AC Milan partner with WePlay to drive 7.5% increase in ticket sales in six months
WePlay
20th Feb 2020
Italian football giants AC Milan taste digital marketing success after appointing WePlay as their global digital marketing agency
Seven-time European champions AC Milan, famous worldwide for their iconic red-and-black stripes, are one of the most decorated clubs in world football. i Rossoneri are currently entering a new era both on and off the pitch and appointed WePlay as their global digital marketing agency at the start of the 2019/2020 season, with an expansive brief that includes driving the growth of the club’s social audience, mobile app and direct-to-consumer revenue streams.
Since its launch in August 2019, the partnership has focused on the deployment of data-led digital marketing initiatives to effectively reach, engage and convert current and lapsed fans, as well as attracting prospective audiences to purchase tickets to the club’s home fixtures at the iconic San Siro stadium.
Tourism is a significant part of the strategy, capitalising on the opportunity presented by Milan’s position in the top five most visited cities in Europe. This strategy for targeting prospective and international audiences was designed to introduce AC Milan and its brand to a pool of previously untapped consumers, and position their matches as a ‘must-see’ experience for visitors to the city.
After six months, this strategy has already proven to be successful, generating an increase of 7.5% in ticket sales vs. the previous year, with 25% of these sales being attributed to new audiences.
Casper Stylsvig, Chief Revenue Officer at AC Milan, said:
“Innovation is an important part of AC Milan’s DNA and we are delighted to see our increased focus on digital have such an immediate commercial impact. Our relationship with WePlay has helped us to welcome new fans into the AC Milan community, which is an important part of our ambitious plans to drive revenue for the club.”
Luca Massaro, Chief Executive Officer at WePlay, added:
“AC Milan are one of the biggest football clubs in the world, and it is a great privilege to have agreed to this long-term partnership together. We’re absolutely delighted with the results from our first six months as it showcases not only the attractiveness in the AC Milan brand, but also on how focusing on your direct to consumer marketing strategy can lead to an immediate commercial impact. The understanding and trustworthy relationship between WePlay and AC Milan have allowed us to work together effectively, leading to the great returns on investment that we are seeing.”
About AC Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, more commonly referred to as AC Milan, is a professional football club in Milan, Italy, founded in 1899. The club has spent its entire history – with the exception of two seasons – in the top flight of Italian football.
Seven-time European champions AC Milan are one of the most successful football clubs in world football with a rich history and a total of 30 domestic honours. A.C. Milan’s 18 FIFA and UEFA trophies are the fourth-highest out of any club worldwide, and the most out of any Italian club. The club’s domestic honours include 18 league titles, making the club the joint-second most successful club in the history of Serie A.
Also known as i Rossoneri, Milan’s home games are played at the San Siro. The stadium is the largest in Italian football, with a total capacity of 80,018. The club’s iconic black-and-red striped kit has been worn by some of the greatest players in the world and is widely recognised by football fans all over the globe.
