the Swedish speedway club, Smederna. Smederna becomes our first partnered club in speedway, and we are very excited about entering a new market and further broadening our knowledge of the industry.

Smederna is the first Speedway club to invest in its own APP for its partners and supporters. The aim is to increase revenues from both B2B and B2C markets, streamline administration and communication, and increase knowledge of their target groups. Smederna is one of the leading clubs in Swedish speedway and is now also taking the step to develop its digital arena.

When asked about why the club wanted to go in this direction and partner up with Never Offside, Thomas Devida Gutierrez, Marketing Manager at Smederna Speedway, said this:

"Speedway is a tough industry, and many colleagues have been forced to quit in recent times. As a result, we must now develop and evolve. In Eskilstuna, we have strong support from both the business community and the residents. We have a nice stadium with good commercial opportunities and a large audience, the best in Eskilstuna. Now we want to show the community that we are a modern club by enhancing our digital offers and presence."

“We are very thankful for the trust from Smederna, one of the leading clubs in the Speedway League, and our first customer in motorsport. Many see Speedway as traditional, but Smederna is ahead of many other team sports on several levels and has more good ideas for the sport and the club to continue to develop," says Christer Haglund, CEO of Never Offside.

The Smederna APP is currently under development and will be introduced later on in the season.

Contacts:

Thomas Devida Gutierrez, Marketing Manager Smederna Speedway, thomas@eskilstunasmederna.se

Christer Haglund, CEO Never Offside, christer.haglund@neveroffside.se

Täby FC invests in its partners and supporters by combining forces with Never Offside 📱🚀

The world's largest floorball club with 1,700 members, Täby FC, has signed a three-year license agreement with Never Offside and our platform Score. Never Offside recently merged with the Norwegian company, The Fan Group, and now offers a unique "one-stop solution" to European sports clubs. The platform is designed as an exclusive Club App which includes everything from tickets and digital partner networks, to engaging services such as a match center and player rating. Together with Täby FC, we will work to increase revenue opportunities and loyalty among the club's target audiences.


“We have identified the need for a digital communication platform that ensembles several of our target groups into one place from a communication, profitability, and value-creation perspective. It is a prerequisite for a club with high and long-term ambitions to have this type of platform. We believe that Never Offside, through its platform Score, can deliver exactly what we demand,” says Alexander Brinkmann, Club Manager at Täby FC.


“I know Täby FC well from my time as CEO at Caperio, so this partnership is special to me. We are proud to be a part of Alexander and his team's high ambitions and goals with their club. Now we are paving the way for a new era of greatness both in and outside the arena,” says Christer Haglund, CEO of Never Offside.


The app will be developed during the summer and then introduced to partners and supporters in time for the start of the season. We look forward to working closely with what is a significant club in the world of floorball.


Contacts:

Alexander Brinkmann, Club Manager at Täby FC, alexander@tabyfc.se

Christer Haglund, CEO at Never Offside, christer.haglund@neveroffside.se

Never Offside ✍️ Sarpsborg 08

Today, we are proud to announce that we have agreed to enter a partnership with the Norwegian football club Sarpsborg 08. S08 will become our first partnered club in Norwegian football, and we view this as a significant part of the growth Never Offside has experienced since merging with The Fan Group earlier this month.

When asked about the partnership, Alexander Klaussen, Head of Private Markets at S08, said this: "I have kept track of The Fan Group and the work they have done with The Norwegian Hockey League for quite some time now, and I am liking what I am seeing. After the recent merger with Never Offside, which has worked with Allsvenskan clubs in Sweden, it became even more attractive for us. It feels fantastic to be able to offer our partners, supporters and members new added value and the opportunity to get closer to both the club and each other. We’re a club that wants to make it easy for both supporters and partners to buy and share tickets easily and smooth. This will be a nice addition to what we already use today. With the new possibilities the supporters, members and our partners will get with this, we’re sure it's going to be really good»

Country Manager at Never Offside, Ronny Pedersen, adds: "I am extremely happy that we are now taking steps in the right direction also in the world of football. Sarpsborg 08 is a well-organised club with large ambitions and the right mindset to achieve what they set their mind to. Following the merger with Never Offside, we are now able to offer an integrated full-scale B2B solution for the clubs' partners, which has increased the interest in our platform. In addition, we are convinced that our one-stop-shop solution solves the clubs' comprehensive needs in an easy-to-understand fashion. There are many niche solutions available, but we aim to be different by solving all challenges the clubs encounter."

All in all, we are looking forward to a future with Sarpsborg 08 as part of our family. The development of their platform will start in the near future and we look forward to bringing you more updates as we get closer to the official release. 

On behalf of everyone at Never Offside, WELCOME SARPSBORG 08!

Contacts:

Ronny Pedersen, Country Manager, Never Offside, ronny@fangroup.io

Alexander Klaussen, Head of Private Markets, Sarpsborg 08, alexander@sarpsborg08.no

🤾‍♂️ Handbollsallsvenskan

As the first league in Sweden, HAS signs a deal with Never Offside to develop full-scale "Club Apps" for its member clubs. Never Offside currently works with about 40 elite sports clubs in Sweden, where the initial focus was to create business value for the clubs' partners.

It was recently announced that Never Offside has merged with The Fan Group, which primarily offers clubs several supporter-related business opportunities that increases revenue opportunities and loyalty among the clubs' consumer groups.

As Club Manager at HK Aranäs, I have worked with Score and Never Offside for some time and am super satisfied with the response we have received, above all, from our partners. Following the merge with The Fan Group, we saw the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, and there was no doubt this is a project we want to be part of, says Johan Falk, Chairman of the Board of HAS. I am convinced that all clubs and leagues will go this way. Digitalisation drives revenue in society in general, apps, e-commerce, etc. and not least, it will be important for many of our smaller clubs to simplify administration and processes.

An exciting approach and a league that is developing and seriously wants to take responsibility for its development. Developing the club's digital arena is not something you buy. Instead, it is a journey over time that is made more difficult by the constant changes in the clubs' boards and operational management. The clubs need continuity, a permanent meeting place for the target groups and to take charge of their communication channels, says Christer Haglund, CEO of Never Offside. A very important effect when an entire league works on the same digital platform is that it will greatly increase the attractiveness for companies to want to be seen and work together with the league and its member clubs.

The work of building apps for several of the clubs in the league has already begun and more are on the way.

Contacts:

Christer Haglund, CEO Never Offside, christer.haglund@neveroffside.com

Johan Falk, Chairman of the Board Handbollsallsvenskan, johan.falk@hkaranas.se

 

Contact us

Info@neveroffside.com

Hudiksvallsgatan 6

113 30 Stockholm

SWEDEN

Grønnegata 83

2317 Hamar

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