Spartiates de Marseille
How the club structured its marketing strategy, strengthened its connection with its fans and boosted its ticket sales.
In 2024, the Spartiates de Marseille, an ice hockey club competing in France’s top division since 2023—took a strategic step forward by investing in Arenametrix’s marketing CRM solution.
The objective ? To structure and leverage their B2C and B2B data more effectively in order to better understand their fanbase, strengthen engagement, build loyalty, attract new supporters, and ultimately increase club revenue.
Following a full season of use, from June 2024 to March 2025, it's time to reflect: what tangible benefits has this digital transformation delivered?
From the outset, the priority was to centralize all data sources into a single unified database.
Integrating various data streams was a key initial step:
A thorough segmentation process then followed, enabling the club to identify distinct audience profiles and tailor communications accordingly—season ticket holders, occasional buyers, first-time attendees, repeat customers, and more.
This structured approach has equipped the club with a 360° view of its audience, allowing for unprecedented marketing precision.
A well-built database holds value only when it is continuously enriched and actively leveraged. That’s why the Spartiates de Marseille implemented a range of initiatives to drive fan acquisition and engagement:
→ Expanding the database:
- Creation of engaging newsletters and proactive registration prompts via website and social media forms.
- Contests and sweepstakes to attract new contacts.
- Gamified matchday experiences: giant screen QR codes leading to a contest, with a chance to win an ice karting experience during halftime.
→ Personalized communication through marketing automation:
- Pre-match communication routines combining automated messages and targeted campaigns to maintain consistent engagement and promote home games.
- Automated birthday messages with personalized offers.
- Thank-you emails following a fan’s first game attendance to foster long-term loyalty.
Spartiates de Marseille detailed breakdown of audience engagement segments
The CRM implementation has not only optimized data management and improved fan knowledge, but has also had a direct impact on the club’s revenue. The rise in season ticket holders and the successful conversion of first-time attendees into loyal fans highlight the power of a data-driven strategy.
Looking ahead, the club aims to build on this solid foundation by further refining its sales and communication tactics. The goal: to maximize fan engagement and sustain its growth momentum.