I wanted to get deep in this theme for quite some time.
Let’s talk about Financial sustainability in a Football local Academy.

To start, the management requires a well-structured business model that balances revenue generation with cost control. 

Therefore, let’s start by getting details about the “normal” income streams every Academy has access to, which are somehow restricted to:

• Academy Sessions fees (paid per Session, weekly, monthly, termly, etc)
• Registration fees
• Competitive fees (to participate in Official/private competitions)
• Kits

Depending on the location, market development and stage, these are pretty straightforward income streams that virtually all academies have access to.

Don’t get me wrong, they are challenging themselves.

For example, kits are (usually) a third-party responsibility. 

That means less work, but also less control over timings, which can turn out to be a headache you would prefer to avoid. 

But, are you ready to accommodate storage?

What you going to do with the unsold pieces?

Challenges after challenges.

Additionally, the problem is that, taking in consideration the costs to run such businesses – from working hours and workload, staff demographics and profile, potentially fields to rent, working on weekends, etc – creates a real challenge to be done smoothly, relying on the “good will” of the majority involved to survive.

Forget about getting a great profit.

At least, at the beginning stages.

This assumption brings us to the point where Football Clubs are going through as we speak and that will impact Academies sooner or later – how to create more income streams?

Well, key strategies can include creating diverse income streams such as player fees, sponsorship deals, partnerships, or offering specialized training programs. 

On player fees, meaning the fees Clubs will eventually pay for your players (even when they are no longer related to your Club or Academy) is something that FIFA already got their hands-on and are always updating legislation to protect the Clubs in these kind of situations.

On the other hand, individual specialized training programs, sponsorship and partnerships are rare to see in small clubs or at Academy level still. 

Or, at least not so developed, in comparison with the quality of the training methodologies or coaching qualifications, for instance.

Why?

How many Academies you know that are managed as companies?
Those where it becomes important (and normal) to be regularly analyzing financial reports and having a clear vision of future expansion ?

Where there’s a need to have a Business Development Strategy?
Where there’s a Marketing Strategy?

Now, don’t mislead the premisse here – the love for the Game.

That’s the “why” reuniting all these people at your Academy.

But when there are lives, salaries and families involved, it needs to be taken seriously.

Moreover, a greater vision for the Academy needs both the balance between reinvestment into facilities, staff education and growth plans, Youth Development (ie. creating more opportunities to have access to more scholarships, better players and teams, be more competitive, create greater awareness, etc) just as a plan for the financial sustainability of the Academy.

These plans must be driven by the focus of ensuring the Academy remains financially stable, always.

What are you doing?
How have you been able to sustain in this more and more competitive environment?

Let me know!