By Marta Elena Casanova
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There was a time when stadiums, ticket sales, and shirt sponsors were enough. Today, football lives also (and often mainly) online. Social media, digital content, NFTs, tech partnerships: club revenues increasingly come from what happens off the pitch.
But what does it all mean? How do you make money with TikTok? And does anyone really buy a €500 NFT video?
Social media is no longer just marketing
TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) are now essential platforms for clubs—not only to communicate with fans, but to generate real revenue through digital sponsorships (banners, branded tags, challenges), content monetization (YouTube, TikTok Creator Fund), and direct sales via social media (shirts, NFTs, digital subscriptions).
A viral video featuring a player can earn thousands of euros. And the more followers a club has, the more attractive it becomes to sponsors looking to invest.
NFTs: a fad or a real future?
NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are unique digital assets like videos, images, or virtual tickets that fans can purchase. Clubs like PSG, Milan, and Barcelona have already launched their own collections.
The idea is quite simple: sell exclusive experiences or digital memorabilia. An NFT could be a goal clip, a virtual VIP pass, or a “digitally signed” jersey. In some cases, they’ve sold for thousands of euros.
The market has cooled off since the 2021 boom, but it remains an interesting area of experimentation for the most innovative clubs.
Tech sponsorships: the new trend
It used to be beers, cars, and airlines. Today, the top sponsors are trading apps (like eToro or Plus500), cryptocurrencies (like Binance, Crypto.com), and tech startups (software, AI, fan tokens). These companies seek global exposure and a young audience. Football provides both. For clubs, these are multi-million euro deals.
According to one study, 25% of the commercial revenues of Europe’s top clubs now come from digital activities. This means fewer millions tied to physical presence (like the stadium) and more shifting online. For clubs, it’s a huge opportunity: if you have 10 million Instagram followers, you can make money even if the stadium is half empty.
Football—whether for better or worse—is becoming more and more digital. TikTok, NFTs, and tech sponsorships represent the new frontier of club revenues. A shift that may distance more “romantic” fans, but opens up new opportunities for growth. And those who want to understand where football is headed must also look at their smartphone.
By Marta Elena Casanova
