What Betaald Voetbal De Graafschap does

Betaald Voetbal De Graafschap BV is a Dutch professional football club founded in 1954 and headquartered in Doetinchem, Netherlands. The club fields a men's first team that competes in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie (the second tier of Dutch professional football), along with a women's team (De Graafschap Vrouwen), a youth academy (Jeugdopleiding), and the official De Vijverberg stadium operations. Its core operations span matchday, merchandising, sponsorship, hospitality, and community programming, with the club acting simultaneously as a sports franchise, a regional retail/e-commerce operator, and a B2B networking platform for the Achterhoek region.

The club's commercial offering comprises six distinct revenue streams: match tickets and season tickets, merchandise (kits, training wear, scarves, accessories, novelty items) sold through the "De Graafshop" webshop and physical stadium outlets, tiered sponsorships (main sponsor Autohopper, digital partner BIG FAT Internet, plus premium, official, kit, and division-tier partners), a Business Club with 400+ member companies, hospitality and venue rental services at De Vijverberg (including the 1,700-capacity Nedcon Lounge), and youth football camps for ages 6–15. Its technology footprint is modest: an official iOS mobile app, an e-commerce platform (built/maintained by digital partner BIG FAT Internet), and digital channels for ticketing and supporter engagement. There are no disclosed proprietary technology platforms, no AI/ML systems, and no developer APIs or SDKs.

The business model relies on three complementary revenue mechanics: (1) one-time consumer transactions (tickets, merchandise, camp fees) priced in single-digit to low-triple-digit euro amounts (e.g., home shirt €72.95, scarf €14.95, keychain €2.50); (2) recurring B2B subscriptions (sponsor contracts and Business Club memberships); and (3) professional services revenue from corporate event hire. Customer segments split between regional football supporters (primary, persona), 400+ B2B sponsors/partners (primary, business), youth players 6–15 (secondary), and corporate event organizers (secondary). Geographic operations are concentrated in the Achterhoek region of the Netherlands, with e-commerce shipping extending to Germany and Belgium. The club is privately held (BV structure), operates without a parent company, and is not listed.

Name

Betaald Voetbal De Graafschap

Legal name

Betaald Voetbal De Graafschap BV

Website

https://degraafschap.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Betaald Voetbal De Graafschap is a Dutch professional football club founded in 1954 in Doetinchem that competes in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, generating revenue from matchday tickets, merchandise, sponsorship, a 400+ member Business Club, stadium hospitality, and youth camps.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Football Club

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sports & Stadium-Adjacent Conference Hotels (THAGALAO)

Keywords

• Professional football club
• Match ticket sales
• Sports merchandise retail
• Football sponsorship packages
• Stadium hospitality services

Headquarters

HQ city

Doetinchem

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Revenue from match tickets and season tickets for home games at Stadion De Vijverberg in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie
2. Merchandise sales: Online webshop sales of official club merchandise including shirts, accessories, and memorabilia
3. Sponsorship: Multiple sponsorship tiers including main sponsor (Autohopper), digital partner, premium partners, official partners, kit sponsors, and division partners providing recurring revenue
4. Business Club membership: Over 400 member companies access networking events, hospitality, and business development opportunities through the Business Club
5. Hospitality and event services: Stadium venues rented for corporate events, weddings, parties, and meetings including Nedcon Lounge (capacity 1700), various lounges, and catering services
6. Youth soccer camps: Summer football training camps for boys and girls aged 6-15 years organized during school holidays

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Betaald Voetbal De Graafschap is a professional football club competing in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie (Dutch second-tier league). The club operates Stadion De Vijverberg in Doetinchem and generates revenue through match ticket sales, official club merchandise, multi-tier corporate sponsorships, Business Club memberships for 400+ companies, youth football camps, and stadium hospitality and event rentals.

Product overview

Betaald Voetbal De Graafschap is a professional football club operating primarily in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. The club offers official merchandise products including match kits (home and away shirts, shorts, and socks for adults and children), training apparel, and supporter merchandise such as scarves, flags, accessories, and novelty items. The merchandise portfolio is organized into categories: Tenues (match kits), Training, Casual, and Diversen (accessories and novelty items). The club's webshop 'De Graafshop' serves as the primary retail channel, offering products in collaboration with kit supplier Robey. Additionally, the club operates event and hospitality services at Stadion De Vijverberg through its business club and horeca (hospitality) divisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• De Graafschap Vrouwen: The women's football team of De Graafschap, competing in Dutch women's football.
• Superboeren
• De Graafschap Verbindt

Products and services

• Match Tickets and Season Tickets Single-match tickets and annual season cards for home games at Stadion De Vijverberg in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, sold online via kaartverkoop.degraafschap.nl and at the stadium.
• Official Club Merchandise Online and stadium retail of official De Graafschap merchandise including match kits (home, away, kids), training apparel, scarves, flags, accessories, and memorabilia via the De Graafshop webshop.
• Sponsorship Packages Multi-tier corporate sponsorship including main sponsor (Autohopper), digital partner, premium partners, official partners, kit sponsors, and division partners providing recurring visibility and activation rights.
• Business Club Membership Recurring membership program for 400+ regional companies providing access to networking events, corporate hospitality, and business development opportunities at Stadion De Vijverberg.
• Stadium Hospitality and Event Venue Rentals Rental of stadium venues including the Nedcon Lounge (capacity 1,700), other lounges, and catering services for corporate events, weddings, parties, meetings, and conferences.
• Youth Soccer Camps Summer football training camps organized during school holidays for boys and girls aged 6-15 years.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, primary, premium, talent, official, kit sponsor, division and clothing.

• Nas Cleaningservices B.V.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 June 2025Cleaning services company from Doetinchem, newest member of the Business Club, providing sponsorship and local business support
• FITRISEminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 December 2024Lifestyle coaching and personal training specialist from Doetinchem and Velp, newest member of Business Club
• AutohopperprimaryOthersMain sponsor (Hoofdsponsor) of De Graafschap, providing primary financial sponsorship for the club
• BIG FAT InternetprimaryTechnology or IntegrationDigital partner responsible for website development and digital infrastructure (mentioned as web shop creator)
• Onverwachte HoekpremiumGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium partner of the club with branding presence on official communications
• WorkademytalentGTM or Marketing PartnerTalentenpartner supporting youth development initiatives
• DFDStalentGTM or Marketing PartnerTalentenpartner supporting youth development initiatives
• UnivéofficialGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner providing insurance services to the club
• Ter Horst GroepofficialGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of the club
• Jansen FoodserviceofficialGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial stersponsor (star sponsor) providing food service partnership
• Huiskes KokkelerofficialGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of the club
• GrolschofficialGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner, likely providing beverage sponsorship
• ArrivaofficialGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner providing transportation services
• RabobankofficialGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of the club
• DLA ICTofficialTechnology or IntegrationOfficial partner providing ICT services
• IDHSkit sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerTenuesponsor providing kit/jersey sponsorship
• De DakExpertkit sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerTenuesponsor providing kit/jersey sponsorship
• SWRkit sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerTenuesponsor providing kit/jersey sponsorship
• Cars4kidskit sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerTenuesponsor providing kit/jersey sponsorship
• Coffee Freshkit sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerTenuesponsor providing kit/jersey sponsorship
• Flexfamilykit sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerTenuesponsor providing kit/jersey sponsorship
• ExtranofficialGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sport drink sponsor providing sports beverages
• e-Boekhouden.nldivisionGTM or Marketing PartnerDivisiepartner of Keuken Kampioen Divisie
• Keuken Kampioen DivisiedivisionGTM or Marketing PartnerLeague partnership for the second-tier Dutch football division
• DerbystardivisionOthersBall supplier for the division
• ESPNdivisionGTM or Marketing PartnerBroadcasting partner for the division
• 0314ModeclothingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial clothing sponsor providing apparel
• RobeyclothingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial clothing sponsor and kit designer for match collections

Scale indicators4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SC Cambuur: Dutch second-tier club from Leeuwarden with a passionate regional supporter base. Comparable in terms of operating model, merchandise depth, and reliance on local sponsorship.
• TOP Oss: Smaller Keuken Kampioen Divisie club with similar revenue scale and a regional identity in North Brabant. Useful comparable for the lower-revenue end of the second-tier market.
• FC Emmen: Dutch football club that frequently competes in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie with a similarly sized regional supporter base and revenue profile. Directly comparable as a second-tier professional club drawing sponsorship from regional SMEs.
• Helmond Sport: Fellow Keuken Kampioen Divisie club with a comparable stadium size, regional identity in North Brabant, and similar revenue mix. De Graafschap's next scheduled fixture is against Helmond Sport, confirming direct head-to-head competition.
• Almere City FC: Direct Keuken Kampioen Divisie competitor. The two clubs recently met in a play-off match that triggered De Graafschap's regulatory sanctions, illustrating their direct competitive and commercial overlap.
• FC Den Bosch: Historic Dutch second-tier club with a similar regional identity in 's-Hertogenbosch, comparable stadium capacity, and overlapping sponsorship and merchandise models. Direct peer in product offering and target customer segments.
• FC Volendam: Dutch club frequently in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie with a strong regional identity in Volendam, comparable revenue scale, and a similarly diversified mix of matchday, sponsorship, and merchandise revenue.
• MVV Maastricht: Second-tier Dutch professional club in Maastricht with comparable regional identity, stadium size, and reliance on local Business Club-style B2B partnerships. Direct comparable for revenue mix and scale.

Broad incumbents

• Heracles Almelo: Larger Eredivisie-level club based in nearby Almelo that competes with De Graafschap for regional Achterhoek/Twente sponsorship budgets, fan attention, and youth talent. Operates in a higher revenue tier but in an overlapping regional catchment.
• NEC Nijmegen: Established Dutch professional club in nearby Gelderland that competes with De Graafschap for regional sponsors and talent. Larger scale and occasional Eredivisie presence make it a comparable upper-tier regional incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/degraafschap
• Facebookfacebook.com/DeGraafschap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Betaald Voetbal De Graafschap