By Morten Suhr Hansen
Across the major European countries, August also marks the start of the top football leagues. For all of us football fans, it’s a highly anticipated time, especially after a summer where we had to make do with cycling races and an underwhelming, overhyped Club World Cup. We are hungry for the big football experiences, live and on the big screen.
August feels as it always does for fans, and yet it seems like something is changing—particularly in the relationship between major clubs and their supporters.
I am a lifelong supporter of Liverpool FC, so much so that I traveled to Anfield last weekend to see the season’s opening match against Bournemouth.
Liverpool FC and F.C. København succeed with their own fan subscriptions
An amazing experience, but my season actually started earlier this year, when I bought a subscription directly from Liverpool to follow pre-season matches. Liverpool, like many other clubs, is increasingly acting as a media house, producing content and streaming matches directly, then selling access through memberships and subscriptions.
A Liverpool “All Red Full” membership costs GBP 42.99, roughly 370 DKK.
Another example came earlier in August, when F.C. København faced Malmö FF in a crucial Champions League qualifier. The club chose to stream the match exclusively on its own platform, making it available only to members of its fan subscription, FCK+.
Viaplay had expressed interest in broadcasting the match but was turned down. For F.C. København, the goal was to boost FCK+ interest and drive new subscriptions.
These two clubs are just part of a broader trend. Football clubs like Manchester United, FC Barcelona, and Boca Juniors are on a similar journey, as are clubs in American football, ice hockey, and Formula 1, all developing their own fan subscriptions.
What does this shift mean for the sports economic value chain?
We are seeing significant changes. For decades, professional sports economies have relied on a simple cycle: the club provides entertainment on the field, and TV stations and media handle distribution. TV rights have been a major revenue source and a cornerstone of club finances.
But as this model shifts, what happens to the value chain? First, it challenges traditional roles. Clubs are no longer just content creators – they become media houses and distributors themselves. This gives them freedom: they own the fan relationship, can design the experience without intermediaries, and retain a larger share of the value they create.
Second, the power balance in rights economics shifts. Broadcasters have long paid billions for rights because live sports remain one of the few formats that reliably draw audiences. When clubs retain rights, supply to traditional broadcasters decreases, and the pricing of broadcast packages may be affected.
Third, a new commercial logic emerges: subscriptions. Instead of sharing revenue from a rights pool, clubs can generate a stable, predictable income stream directly from fans worldwide. A fan in Tokyo or Toronto no longer depends on a local broadcaster—they can go directly to the club’s app or streaming service.
Subscriptions are the key to closer fan relationships
Of course, challenges remain. Building a global streaming platform requires investment in technology, production, and marketing – resources not all clubs can manage. There is also the risk of fragmenting the fan experience if rights are spread across multiple platforms. And collective league agreements still hold great value, as selling a bundled package has its advantages.
Nevertheless, the direction is clear: clubs are taking greater control over the value chain and becoming media brands in their own right. The future of sports is not just about 90 minutes on the pitch; it’s about being close to fans 24/7. Control over content and rights is a key resource, and the subscription model brings clubs closer to their supporters.
