Carrick Rangers Football Club

What Carrick Rangers Football Club does

Carrick Rangers Football Club is a professional football club founded in 1939 and based in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, competing in the Sports Direct Premiership — the top tier of the Northern Ireland Football League. The club operates a multi-team structure consisting of a First Team (approximately 24 senior players), an Under-20 development squad, a Falcons women's/flexible team, and an Academy youth programme, all coordinated under the Taylors Avenue stadium headquarters (BT38 7HF). On-pitch leadership is provided by First Team Manager Stephen Baxter, with Gary Scott heading the Academy.

The club's commercial model is built on four revenue streams: (i) matchday revenue from ticket and season-ticket sales at Taylors Avenue; (ii) sponsorship — anchored by principal sponsor Hankook and tiered club sponsors (Nomadic Belfast, Fastener Connections, TKE, Strategy Matters) and club partners (35 North, Balmoral Estates, Jeanius, Thompson's Tea, Dominos), plus individual player shirt sponsorships; (iii) merchandise sales through the online club shop, which from Summer 2026 distributes Adidas technical kit produced via Pro:Direct Soccer; and (iv) the Last Man Standing fan-engagement competition (£10 entry, 50% to prize fund, 50% to the Spirit of '76 Supporters Club). Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer across the local Carrickfergus catchment, with digital channels (website, Twitter/X, Facebook pages for Falcons and Academy, newsletter, and Fan+ platform) used for engagement rather than monetization at scale.

The club's customer base segments into local supporters (the "Amber Army") and corporate sponsors. Recent strategic positioning reflects post-2018 restructuring under owner Peter Clarke and majority shareholder Michael Smith: a profitable operating track record since regaining promotion in 2018, the County Antrim Shield victory in January 2026 (first senior silverware in 33 years), a tier-one Adidas kit partnership (May 2026), planned stadium redevelopment with Northern Ireland Football Fund support, and a June 2025 leadership transition that elevated former players Jody Hill (interim Chairman) and Kel McDermott (interim Vice Chairman) into executive roles while Clarke retained Chairmanship of the Limited Company. No technology platform, AI/ML capability, or external funding rounds are disclosed in the source data.

Name

Carrick Rangers Football Club

Legal name

Carrick Rangers Football Club

Website

https://carrickrangers.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Carrick Rangers Football Club is a 1939-founded professional football club based in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, competing in the Sports Direct Premiership. It operates First Team, U20, Falcons women's, and Academy squads, generating revenue from matchday, sponsorship (Hankook principal), merchandise, and the Last Man Standing fan competition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Football Club Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Sporting Goods Retailers (459110)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB)

Keywords

• Professional football club
• Football matchday tickets
• Club merchandise sales
• Youth football academy
• Fan engagement competitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Carrickfergus

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Matchday Revenue: Revenue from ticket sales for home matches at Taylors Avenue stadium, including season tickets and individual match tickets
2. Sponsorship: Principal sponsor (Hankook), club sponsors (Nomadic Belfast, Fastener Connections, TKE, Strategy Matters), club partners (35 North, Balmoral Estates, Jeanius, Thompson's Tea, Dominos), and shirt sponsors for individual players
3. Last Man Standing Competition: Entry fee competition where participants pay £10 to predict Premier League match winners. Prize fund is 50% of entry fees with remaining 50% donated to Spirit of '76 Supporters Club
4. Merchandise and Shop: Club shop selling official merchandise including the new Adidas kit partnership through Pro:Direct Soccer

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Carrick Rangers Football Club fields a senior men's First Team in the Northern Ireland Sports Direct Premiership and runs supporting squads (Under 20, Falcons women's team, Academy youth programme). The club sells match tickets at Taylors Avenue stadium, operates an online merchandise shop featuring Adidas technical kit via Pro:Direct Soccer, and runs a "Last Man Standing" fan-prediction competition (£10 entry fee per participant).

Product overview

Carrick Rangers Football Club operates a multi-tier football organization consisting of the First Team competing in the Sports Direct Premiership, an Under 20 development squad, the Falcons women's/flexible team, and an Academy programme for youth development. The club's commercial offerings include an online merchandise shop, a Last Man Standing fantasy football competition tied to English Premier League fixtures, and match ticketing services. Community engagement is supported through a Wellbeing programme providing mental health resources and the UEFA 10 Point Plan for inclusion and anti-discrimination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• First Team

Quantifiable outcome

• County Antrim Shield win in 2025/26 - first senior silverware in 33 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, principal, club and partner.

• Adidas (through Pro:Direct Soccer)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026Adidas, through Pro:Direct Soccer, became the club's new technical kit partner starting Summer 2026. Pro:Direct will produce official Adidas kit and training wear for all teams across the Club. Michael Smith, Majority Owner, stated this partnership marks an exciting new chapter as Adidas is synonymous with football excellence.
• HankookprincipalGTM or Marketing PartnerHankook is the Principal Sponsor of Carrick Rangers Football Club, providing primary financial backing and brand visibility on club materials.
• Nomadic BelfastclubGTM or Marketing PartnerClub sponsor providing financial support and brand visibility.
• Fastener ConnectionsclubGTM or Marketing PartnerClub sponsor providing financial support and brand visibility.
• TKE (TK Elevator)clubGTM or Marketing PartnerClub sponsor providing financial support and brand visibility.
• Strategy MattersclubGTM or Marketing PartnerClub sponsor providing financial support and brand visibility.
• 35 NorthpartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerClub partner providing additional support and brand visibility.
• Balmoral EstatespartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerClub partner providing additional support and brand visibility.
• JeaniuspartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerClub partner providing additional support and brand visibility.
• Thompson's TeapartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerClub partner providing additional support and brand visibility.
• DominospartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerClub partner providing additional support and brand visibility.
• Spirit of '76 Carrick Rangers Supporters ClubcoreOthersThe supporters club receives 50% of Last Man Standing entry fees and is actively involved in club awards and recognition, with dedicated supporter awards including Player of the Year. The club works closely with supporters through liaison officers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Glentoran FC: Glentoran is a traditional Belfast-based football club competing in the NIFL Premiership, playing at the Oval. Direct league rival with comparable scale, similar Premiership commercial model, and shared NIFL sponsorship/marketing environment.
• Linfield FC: Linfield is Northern Ireland's most successful and decorated football club, competing in the same NIFL Premiership as Carrick Rangers. Direct league and cup competitor with a far larger supporter base and broader commercial footprint, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• Ballymena United FC: Ballymena United is an NIFL Premiership club from County Antrim, currently top of the league table. Direct league rival with a similar semi-professional to professional operating model, comparable matchday and sponsorship scale.
• Dungannon Swifts FC: Dungannon Swifts is an NIFL Premiership club with a comparable small-town operating model. Direct league rival sharing Premiership commercial structures, ticketing and merchandise channels similar to Carrick Rangers.
• Glenavon FC: Glenavon is an NIFL Premiership club from Lurne. Direct league rival sharing the same Premiership fixture schedule, ticketing infrastructure, and broadcast environment as Carrick Rangers.
• Cliftonville FC: Cliftonville is a North Belfast NIFL Premiership club and a direct league rival. Comparable operating model as a community-rooted Premiership club with ticketing, merchandise, and sponsorship revenue streams similar to Carrick Rangers.
• Bangor FC: Bangor FC is a recently promoted NIFL Premiership club from County Down. Direct league rival with a small-market operating model, comparable supporter base dynamics, and shared Premiership competition structure.
• Coleraine FC: Coleraine FC is a long-established NIFL Premiership club based on the North Coast. Direct league competitor with similar community-rooted structure, comparable supporter base size, and overlapping sponsor categories.
• Crusaders FC: Crusaders FC is a Belfast-based NIFL Premiership club, frequent title contender and direct rival of Carrick Rangers. Shares the same Premiership competition structure, supporter base dynamics, and domestic broadcast/sponsorship channels.
• Larne FC: Larne FC is an NIFL Premiership club that has rapidly risen in recent years with significant investment. Direct league competitor with growing commercial operations including sponsorship, ticketing, and merchandise, mirroring Carrick Rangers' structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CarrickRangers
• Facebookfacebook.com/carrickrangers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carrickrangers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Carrick Rangers Football Club