Playing to the crowd: Why football clubs are investing in the stadium experience
TV brings in the cash, but live crowds are the lifeblood of the football industry. How can small and medium-sized businesses help clubs enhance the matchday fan experience?
Introduction
The energy and buzz of live support makes the matchday experience special, both for players and supporters – remember those ghostly, near-silent matches played behind locked doors during lockdown? And the scientific reality of the home advantage is well known.1
But as remote viewing options improve and the cost of living remains high, many fans are tempted to watch matches from the comfort of home or the pub instead.2 This means clubs have to work harder to win back their live supporters and boost stadium attendance. For fans, going to a match is a considerable financial investment, so it has to be worth it.
To make this happen, clubs are taking steps to enhance the fan experience. And they’re working with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to get the best results.
Tempting fans away from the television
According to a Deloitte analysis of sports infrastructure developments taking place in 2025, around 300 sports stadiums worldwide are currently being renovated to attract a new wave of fans.3
This increased focus on the matchday experience is a much-needed mindset shift, says Christopher Lee, EMEA managing director at Populous, an architectural design firm that has worked on many high-profile stadiums. “It used to be sacrilege to think of fans as ‘customers’, which ultimately meant they could be treated quite badly at times,” he says. “You have to think about the needs and wants of your fans if you want to create a compelling environment.”
Many football fans are season ticket holders – the most loyal customers of all, because they pay a lump sum in advance and attend many times each season, year after year. “It’s important not to take those fans for granted just because they show up all the time,” says Mark Murphy, director and co-founder of Experience Studios, an audio, visual and acoustic design practice. “They too need to be given a reason to keep coming back.”
So, what do fans expect? In the past, they would simply arrive, watch the game and go home afterwards, but today’s football fan wants more. Research by events company Imagineear found that about one-quarter of UK football fans say state-of-the-art technological features are the most important aspect of their team’s stadium.4
This demand is likely to grow, because younger generations are more used to engaging with football through digital channels. A study by the European Club Association (ECA) revealed that younger fans are far more likely to say they both play football games and share football-related content on social media.5
“To connect with younger fans, you have to speak their language and tailor your approach to match their interests,” says Murphy. “The key is to allow fans to have the type of experience they want to have.”
It used to be sacrilege to think of fans as ‘customers’, which ultimately meant they could be treated quite badly at times.
EMEA managing director, Populous
The perfect matchday environment
To enhance the matchday fan experience, football clubs need to be creative and fan focused. Working with agile, specialised SMEs can help solve complex technical problems quickly.
“At Populous, we are subject-matter experts,” says Lee. “We’re operating in a small area, but we’re best-in-class within our niche. Bringing that expertise and our strong personal commitment to larger projects allows us to quickly get to know our partners so we can work as a team.”
Populous thinks differently from many other, larger architectural firms. “We focus on designing the user experience from the moment fans leave public transport until they enter the venue,” Lee says. “We want to make that last mile as exciting and enjoyable as possible.”
This means paying attention not just to the stadium but to the surrounding infrastructure as well. With crowd control a big issue,6 designing spaces where people can move freely, without excessive queueing, is at the core of an improved matchday experience. This includes installing seamless entry and security systems, as well as offering a range of entertainment options to avoid overcrowding.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, for example, offers a host of restaurants, bars, and hospitality and VIP areas, meaning fans can easily find the pre- and post-match facilities that suit their needs.
There’s also been an increase in modern seating across stadiums,7 including premium options that incorporate ergonomic design principles to enhance comfort and accessibility.
The future is personalised
Today’s consumers expect personalised interactions with brands.8 In football, clubs have tapped into their histories and past glories to connect with fans and build pre-match excitement, whether through ex-players giving live talks or replaying famous victories on the big screen on matchday.
“By building anticipation through tailored storytelling around the match, the opposition and the players, and combining it with lighting, video and pyrotechnics, you create an electric atmosphere that draws fans in, ensuring they are fully immersed and emotionally invested by the time the match starts,” says Murphy.
Technology is vital to creating these experiences, offering flexibility and enabling clubs to experiment. While the stadium architecture can’t be altered significantly, technology allows enhancements, adaptation and evolution of the offering within that fixed structure.
But implementing this technology requires specialist skills and knowledge that aren’t easy to find. “Working closely with clubs to understand their goals is one thing, but the real challenge lies in translating those ambitions into technological solutions that are optimised for the unique world of football,” says Murphy. “That’s where we feel we can offer real value. As a small company, we can help clubs tackle specific challenges.”
By working behind the scenes to improve the matchday experience, agile SMEs are helping to change the face of football for today’s fan.
By building anticipation through tailored storytelling around the match, the opposition and the players, and combining it with lighting, video and pyrotechnics, you create an electric atmosphere that draws fans in.
Director and co-founder, Experience Studios
The business of football
Football isn’t just about what happens on matchday. These in-depth reads and success stories explain how technology, data analytics and commercial innovation are reshaping the sport behind the scenes.
Player of the match: Why football clubs view SMEs as their new star players
Breaking into the big league: How SMEs can score with football clubs
Why global football is going local
A greener pitch: Can football clubs clean up their act?
The beautiful game has a dirty secret: it produces as much CO2 as some entire countries. Fans are clear that they want that to change, and clubs are responding by finding innovative ways to reduce their environmental impact.
A numbers game? How data science is changing football scouting
Levelling the pitch: How SMEs are targeting women football fans
Grassroots heroes: The SMEs powering football from the ground up
Amateur clubs are both an important source of talent for professional football clubs and vital community hubs. But the majority are run by volunteers and the workload is heavy. Can digital tools ease the administrative burden of this crucial part of the beautiful game?
Player of the match: Why football clubs view SMEs as their new star players
Breaking into the big league: How SMEs can score with football clubs
Why global football is going local
A greener pitch: Can football clubs clean up their act?
A numbers game? How data science is changing football scouting
Levelling the pitch: How SMEs are targeting women football fans
Grassroots heroes: The SMEs powering football from the ground up
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