Belgian Pro League

Belgian Pro League: A Shared CRM Framework Tailored to Each Club

By selecting a preferred CRM partner, the Belgian Pro League has given its clubs a shared framework to make better use of fan data and create more value.

Use case Pro League (1)

Clubs competing in the same league do not all have the same resources or level of CRM maturity. Some already draw on multiple data sources, while others still rely on fragmented systems and teams with limited capacity.

To help every organization move forward in a way that reflects its own reality, the Belgian Pro League launched a tender process in 2024 to appoint a preferred CRM partner. Its ambition was clear: give clubs the tools to better understand their supporters and turn that knowledge into more engaging fan journeys, stronger loyalty, and greater value creation.

Arenametrix was selected to deploy this shared infrastructure and support clubs throughout its adoption.

 "Our ambition is to create value and ensure that a club with fewer resources can access
the same tools as a larger organization, at a level that reflects its own maturity"
Tim Vlaeminck - Key Account Manager, Pro League
Excerpt from the Pro League x Arenametrix session at Sport[GEN] 2026.

The Challenge: Turning Fragmented Data into Fan Engagement and Revenue

The clubs already held large amounts of information from ticketing, merchandising, access control, mobile applications, and digital interactions. However, this data was often spread across multiple systems and departments. Without a unified view, it was difficult to understand each supporter’s actual relationship with the club, coordinate communications, or tailor campaigns to individual behavior.

The same fan could therefore be treated as a new contact by one team, even though they already had an established relationship with the club through another channel.

Fan data also represents a commercial opportunity that remains underused across the sports industry.
Partners are no longer looking only for brand exposure or impression volumes.

They increasingly expect:

  • A deeper understanding of audiences

  • More targeted activations

  • Measurable results.

Clubs that can build structured fan profiles are therefore better placed to strengthen their direct relationship with supporters and offer partners a more distinctive proposition than organizations that are not yet making full use of their data.

A League-Wide Initiative Designed to Support Each Club

The Pro League chose to provide a shared contractual framework, technology platform, and methodology, while allowing each club to move forward according to its own objectives, resources, and technology environment.

Every participating organization :

  • Has its own CRM environment

  • Retains full control over its data

  • Manages its campaigns directly

The Pro League only has access to aggregated indicators that allow it to track the overall progress of the program. This model combines the scale and structure of a collective initiative with the operational independence each club needs.

The program began with 11 clubs before expanding to 13, supported by early results and positive feedback from the teams already involved.

The Approach: Connect, Understand, and Activate

Unifying the Main Data Sources

The Pro League, its clubs, and Arenametrix worked with the different technology providers involved to connect the systems already used by each organization. Ticketing, merchandising, access control, mobile applications, in-stadium spending, and digital engagement tools can now be brought together to create a more complete view of each supporter.

In total, 40 integrations have been implemented across seven categories of data sources.

Turning Data into Actionable Audiences

Once the data has been centralized and deduplicated, clubs can build segments around their operational priorities.

These may include :

  • Regular or occasional attendees

  • Inactive fans

  • High-value buyers

  • Digital users who have not yet made a purchase.

These audiences allow teams to tailor their campaigns to the actual relationship each supporter has with the club, rather than sending the same message to the entire database.

Automating Fan Journeys to Improve Efficiency

For clubs, automation makes it possible to build structured CRM journeys without manually launching every communication. Messages can be triggered by a specific behavior, purchase, or stage in the fan journey.
40 marketing automations scenarios have already been deployed as part of the program.

Supporting Long-Term Adoption

The project did not stop once the systems had been connected. Monthly meetings are used to review platform usage, develop segmentation and activation strategies, and share best practices across the clubs. This ongoing support helps each team progress from its own starting point.

 "It is important for us to meet regularly, maintain continuous communication, and ensure that everyone remains aligned.
These conversations also help us identify new opportunities, flag any issues that may require attention, and confirm that the clubs’ needs are being taken into account."
Tim Vlaeminck - Key Account Manager, Pro League
Excerpt from the Pro League x Arenametrix session at Sport[GEN] 2026.

A Deployment Model Built to Fit Each Club

Support Aligned with Each Club’s Level of Maturity
Each club receives support based on its resources, technology environment, and CRM priorities. The objective is not to impose the same way of working on every organization, but to help each team progress from its current position.

Connecting the Systems Already in Place
Arenametrix integrates with the solutions already used by the clubs, allowing them to bring their main data sources together without having to replace their entire digital ecosystem.

Use Cases That Can Be Activated Quickly
Once the data is available, teams can build their first segments, improve campaign targeting, and automate selected journeys.
This makes the value of the project visible from an early stage.

Ongoing Support to Drive Adoption
Monthly discussions are used to monitor adoption, support the teams, and share lessons learned across the participating clubs.

A Shared Framework Now Embedded in Day-to-Day Operations

The success of the project is not measured solely by the number of data sources connected. It also depends on whether teams make active use of the information brought together in Arenametrix.

The expansion from 11 to 13 clubs, the involvement of 89 users, and weekly platform usage across every participating organization show that the program has gradually become part of clubs’ day-to-day operations.

By combining a shared CRM infrastructure, a deployment model tailored to each organization, and ongoing support, the Pro League has created a framework that helps clubs:

  • Better understand their supporters

  • Structure their CRM activity

  •  Strengthen their data maturity

  • Retain control of the fan relationship