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OUR OFFER TO YOU
STAGE 1
A free initial, confidential consultation to discuss your business challenges and your marketing objectives.
STAGE 2
Our initial costed strategic proposal of how we can help you by identifying the best and most appropriate opportunities to use football to achieve your goals.
IF YOU SHARE OUR VISION AND MATCH OUR PASSION, WE’LL FIND A WAY OF
WORKING TOGETHER.
STUDIES
CASE
Bath Rugby and Visit Costa Rica
We facilitated a strategic sponsorship partnership between Bath Rugby, one of English rugby’s most established clubs, and Visit Costa Rica, the national destination marketing organisation.
Visit Costa Rica sought to raise its profile among UK travellers, while Bath Rugby offered access to a loyal, premium audience at its home ground, The Rec. The challenge was to connect the right destination with the right sporting property—and to move from initial conversation to executed agreement.
Connect FC introduced both parties, worked alongside Visit Costa Rica’s agency, Four Communications, and supported them through each stage of the process. A pilot campaign launched in December 2025 proved successful, leading to a full sponsorship agreement for the first half of 2026.
The result was a live, international partnership that delivered tangible value for both sides: a destination gaining visibility in a key market, and a club securing an overseas commercial partner.
This case exemplifies what Connect FC does best—making the right introductions and guiding partners from first contact to signed contract.
Crystal Palace FC
In September 2024, Crystal Palace FC announced Enjoy Illinois as the club’s official Destination Partner, a partnership negotiated by Connect FC.
Barry Webber, Chief Commercial Officer of Crystal Palace, said: “As a club, we are hugely appreciative of the support we receive from the US, and we’re delighted to announce this partnership with Enjoy Illinois after our warm welcome in Chicago during our 2023 preseason tour.
Crystal Palace has a strong connection to the US, both through our ownership, our strong fan base there and former USMNT star Chris Richards has become a firm favorite at Selhurst Park.”
Burnley FC
In June 2024, Connect FC brokered a global partnership between Burnley FC and Visit Detroit. The three year contract encompasses a series of collaborative initiatives, including cultural exchanges, joint events, and digital campaigns aimed at highlighting the shared heritage, values, and futures of the two organisations.
Former American Football star JJ Watt, a Burnley shareholder, posted video of his involvement in the tournament to his 5.6 million followers. He and his wife, Kealia, a former USA international, and YouTube stars Dude Perfect have added their support and their social media platforms to the initiative.
Visit Detroit’s sponsorship will run to seven figures by the end of the three-year term. The cost of the sponsorship year-to-year depends on the league Burnley are in for each of the three seasons.
Inside two months, the sponsorship has delivered a 17% lift in visitor numbers and spend for Visit Detroit.
Birmingham City FC
In February 2025, Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau partnered with Birmingham City Football Club.
Birmingham and the surrounding area attract 3.96MM visitors per year which generates $2.52 billion in economic impact.
The partnership seeks to grow that by building awareness of Birmingham Alabama as a destination to a global audience reached via a bespoke sponsorship partnership.
Swansea AFC
In May 2026, Swansea City FC and Visit Central Florida began working with Connect FC on a series of measures aimed at building on their partnership. Positive results were achieved almost immediately including the creation of a video which advertises the strength and reach of both parties.
The collaboration’s success, facilitated by Connect FC, attracted attention from sporting and entertainment celebrities, including Luka Modrić and Snoop Dogg.
App downloads surpassed 50,000; online season ticket renewals surpassed 50,000, the VCF sleeve sponsorship was extended through 2027-28 and the club’s global fanbase expanded, driven by US-focused storytelling and media coverage.
We were so impressed by the end-to-end support we received from Connect FC in respect of content creation to announce our extended partnership with Visit Central Florida. The team had a clear understanding as to how to bring the brief to life and both ourselves, and our partner, are pleased with the end result.
Richard Morris
Head of Commercial at Swansea City
Portsmouth FC and Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel County
Connect FC brokered a season-long official partnership between Portsmouth Football Club and Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County, delivering sustained UK brand visibility across Fratton Park, digital channels, and matchday broadcast assets. It is the fifth destination-partnership Connect FC has closed.
The challenge was to build meaningful awareness on a limited budget. Connect FC identified the natural maritime link between Portsmouth and Annapolis, then structured a bespoke package around the client's priorities: an "always-on" seasonal presence, not a one-off activation.
We managed the entire negotiation, from first introduction to contract, and orchestrated a site visit that sealed the deal. The resulting multi-asset package includes pitchside LED, scoreboard and website branding, matchday programme features, social competitions, hospitality, and use of the Victory Suite for trade and community events.
Mark Judges, Chief Commercial Officer, Portsmouth FC, said, "Annapolis is a fantastic destination with such strong parallels to Portsmouth, particularly through our shared maritime heritage, naval history and proud waterfront identities. We're delighted to welcome Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County into the Portsmouth family and look forward to building a strong relationship together."
Beyond the sponsorship, Connect FC continues to develop reciprocal opportunities between the two cities, including activations in Maryland and civic ties that extend the partnership's value. Following similar deals with Burnley and Visit Detroit, Crystal Palace and Enjoy Illinois, Swansea City and Visit Central Florida, and Bath Rugby and Visit Costa Rica, this case study reinforces our ability to craft commercially sound, narratively rich agreements that deliver beyond the standard inventory.
