Sports should unite, inspire and create a sense of community, but that only happens when teams and sports associations know their fans. That's why TeamNL and CM.com have teamed up to get to know every Oranje fan and give them the personalised experience they deserve.
TeamNL, the face of NOC*NSF, represents Dutch top athletes on the international stage. From rising talents in Athletics to champions in Swimming, TeamNL is the team that represents the Netherlands year-round at the European Championships, World Championships and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
TeamNL is determined not only to increase the visibility of athletes but also to create a deeper, lasting connection with fans. Watching together, celebrating together—sport is an experience for everyone.
TeamNL already had a large group of followers, but it lacked a personal connection and deeper engagement. Every Oranje fan is unique. Whether they’re sports enthusiasts, rising talents, ticket holders or home supporters, they all seek to immerse themselves in the excitement of the game. The challenge was to get to know the fans better and ignite their passion for TeamNL. Rather than passively watching sports, TeamNL wants fans to feel connected to the athletes’ achievements and be a part of Oranje, wherever they are.
What sports are fans interested in? Will they attend upcoming events? Do they want to buy tickets, and if so, for which days? This information helps shape and enrich fan profiles, so TeamNL can provide them with the relevant information and offers for the ultimate sports experience.
"With the TeamNL House, we were able to make a valuable contribution to TeamNL's strategy of turning followers into true fans," said Suuz Boven, Campaign Manager of TeamNL House. "We had full control over all communication because, for the first time this year, we had our own TeamNL House. As a result, we were able to provide over 250,000 fans with unique offers and relevant information."
In addition to boosting engagement around top athletes, TeamNL also wants to support grassroots sports in the Netherlands. The overarching strategic goal of NOC*NSF is to get more people active by inspiring and motivating them through top-level sports performances. TeamNL also aims to make sports more accessible and encourage people to get moving. To achieve this, building a sustainable relationship with fans is key and fan profiles play a crucial role. Jasper Hunting, Interim Partnership Strategist, explains the goal TeamNL is striving towards:
The goal of NOC*NSF is to make the Netherlands the most athletic country in the world by 2032. That involves both top-level and grassroots sports KPIs. In elite sports, we aim to remain a top-10 country in terms of performance, but we also want to ensure that around 12 million people regularly engage in sports 2 to 3 times a week. Fan profiles are essential for this as well.
NOC*NSF needed a reliable and professional partner to help achieve its ambitious goals—a technology partner that wouldn’t just be a supplier but also actively think about strategies and fan journeys. This partnership would explore new ways to serve fans and get the most out of the tools available.
"We were looking for a reliable and professional partner to help us process large amounts of data and pre-registrations effectively. A partner who could contribute to the journeys and think proactively—CM.com was the obvious choice," says Jasper Hunting.
CM.com’s software provides the right tools and technology to enhance the fan experience, manage ticket sales, engage with fans and collect data to personalise experiences.
"It really felt like a joint project," says Suuz, "CM.com took us by the hand and showed us what was possible, allowing us to lay a solid foundation together to build upon for an optimal fan experience."
For TeamNL, this was the first time they worked with fan profiles and personalised communication on such a large scale. Thanks to CM.com’s tools, TeamNL could operate from one central platform where everything—from email campaigns and ticketing to WhatsApp campaigns and data—was managed, creating a more efficient and streamlined workflow for the entire team.
The first major test of the partnership between TeamNL and CM.com took place during the 2024 Paris Olympics. TeamNL House was no longer just a physical venue where fans gathered to celebrate the achievements of their favourite athletes; it also became a digital experience that brought fans closer to the event.
We guide fans from the moment they pre-register, supporting them throughout their entire journey with relevant information and exciting activities in collaboration with our TeamNL House partners, says Suuz.
TeamNL started early by building fan profiles through a pre-registration campaign, where fans could indicate their interest in specific sports, athletes, preferred days and communication channels. Based on this data, TeamNL delivered a tailor-made fan experience from day one with targeted communication campaigns. Fans received personalised emails, push notifications, and WhatsApp messages with relevant information and exciting offers.
The TeamNL House app, developed with CM.com, played a crucial role in collecting data and staying in touch with fans. Push notifications ensured that fans stayed informed about their favourite sports and athletes—based on their preferences in the app. They received timely updates about match times when their idols were competing and when new videos or other exclusive content became available in the app. Additionally, the app offered a daily overview of all sports and events and provided information about TeamNL House, including an in-app merchandise store. This ensured that fans not only received information but were also directly engaged with the sports events and top athletes they found interesting. A key benefit of the app was how TeamNL could give their partners additional exposure: through push notifications and mobile-only tickets, partners gained a valuable platform and created a strong incentive to download the app.
Using location-based technology, TeamNL could also send push notifications via the TeamNL app to fans near the House who hadn’t yet bought a ticket. This not only increased engagement but also ensured that last-minute tickets were sold quickly.
Ticket sales were handled through CM.com’s ticketing platform. For fans unable to use their tickets for any reason, TeamNL offered a convenient resale option via the platform. This allowed ticket holders to easily resell their tickets, giving other fans the opportunity to visit TeamNL House. This flexible ticket service perfectly matched the dynamic nature of TeamNL House.
The partnership with CM.com not only led to success during the Paris Olympics but also laid the foundation for long-term fan engagement. Thanks to CM.com’s tools, TeamNL was able to reach out to fans in a more personalised and targeted way, keeping the Oranje spirit alive no matter where the fans were. From attendees to home supporters, no one had to miss a thing thanks to the intensive and personalised communication.
The collaboration between TeamNL and CM.com was more than just technology from the start. CM.com acted as a true partner, thinking ahead and planning to fully leverage the possibilities for fan engagement and the sports experience, says Marloes Wesselink, project manager at TeamNL House.
During the Olympics, CM.com’s team was physically present in Paris, further reinforcing the collaborative nature of the project. "CM.com truly felt like an extension of our team," says Marloes. "They weren’t just a supplier; they were a partner helping us achieve our ambitions and build a unique fan experience."
The constant collaboration between the two parties ensured that the project was not only successful during the games but also paved the way for future growth and innovation.
Does it end here? Absolutely not. While TeamNL House made a strong debut during the Paris Olympics, this was just the beginning. TeamNL is now ready to continue growing its fanbase and deepen its relationship with its fans. The success of the Olympics has demonstrated what’s possible when technology and sport come together. With all fan profiles and data managed centrally on one platform, TeamNL can keep fans engaged year-round. The goal is to connect with fans not just around major events like the Olympics, but to keep them engaged with TeamNL and Dutch sports throughout the year.
"The Olympics were just the start," says Marloes. "We are now able to keep our fans informed and engaged year-round with everything related to TeamNL. Thanks to CM.com, we can offer truly customised fan experiences that bring fans closer to their sports heroes."
The collaboration between TeamNL and CM.com has opened the door to a new era of fan engagement. With advanced technology, data and a well-thought-out customer journey, both parties have built a strong foundation for sustainable fan engagement. TeamNL and CM.com are ready to continue building an exciting sports experience that will take Dutch sports to new heights. On to Milan-Cortina.
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