Why digital transformation is vital for Australian football

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Australian football should embrace digital transformation in order for it to succeed and grow into the future.

A simple definition of digital transformation is when businesses or organisations use digital technology to change the way that something is done.

Digital transformation in sport has a vast array of benefits, providing large opportunities for growth and enhancing fan experiences.

Australian football should be looking to provide constant connection with its fans, instead of just during the 90 minutes of a football game.

FAN EXPERIENCE & ENGAGEMENT

While the 2019/20 Hyundai A-League season did have a record amount of fan engagement with a 30% increase in digital followers and a 15% increase in engagements, there are plenty more opportunities to improve fan experience and engagement via digital transformation.

The FIFA 20 Hyundai A-League Tournament during the suspension of the A-League is a great example. It would be interesting to see a tournament like this played every year in the lead up to the season to attract younger fans and build some hype heading into the new campaign.

Social media allows for clubs to connect with fans easily, where press conferences could be live streamed or players could do Q&A’s on Facebook or Instagram Live.

There’s also opportunities at live events – digital activations at sporting events using data from the match can share information with fans at the game and at home.

The MLS and ESPN recently installed a big screen which nearly runs the length of the pitch at its recent ‘MLS is Back’ Tournament.

Tottenham Hotspurs’ new stadium is another example the digital transformation which Australian football should be looking to for inspiration.

The stadium features large video screens, wireless payment, has stadium wide connectivity with large amounts of Wi-Fi access points and has more bandwidth than any other stadium.

For NPL clubs, regular social media posting would allow the club to reach more Australian soccer fans. Branded content also allows clubs to provide more exposure to the sponsors. Clubs could also make money through these types of deals.

COVID-19

This becomes especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic, where some clubs are struggling financially due to seasons being cancelled or less games being played. Branded content could provide clubs with some extra income.

Borussia Dortmund recently signed a partnership with Indian Premier League club Hyderabad FC. Dortmund will be helping to improve Hyderabad’s fan engagement, which will now have to be done in a different way.

“We can’t even think about fans in stadium right now, so it has to be done in a very organic way. We will be doing it through digital means first and soon as we can travel, we’ll have the Fan Liaison Officer to come over to India to give Hyderabad FC an understanding of how the whole phenomenon of the Dortmund fan culture exists. It’ll be a long-stretched process, but I’m positive we’ll get there one day,” Dortmund’s Managing Director for Asia-Pacific Suresh Letchmanan said.

As fans cannot be present at games in the large numbers they’re used to, the fan experience has to be rethought.

Melbourne Victory’s pre-game show ‘Victory TV’  is easily accessible for fans being streamed live on YouTube and Facebook. It provides an easy way for fans to stay engaged with their team during the pandemic.

InCrowd is a fan experience platform and services agency. InCrowd’s Head of partnerships for Australia and New Zealand, Seb Lear, spoke to Ministry of Sport about digital transformation.

“I think this transformation was inevitable and we were already seeing significant progress, but the pandemic has driven many rightsholders to bring their digital plans forward,” Lear said.

“It was Microsoft who said recently that 2 years’ worth of digital transformation had happened in 2 months, and I don’t think sport is any different.”

Mobile-only ticketing is another example of digital transformation that should be considered. This could track when people come into stadiums where they sit allowing for people to be easily identified if there are outbreaks at matches.

OTHER LEAGUES/ORGANISATIONS ARE DOING SO AND FINDING SUCCESS

Other sporting leagues and organisations around the world have embraced digital transformation and are finding success because of it.

“We will be watching this sports content battle closely over the coming year, as well as the success/engagement from the Facebook MLB endeavour, as it could be a sign of things to come with streaming platforms playing a bigger role in global professional sports broadcasting rights in the years ahead and potentially shaking up this market, while adding a major notch on the content belts of Amazon, Facebook and other new tech entrants to this arena,” Daniel Ives, head of technology research at GBH Insights, told CNBC in March 2018.

This has now happened, the sports media landscape has changed and while it is still an option it is no longer absolutely necessary to go through the traditional media organisations.

The sports industry and technology has moved to allow for clubs and organisations to provide direct channels of content straight to consumers.

In the recent FFA online surveys on the XI principles, 72% people believed that the FFA/the leagues should create an on demand/live streaming football platform.

Having all Australian football available in one place would accessing content very easy for consumers.

At a time when A-League clubs are lacking free to air exposure and wanting to reach more fans free live streaming could also be an option.

The A-League in particular should look at having some games being broadcast on a service such as Twitch.

FFA CEO James Johnson recently spoke to NewsCorp about the future of the game.

“I didn’t come back here just to administer the sport. What was interesting to me was really transforming it,” Johnson said.

Transformation is on the horizon and the digital side of it cannot be forgotten.

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The Athlete Management System changing the Data Game

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Image Credit: Teamworks

In today’s high-performance sports landscape, data is a game-changer, and the Teamworks AMS has been regarded as the gold standard in Athlete Management Systems (AMS)

Teamworks is a company dedicated to helping athletes, and the people who support them, reach their full potential through innovative technology.

The company is built by athletes, for athletes, and exists to serve and support the world of sport.

Since its founding in 2006, Teamworks has experienced strong and steady growth.

By continually investing in its team and bringing together top-tier tech companies through strategic acquisitions, Teamworks has been able to offer even greater value and service to its customers.

What started in Durham, North Carolina, has now grown into a global presence—spanning 11 countries and supporting athletes and elite sports organisations around the world.

As of 2025, the company has grown to over 450 employees and has secured $165 million in funding.

The company offers a variety of products and services, however, it’s one of their products, the Teamworks AMS that is changing the data game.

Teamworks AMS is part of the Teamworks Performance lineup, which also includes Teamworks Nutrition (formerly Notemeal).

Together, these connected tools help practitioners and sports scientists provide personalised, well-coordinated care for athletes—boosting performance while helping to prevent injuries.

Teamworks’ AMS helps integrated and multidisciplinary sports performance teams deliver personalised and unified support to elite athletes.

By bringing all the data into one place, it gives coaches and specialists a clear, real-time picture of each player and the team as a whole—so they can make smarter decisions that drive performance every single week.

Teamworks AMS focuses on three key areas to support athlete performance: keeping athletes ready, reducing injuries, and driving long-term development.

Keep Athletes Ready to Perform

By bringing together data on workload, fitness testing and nutrition, users can create tailored programs that help each athlete stay healthy, prepared, and performing at their best.

Reduce Injury Risk and Support Recovery

Integrating performance and medical data makes it easier to identify athletes at risk or in recovery. Foster collaboration to speed recovery and help the athlete return to peak performance.

Develop Each Athlete’s Potential

Leverage data to create personalised development plans built around each athlete’s strengths and areas for improvement—supporting growth both physically and mentally.

Teamworks AMS aggregates performance, health, and medical data from over 100 connected wearables and technologies—giving users more time to focus on analysis and action.

Through the use of the Teamworks AMS app, athletes can build custom, visually rich dashboards to spot trends, make smarter decisions, and help boost performance while reducing injury risk.

So why should Australian soccer clubs and organisations use Teamworks AMS?

In a sport where every detail matters—player readiness, injury prevention, and long-term development—Teamworks AMS offers a cutting-edge solution that will Australian soccer clubs elevate performance and stay competitive at all levels.

Soccer is fast-paced, physically demanding, and leaves little room for unpreparedness.

Teamworks AMS pulls together data to create tailored programs that keep players fit, fresh, and ready for matchday.

With a long season and tight schedules, injury risk is constant.

Teamworks AMS integrates medical and performance data to help identify early warning signs and streamline return-to-play strategies.

This collaborative approach ensures better communication at clubs between coaches and medical staff—minimising downtime and maximising impact on the field.

Whether nurturing academy talent or refining senior players, Teamworks AMS helps coaches and performance staff build data-driven Individual Development Plans.

These plans are tailored to each player’s strengths and weaknesses, supporting both physical growth and mental resilience—critical for consistent performance in competitive soccer.

With the A-Leagues, NPL, and youth academies continuing to grow in professionalism and player expectations, Australian soccer clubs need tools that keep pace.

In a world where performance is defined by precision, Teamworks AMS stands out as the gold standard in athlete management—empowering teams with the data, tools, and insights they need to unlock peak potential and stay ahead of the game.

TSG Hoffenheim extends partnership with SAP until 2030

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Image Credit: TSG Hoffenheim Website

TSG Hoffenheim has confirmed a long-term extension of its partnership with SAP, one of the most established and technology-driven sponsorships in German football. The renewed agreement, running through to 2030, will see SAP continue as main sponsor, front-of-shirt partner, and official technology partner — while expanding its involvement across the women’s and academy teams.

This extension highlights the strong commitment from both parties and reinforces the growing importance of tech-focused partnerships in shaping modern football strategy and infrastructure.

Among the Bundesliga’s Longest-Standing Sponsorships

SAP has featured on Hoffenheim’s kits since the 2013/14 season, making it one of the Bundesliga’s three longest-running front-of-shirt sponsors. The expanded deal includes:

  • Continued main sponsorship of the men’s first team
  • Sleeve sponsorship for the TSG Hoffenheim women’s team from the 2025/26 season
  • Shirt sponsorship for the club’s academy sides (U16–U19)
  • Branding on training gear and matchday apparel
  • In-stadium branding, including façade signage and TV-facing boards
  • Naming rights to specific stands and hospitality areas at Hoffenheim’s home ground

Managing Director of Marketing and Sales at TSG Hoffenheim, Tim Jost, underlines the club’s strong commitment to SAP and the future of their joint venture.

“Two strong brands from the region are stepping into the future together. We are delighted to extend our intensive partnership with SAP for the long term.

“SAP’s commitment goes far beyond that of a main and shirt sponsor. SAP’s technical expertise is the basis for our role as an innovation leader. In addition, the extension shows once again that TSG have a loyal partner in SAP, who by agreeing to a long-term extension are sending a strong signal of trust in times of change,” he said via press release.

This renewal comes at a time when stability and strategic partnerships are more important than ever in football sponsorship, especially given evolving economic conditions and club ownership models.

A Broader Partnership Beyond Branding

SAP will continue as Hoffenheim’s official technology partner, providing data integration, analytics, and digital performance tools to support both sporting and business operations.

For Hoffenheim, the agreement extends beyond financial support — SAP’s involvement helps position the club as one of the Bundesliga’s most innovation-driven organisations, with projects spanning player tracking, injury prevention, and fan experience enhancements.

The partnership also reflects a strong regional connection, both SAP and Hoffenheim are based in Baden-Württemberg, fostering shared community values and a regional identity.

A Model of Stability and Regional Collaboration

This extension exemplifies a regionally grounded sponsorship with global impact. SAP, a multinational company with over 108,000 employees, remains a locally rooted partner in Walldorf, just 20 kilometres from Hoffenheim’s home base.

From a commercial standpoint, this ongoing alliance strengthens TSG Hoffenheim’s reputation as a long-term, values-aligned sponsorship platform for premium, tech-focused brands.

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