Bristol City F.C. & Bristol Bears - Case Study & Results DNRG

Bristol City F.C. & Bristol Bears

Bristol Bears and Bristol City F.C., two key teams within the Bristol Sport family, had ambitious aims for the 2023/24 season: to engage new audiences, increase ticket sales, and break club attendance records, all while driving revenue across merchandise and hospitality. Both clubs enjoy strong, loyal fan bases, yet they face the familiar challenges of sports marketing—tight budgets, packed fixture lists, and increased competition from televised games.

To support these commercial objectives, Bristol Sport partnered with DNRG, a digital marketing agency known for its expertise in the sports sector. Acting as an extension of Bristol Sport’s marketing team, DNRG has spent the last 20 months immersed in the business, providing specialist digital knowledge, tailored audience data, and an agile approach to campaign delivery. By combining audience segmentation, strategic creative, and data-driven insights, DNRG helped Bristol Bears and Bristol City F.C. hit new attendance records, increase ticket sales, and achieve impressive ROAS (Return on Ad Spend), all while building a foundation for sustained fan engagement and long-term growth.

Bristol City F.C. & Bristol Bears Case Study

challenge.

DNRG was tasked with helping Bristol Bears and Bristol City F.C. meet ambitious goals, targeting record-breaking attendance and revenue growth. The primary objectives included:

  1. Breaking attendance records
  2. Achieving season ticket targets
  3. Boosting merchandise and shirt sales
  4. Increasing hospitality ticket sales
  5. Maximising ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
  6. Winning new, long-term audiences

While sports clubs benefit from loyal fan bases, they face challenges such as budget constraints, staff limitations, and increased competition from televised games. DNRG needed to segment the audience, understand the specific motivators for each fan group, and drive engagement through carefully crafted, targeted campaigns.

solution.

DNRG implemented a robust, data-driven marketing strategy focused on highly segmented audience targeting and tailored creative messaging:

  1. Audience Segmentation
    DNRG developed 531 ad sets targeting distinct audience types, recognising the unique motivations of fan segments—from die-hard supporters and families to corporate groups and socialisers. By aligning messages with fan values and buying motives, DNRG created a customised fan experience that appealed to each segment’s interests and needs.
  2. Campaign Execution
    DNRG launched 85 campaigns, delivering 531 creatives across different channels (META, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Google) to reach diverse fan demographics:

    • Family-friendly messaging: Ads promoted weekend games as family experiences, with cosy visuals and inclusive messaging.
    • Corporate and business engagement: Hospitality packages and event promotions targeted local businesses and sponsor audiences.
    • Social groups and younger fans: Friday night games were marketed as social events, encouraging groups and younger audiences to join.
  3. First-Party Data & New Audience Acquisition
    DNRG leveraged first-party data for accurate segmentation while using digital channels to attract new audiences by promoting the excitement and community aspect of being part of Bristol Sport.

results.

The campaigns drove significant results across all metrics, with record-breaking attendance and engagement rates:

  • Bristol Bears achieved an average attendance record of 18,936, while Bristol City F.C. set a club record with an average attendance of 22,446 (9.6% year-on-year increase).
  • Achieved a ROAS of 7.48 for Bristol Bears and 4.97 for Bristol City F.C.
  • 32.9% increase in group ticket purchases per game, a 12.4% increase in attendance by Under-12s, and an 11.9% increase by Under-19s.
  • Total campaign engagement:
    • Bristol Bears: 63 campaigns, 396 ad sets, 588 ads, and 99,391 link clicks.
    • Bristol City F.C.: 22 campaigns, 135 ad sets, 471 ads, and 58,673 link clicks.

Why This Campaign Stands Out

Despite the complexities of sports marketing, DNRG’s segmentation-driven approach and creative flexibility enabled Bristol Sport to reach record attendances and new audience segments. By addressing individual audience needs and prioritising data-backed insights, DNRG elevated fan engagement, loyalty, and revenue growth, making this campaign a successful model for sports marketing excellence.

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