Premier League club Everton has entered the mobile phone market with a service offering fans exclusive rewards and experiences. But with fans already spending heavily on football, is there really a need for the Blues to enter the telecoms market?
There is no need for a football club to launch its own mobile phone service, according to Robin Brown, Managing Director of Sport Telecoms, the company behind Everton Mobile.
But that has not stopped the Blues from entering the telecoms market, with the club launching Everton Mobile earlier this month in a move designed to generate additional revenue while offering supporters a new way to connect with their team.
The service, operated by Sport Telecoms, allows Everton fans to switch to a club-branded mobile provider. It is an unusual move for a Premier League club, particularly at a time when supporters are already spending considerable amounts on tickets, merchandise and memberships.
However, Brown insists the venture is about giving supporters another option rather than expecting them to spend more money.
“There’s no need. It’s an option. Clubs already partner with brands for kits, banking and travel. This does the same for something fans already pay for every month,” he tells Mobile Europe.
Why has Everton launched it now?
The idea has been in development for some time, with discussions between Everton and Sport Telecoms stretching back to 2025.
For Brown, the thinking behind the partnership was straightforward. Football supporters already spend money on their mobile phones every month, but that spending does nothing to benefit the clubs they follow, he says.
“The starting point was simple: the vast majority of fans already pay a network for their mobile phone every month, and none of that has ever come back to the club they support,” Brown notes. “The question was how to create a new revenue stream that doesn’t cost the fan anymore and doesn’t need any upfront investment from the club. Fans pay a standard market price for a service they’d be paying for anyway, and the club benefits from it. It works for both sides and is a win-win.”
“The timing also felt right with the recent move to Hill Dickinson Stadium. It’s a new chapter for the club, and a good moment to give supporters some new offerings and access,” he notes.
How much will Everton make from this new venture?
The financial details of the partnership have not been disclosed, although Brown revealed Everton will receive a share of the revenue generated as more supporters sign up. However, Brown says the club is taking a long-term approach rather than expecting an immediate financial windfall.
“For us, success isn’t about a headline number in year one. It’s about fans joining, being happy with the service offered and staying with us. If we get the product and the service right, the revenue follows, and that benefits the club for years to come,” he explains.
Sport Telecoms will handle customer support and the daily running of the service, with Everton retaining oversight of how its name is used and how supporters are treated.
Can Everton compete with the big networks?
One of the biggest questions surrounding Everton Mobile is how it can compete with established providers in an already crowded market. Rather than competing directly with the major networks on infrastructure, Everton Mobile uses their existing coverage.
At the time of launch, Everton Chief Revenue Officer, Aaron Duckmanton, said: “The thinking behind Everton Mobile was simple: this is a service all supporters have a need for so how can we give them more value from it as Evertonians?
“We have worked to create plans that are straightforward, flexible and competitively priced, with access to the O2 or Vodafone networks, while also offering supporters something their usual mobile provider can’t – opportunities and experiences that bring them closer to their Club.
However, Brown believes the difference lies in what the club can offer beyond a standard phone contract.
He explains: “We’re not trying to compete with them on network coverage, because we run on their networks. The networks provide the coverage, so the signal and reliability are the same.”
Those benefits include monthly prize draws for stadium tours, signed shirts, match tickets and exclusive calls with current and former players, depending on the package.
Meanwhile, the launch inevitably raises questions about whether the football club are asking too much of supporters who already spend heavily following the club. With tickets, shirts and memberships adding up throughout the season, some fans may be reluctant to sign up for another club-branded product.
Brown, however, argues that Everton Mobile is not intended to increase supporters’ monthly spending.
He concludes: “Fans already spend a lot of money following their club. However, Everton Mobile isn’t an extra cost. It replaces a bill most people are already paying monthly.”
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