The Football Association of Wales (FA Wales) used Campaignware to learn who sits behind its 2 million-plus social media followers. The Welsh FA ran a season-long prediction league and short campaigns around national team matches, with 3,000 to 4,000 supporters taking part in each campaign and every entry adding first-party data it owns.
The challenge
FA Wales had built a large digital presence, with more than 2 million social media followers. Likes, shares and comments showed people were interacting. They didn't show who those supporters were, where they lived or which parts of Welsh football they cared about most.
Without that data, the association couldn't segment its audience, personalise communication or plan for long-term fan retention. Its reach also depended on social platforms and their algorithms. If engagement dropped or the rules changed, it risked losing direct access to a large share of its followers.
Email capture mattered, particularly for ticket sales. The bigger goal was first-party data: knowing supporters well enough to build long-term relationships with them beyond social media.
What they did
FA Wales had tried another interactive content provider first, but it lacked the flexibility and speed the team needed to grow engagement quickly. It moved to Campaignware for four reasons:
- Fast to launch. Ready-made templates let the team run campaigns quickly.
- Proven in sport. The team could learn from what works for other teams and leagues.
- Data capture built in. Every campaign helped grow its email database and segment supporters.
- Hands-on support. The Campaignware team gave guidance on getting the most from each campaign.
The team used gamification to collect audience insight, not just interaction, with two types of campaign:
- Always on. A season-long prediction league for the domestic National League, which attracts more than 500 regular players. FA Wales had little data on domestic league supporters, so this found an audience it hadn't known before, showed how they behave and opened a direct line to them.
- Short-term. Campaigns around national team matches, including predictors, quizzes and ‘magic moments’ content, each attracting 3,000 to 4,000 participants.
Testing different formats showed which interactions supporters responded to most. Engagement peaked around major national team events, which showed the team where attention was highest.
As the data grew, FA Wales commissioned a full data audit to map its audience segments and engagement patterns. The findings will guide its marketing, content and sponsorship plans, so it can tailor communication, personalise fan experiences and build a long-term engagement strategy.
The results
FA Wales doesn't share subscriber or revenue figures. Here is what it can share:
- 3,000 to 4,000 supporters took part in each short-term campaign around national team matches.
- More than 500 regular players joined the season-long National League prediction league, a domestic football audience the association hadn't known before.
- Thousands of fan interactions became first-party data that helps FA Wales understand its audience.
- Strong participation made the case to scale up, and FA Wales hired a dedicated digital engagement executive.
- The ongoing data strategy now shapes marketing, ticketing and commercial decisions. With a clearer picture of its audience, FA Wales can create more targeted campaigns, drive ticket sales and strengthen sponsorship value.
In their words
“Introducing Campaignware to our digital toolbox has revolutionised our approach to fan engagement and data acquisition.”
Gareth Rogers, Digital Engagement Officer, FA Wales
“Campaignware does everything we needed but in a way that was more agile and easier to implement.”
Gareth Rogers, Digital Engagement Officer, FA Wales
“Every game we create gets thousands of players. If we did more, we’d get closer to our goals much faster.”
Gareth Rogers, Digital Engagement Officer, FA Wales
Key takeaways
- Pair an always-on campaign with short campaigns around big fixtures. One builds a loyal segment; the other reaches thousands at once.
- Use campaigns to find audiences you hold no data on, such as domestic league supporters.
- Plan how you'll use the data. An audit of who took part turns entries into decisions on marketing, ticketing and sponsorship.
Try it for your club or association
Run a season-long prediction league or tipping competition with the tipping and pick'em template, then add quick predictors and quizzes around your biggest matches. See how governing bodies, leagues and clubs use our fan engagement platform.