ClearCourse Sports: Maximising revenue and connecting fans

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ClearCourse Sports
Images credit: ClearCourse Sports

Software developer ClearCourse believe they have found the solution to maximising operations at sporting clubs and stadiums. Their sports focused software, ClearCourse Sports, offers businesses a platform with cutting edge insight into data and analytics of its business operations. The software provides a fully integrated, modular and scalable solution, most effective in a sports retail and hospitality-specific point of sale.

With a modernised inventory management platform, e-commerce setup, and sports oriented fan engagement app, ClearCourse Sports is connecting teams closer to their fans. In a data driven world, clubs are focused more than ever on understanding the spending habits of their fans whilst inside stadiums. With ClearCourse Sports, teams can capture their fans’ transactional data at every solution touch point. Teams can then analyse fan behaviour and engagement, and create a profile specific to each fan. This can lead to a strengthened relationship between the team and fan, resulting in returning visits to matches and further spending.

Why should clubs consider using ClearCourse Sports software?

The company has developed ClearAccept, which sets the new benchmark in integrated payments. With ClearAccept, all payment acceptance methods are built directly into the ClearCourse Sports Platform. This allows clubs to consolidate all payment methods to the one software, saving valuable time and money. ClearAccept also offers non-obligation payment services reviews across a club’s business. The software offers highly competitive rates and has already made existing partners significant savings in operating costs.

The company believes they apply a modern approach to an industry that appears to have hit a plateau. An approach which takes pride in listening, acknowledgment, understanding and reacting in order to provide the most helpful feedback to drive business. With General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and its mandatory compliance now featured in every business, sports clubs are focusing on growing their clean and usable data.

With ClearAccept being a fully integrated solution, it eliminates any human errors that may occur when processing payments. The software has already brought financial growth to several clubs, with English second division club, Ipswich Town, reporting expanded growth in retail revenues over four years.

Paul Macro, Head of Retail Operations at Ipswich Town, was delighted with the results from using ClearCourse Sports.

“We’ve used ClearCourse Sports’ solution for the past three years at Ipswich Town FC,” he said via ClearCourse’s website.

“These have arguably been three of our biggest growth years since 2002 when we were last in the Premier League. The ClearCourse Sports solution allows us to seamlessly manage our entire operation from product buying/setup to sales reporting, pick and despatch, and everything in-between. The live snapshot dashboard allows us to quickly track sales across all locations, accurately, during our busiest days.”

Crossing over codes to Rugby, English Super League side Warrington Wolves have been huge advocates of the ClearCourse technology. Head of Retail, Nicola Bell, reflected on how the software has benefited the club.

“ClearAccept were extremely helpful during the application and instalment process. Moving to integrated payments has not only improved our customer service with a considerably quicker card payment but also reduced the risk of manual errors when taking payment,” she said,

“The ClearAccept online portal is very useful, enabling us to quickly find and resolve any payment issues that may occur. Technical support and account management are of a very high standard, giving us the reassurance there is someone at the end of the phone if any issues should arise. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend ClearAccept.”

For businesses concerned about how many software programs they are currently using, ClearCourse Sports can provide a smooth transition with its third-party integrations. Loyalty and customer relationship management softwares such as Xero, TeamCard and Sports Alliance, can easily be integrated into ClearCourse Sports. E-commerce platforms such as the highly popular Shopify, can also be integrated allowing businesses to deliver products globally in a safe, secure and efficient manner.

Is the system strong enough to handle game-day demands with large attendances at stadiums?

ClearCourse acknowledges and understands the demands of running technologies in a pro sports environment. They have ensured their clients that the software is more then capable of handling the volume of fans who will be purchasing concessions on game-day. Their solution is at the forefront of performance across back office, in stadium POS terminals, and their swift e-commerce setup.

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GIS Masterclass: Fan Engagement and Marketing with Terry Lynam and Karen Grega

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Image Credit: Global Institute of Sport

The Global Institute of Sport recently hosted a masterclass on Fan Engagement and Marketing, bringing together two industry leaders to tackle the field’s most pressing issues.

The Global Institute of Sport (GIS), which offers a Master’s in Sports Business and Sports Analytics through the University of Newcastle, regularly holds masterclasses with industry leaders as part of its curriculum.

The latest focused on fan engagement and marketing, covering two key themes: the growing tension between live sport and online streaming, and the role of data in shaping the fan experience.

The panelists 

Terry Lynam recently concluded her role as General Manager of Fan Experience and Events at Football Australia, overseeing the AFC Women’s Asian Cup on home soil.

Karen Grega is an experienced sports management consultant with a multi-code background. She currently represents Football Coaches Australia (FCA) and Heartbeat of Football, and has previously worked with Sydney Cricket Ground, Venues NSW and Sydney FC.

Live Sport and social media.

Terry Lynam opened with a pointed statement — one she acknowledged would be controversial. She argued that the sense of community unique to live sport is being eroded by social media and ‘snippet’ consumption.

Central to her concern is how marketing teams are failing to segment their audiences, treating casual online viewers the same as matchday fans.

“If they aren’t spending money on the sport we shouldn’t count them as spectators to the same level as match going fans.”

“What we want to consider as marketeers is how much we want to give away and how much we want our live sport element to remain,” Lynam said.

Grega echoed the sentiment, arguing fan engagement ultimately comes down to human connection. “It’s not rocket science.”

She suggested the industry revisit the concept of sport as a family outing to recapture that communal experience.

Data Driving Decisions

Both panelists highlighted data and analytics as central to modern fan engagement.

Grega recalled the introduction of computerised turnstiles as a turning point, enabling teams to track crowd movements and optimise staffing and entry times.

She also noted the continued value of fan surveys in informing marketing decisions.

Lynam pointed to ticketing technology as a significant data frontier.

Modern platforms like Ticketmaster’s ticket-transfer system now provide detailed customer insights.

“It allows us to have a better understanding of who’s getting the ticket and how they transport themselves there or when they arrive,”

“We can personalise their journey and sell content to them,” Lynam commented. 

The discussion also touched on data sourced from social media and on-field player tracking, as well as interactive stadium technology gaining traction in the US.

This included holographic assistants and player headset interactions that bring a broadcast-style experience to live events.

Activations That Educate

Activations rounded out the masterclass, with Lynam detailing how she created a fan zone on a modest budget for the Women’s Asian Cup.

The activation featured charitable partnerships focused on women’s health, including Heartbeat of Football, Endometriosis Australia and Share the Dignity.

“I’m very hopeful that that type of idea gets pushed through on other sporting events,” Lynam said.

Grega elaborated on the Heartbeat of Football activation, highlighting how a competitive element built around CPR and heart health kept fans engaged while also educating them.

“The whole health hub ticked all the boxes — it was immersive, it was interactive, it was there for all ages, both sexes.”

“That sort of blueprint is one that should be replicated as much as possible,” Explained Karen Grega

The masterclass offered students and industry professionals a valuable window into contemporary sports marketing.

As the competition for fan attention intensifies, the blend of live experience, smart data use, and purposeful activations can help define the next chapters of fan engagement.

Eastern Suburbs Football Association Announces First All-Female Referee Course and Expanded Women’s Competition

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Image Credit: Football NSW

The Eastern Suburbs Football Association has opened its 2026 season with three structural investments that reflect the growing ambition of community football associations to address participation, representation and development gaps simultaneously, beginning with the delivery of its first all-female Football Match Official Course.

The course, held at Matraville Sports High School and led by female liaison committee member Michelle Hilton and 2025 Referee of the Year Ariella Richards, brought 25 new female referees into the association ahead of Round 1. The initiative targets one of the most persistent imbalances in community sport, with women remaining significantly underrepresented in officiating roles at every level of the game, by creating a dedicated entry point separate from the mixed course environment that many women find unwelcoming.

The Women’s Premier League has also expanded, now featuring eleven teams and introducing a WPL1 and WPL2 structure following the first ten rounds of the season. The tiered format creates more competition opportunities for clubs across the region while providing a clearer development pathway for teams at different stages of growth. Returning clubs Randwick City, Glebe Wanderers, Easts FC and Sydney University join established sides in what the association describes as one of its most competitive women’s seasons. ESFA clubs have continued to perform strongly in state-wide competitions including the Football NSW Sapphire Cup, State Cup and Champion of Champions.

Building the next generation

The season opened with an inaugural Development League Gala Day for Under-9 to Under-12 boys and girls, bringing eight clubs together in a structured development environment ahead of Round 1. Sydney FC A-League Women’s players attended the event and engaged directly with young participants, a deliberate effort to connect grassroots players with visible examples of where the pathway leads.

“We are committed to creating more opportunities for clubs, players, coaches and referees to thrive, with a strong focus on participation opportunities to suit participants of all abilities and aspirations,” said ESFA CEO John Boulous.

The three initiatives, a new referee entry point for women, an expanded women’s competition structure, and a development-focused junior gala day with elite role models present, together reflect an association responding to the participation pressures the AFC Women’s Asian Cup has brought into sharp relief across Australian football.

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