Why Good Communication Matters for Grassroots Sports Clubs
Grassroots sport is built on people.
Players, coaches, volunteers, committee members, parents, supporters and sponsors all play their part in keeping community clubs going. But with so much work taking place behind the scenes, one area can sometimes get overlooked — communication.
For many clubs, updating the website or posting on social media is another job added to an already long list for volunteers.
But good communication isn’t simply about posting a team sheet or a final score.
Done properly, it can help strengthen the entire club.
Tell the whole club’s story
Every club has stories worth telling.
A first-team victory might grab attention on a Saturday afternoon, but what about the junior side reaching a final, the volunteer who has given 30 years of service, the coach gaining a new qualification or the local business that has agreed to sponsor the club?
These are the stories that show what a community sports club is really about.
Regular content helps supporters feel connected to their club and gives players, parents, volunteers and sponsors something they are proud to share.
Give your sponsors more value
Sponsorship is hugely important to grassroots sport.
Businesses don’t necessarily expect thousands of views from supporting a community club, but they should feel valued.
A sponsor announcement when they come on board is great — but why should their exposure end there?
Regular sponsor features, thank-you posts and mentions within club content can demonstrate that the club genuinely values its commercial partners.
That could also make those businesses more likely to continue their support in future seasons.
Keep supporters engaged throughout the week
Club communication shouldn’t begin an hour before kick-off and finish when the final score is posted.
A simple weekly content plan could include:
- Monday — weekend round-up
- Tuesday — player, coach or volunteer feature
- Wednesday — club news or sponsor promotion
- Thursday — weekend fixture build-up
- Friday — team or event information
- Saturday/Sunday — match-day and results content
Suddenly, the club has something meaningful to talk about throughout the week.
Don’t forget your website
Social media is important, but club websites still have a valuable role.
Match reports, club announcements, interviews and longer features can create a permanent record of the club’s season and history.
Social media moves quickly. A good website article can still be found months or even years later.
The strongest approach is often to use the two together — publish the full story on your website and use social media to bring people to it.
Celebrate the people behind the club
Some of the best grassroots sports stories have nothing to do with results.
Recognising volunteers, celebrating milestones and telling the stories of people who have dedicated years to their club can produce some of the most engaging content.
It also sends an important message:
People are valued here.
Consistency is more important than quantity
A club doesn’t need to post ten times every day.
It’s far better to produce a smaller amount of useful, engaging content consistently.
Supporters should become accustomed to seeing regular updates from their club rather than hearing nothing for several weeks followed by a sudden burst of posts.
The challenge, of course, is finding somebody with the time to do it.
And that’s one of the reasons ClubReach Media was created.
Helping Your Club Reach Further
We understand that community sports clubs are largely powered by volunteers.
Finding somebody to regularly write reports, update a website, promote sponsors and create social media content isn’t always easy.
ClubReach Media provides an affordable way for clubs to access professional media and communications support without employing a full-time media officer.
You provide the information. We create the content.
Whether that’s a weekly club report, fixture preview, sponsor feature, website article or regular social media content, our aim is simple:
Help your club tell its story and reach more people.
ClubReach Media
Sports Media & Communications
Helping Your Club Reach Further.
